near half-empty

Deimos The roar of the river was a temptation on its own – pieces and pockets of yesteryears and currents, potent, powerful rivulets, as if it were the ocean, much like the mountains, calling and seething and boiling in his blood. His eyes went to it immediately, his figure ambled along the rocks and stones, ultimately a creature, a heathen, of habit, lured by the concoctions of things reminding him of broken shards, of the past, of the present, of ramparts and landmarks. He caught the glint of goldfish, the splash of the tides rolling in against embankments, standing along the first massive monument of a boulder he could reach, Colossus of Rhodes from where he stood, narrowing his eyes at the expanse – And then turning away, shifting down off the rock, not to be compelled today. Not when he had so many other things to achieve. Not when he had so many others things to do. Bag over his shoulder, head raised, the Sword pinpointed his movements towards the sanction of forest instead, rummaging once more on careful inspection and examination, the scrutiny of discernment in his eyes: missions and motives, contemplations and convictions embedded in each step, firmer and fiercer than the last. Out of sight and out of mind Make everything alright So let the sky and sea collide Just not in our lifetime

LIBBS

Libbs had been working extremely hard since her entry into the guild. Some efforts were fruitful. Others.. not so much. But life at the guild had been exciting, to say the least. She had already made a lovely friend, and there was a deep level of satisfaction that sat in her chest- brewed from the carefully orchestrated projects she had ordained, and thus pushed forward and created. From unlocking unruly chests to inventing new tools, Libbs definitely had made a home here. And she had one person to thank for that. The towering, not-as-scary-as-she-thought-he-was, General Deimos.

Arguably, she hadn't really bothered him too much. He always seemed super busy, and brooding. And he was very difficult to read, meaning when Libbs was peeking around his doorframe to ask questions? She was always paranoid that Deimos was judging her. And she would not blame him either for it.

Therefore, when she was asked to assist him, Libbs was only the most eager lil' woman on the planet. She had packed all of her tools, and some water, and gloves. And snacks. For two. Because it would be rude if she didn't. And the mindset to help him and finally return some of the gratitude she had felt!

She plodded towards him, waving an arm excitedly in the air. He held a sword, and Libbs felt a chill run down her spine. Were they going somewhere.. dangerous? "Good afternoon.. sir!" she announced.

let's run off to costa rica

BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3

Deimos Not slipping into the river’s depths turned out to be a plausible, dignified decision, since Libbs arrived shortly thereafter – an arch to his brow signifying nothing but some primordial curiosity. She’d certainly come prepared for their venture along the forest borders, something to be appreciated and noted, since he instinctively followed the same motions whenever he traversed or meant to be in harm’s way (which, unfortunately, was often). The fiend didn’t expect this particular journey to be anything more than hunting down fronds, but one never knew what they’d encounter amongst Fae contortions and disastrous potentials. He thought Fiat Lux safe, after all. Look where that’d gotten all of them. Libbs hadn’t been here long enough to immerse herself in all of the treachery, the mayhem, the cataclysms. Perhaps that was why the eagerness, the ebullience, rolled off of her in waves, pulsed, pervaded, and beat along the canopies, boughs, and branches. He didn’t know how to face it, never had with any soul matching the same qualities, except accept its nuances and existences, maneuvering along the fault lines and fissures of shadow. “Afternoon,” he responded in kind, pondering how far they’d get before something went awry. “Our mission today,” a mockingly serious tone, perhaps to snag at her attention long enough, to pique her interest before it deviated and flew away, erupted and rumbled from his throat, “is to find a particular leaf.” He lowered his bag, withdrawing several jars already containing found fronds. “I need one almost at the end of its life.” Withered and decayed, but not completely sunken into rot and devastation. Then he placed them all back, his piercing eyes maneuvering back to her, waiting for some sort of acceptance, or another round of inquiries. Out of sight and out of mind Make everything alright So let the sky and sea collide Just not in our lifetime

LIBBS

Now you see, if it was any other person, they probably would have gotten an estranged look. Why leaves? Why nearly rotted leaves? Was there a particular reason? Were they going to create compost? And why not leave that to a farmer? Instead of a general and a tinkerer? But you see, Libbs was on the other spectrum of creative thought most of the time. She, of course, thought it was for something productive.

"Oh!" she exclaimed. "I can help with that. Are we going to be gathering oak leaves or cypress for tannic acid?" she asked. She seen it on TV before, how they used to make leather back in the old days. "Or are we going to see if we can any willow?" Cause that was used for medicine! Go Discovery channel! Mind you, she didn't actually FINISH these episodes so she didn't understand how it got from point A to point B, but, nuances.

let's run off to costa rica

BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3

Deimos Libb’s rational notions for explaining why he required a leaf nearly decomposed were understandable. Were he not from multiple worlds where gods designated and granted quests to their inferior beings, he might have done the same thing; striving to comprehend the logic, reasonings, and foundations. “No,” he shook his head, withholding a snort. He appreciated her logical attempts in a land not so grounded, more prone to tactics of magical upheaval, disaster, and mayhem than anything else “I asked for some assistance from Safrin.” For healing, for blessings, for invocations upon the Shield. He wasn’t certain if she even knew anything about the heralds or token gods; though he wouldn’t be the best one to educate or impart his wisdom on the subject. “She wanted five leaves in different stages of decomposition.” Amongst other properties: Libbs could make of that what she wished: he presumed for some soothing, mending, assuaging complexities, or to demonstrate their life and its dwindling properties in tangible form. Then he maneuvered forward, into the opening groves of the forest lining the river, glancing back over his shoulder to ensure she was coming, before sending the penetrating gaze back towards canopies and boughs, looking for the aforementioned curl, the assignation of death hovering on its verdant or browning ends. Out of sight and out of mind Make everything alright So let the sky and sea collide Just not in our lifetime

LIBBS

Oh. God stuff again.

Libbs blinked at him. She had more or less accepted the idea that Gods are just a concept her peabrain would never seem to process. Nothing they asked for made sense. Nothing they did made sense. Really, they just didn't make sense. Which she thought was odd for creatures that were supposibly omnipresent. Yep. It didn't make a lick of sense. Still, Deimos did request her aid for what seemed to be a bit of an impossible mission. And as a result, she would go forward and do just that. Which, lead to a simple. "Okay." because really, what do you say to that?

Libbs followed along, not as graceful as her feral and stalwart companion. She trodded along in the grass like a puppy being lead along for a walk. She yapped like one too. "So.. what are the criteria for these leaves? Any particular tree? How damaged are they allowed to be? Is there a threshold?" she asked. She was doing much to attempt being helpful, but alas, unsure of how she could be. She was certainly no botanist, by a longshot.

let's run off to costa rica

BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3

Deimos Had the Sword not been born, raised, and grown in worlds filled with omnipresent, corporeal, tangible gods and beings, he might have shirked the entire thing off too. Truth be told, he’d done it on numerous occasions out of nonchalance, irreverence, and an apathetic upheaval: ignoring one another as best they all could. The beast had come to them in hours of need and they’d done nothing – ghosts on the wind, whispers in the storm – and his reliance on their schemes, on their machinations, was shut off completely: in Isilme, in Helovia, and the pattern might’ve continued here (and had, for some time). Only Amalia’s influence ensured he’d ever met Safrin at all, and likely why the notions, the sojourns, had spiraled and carried on at all; catalysts of Shield properties. But Libbs seemed to either accept it or just not comment on it – which was fine by him. Explaining it time and time again just made him vexed. At least her inquiries made sense, didn’t ask why he was doing this, what torment, anguish, or rancor had drained down parts of his soul. “I did not receive much for particulars.” Just leaves; no accord for their make or mark, just withering properties galvanized. “I was hoping to find one completely withered.” Dead; no life left in its veins or hues, browned, shorn, cut off completely from either its limbs, boughs, or brambles. Which should’ve been easy enough, given the dry, hot season. Out of sight and out of mind Make everything alright So let the sky and sea collide Just not in our lifetime

LIBBS

Libbs listened carefully, her countenance taking on a very thoughtful and reflective manner. She looked to the ground. Looked to the sky. Paused for a brief moment. "So no holes or anything like that?" she asked for clarification. That does indeed sound like the case. "Y'know, that actually.. might be kinda difficult." she mumbled. "Cause once the life's gone- all it takes is a little bit of pressure to shatter it. " A pause hung in the air for a brief moment. "In a way, there's a lesson to take away from that- somewhere." she muttered.

Because existence was fleeting, and so was the memory that was often left behind. Libbs pondered about her own death in that moment. When it comes, just like the leaf, she would disappear. And any traces of her would be shattered and left to the wind.

A squeal chirped though. Libbs charged forward quickly, reaching for a leaf on the ground. She plucked it up, holding it into the air, and holding it to Deimos. "Like this?" she asked. It was up to Deimos at this point to decide if Libbs was on the right track or not.

let's run off to costa rica

BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3

Deimos His eyes fell away from the branches and onto her at her final statement; he’d nodded in understanding towards no holes, figuring it’d be best to bring back everything tangible and corporeal, despite the deadened contortions. It was everything else that followed that gave him pause, lifting his brow into those age-old, familiar veneers of nothingness: blank, stoic, completely utterly reserved. He’d been shattered once before, regardless of which land, of which world: dead and gone, perished and vanquished, no amount of strength, power, or fortitude lasting, not when the Reaper had been reaped. And he wondered if he was just doomed and damned to repeat the cycle, to wander with cumbersome weights upon his shoulders, refusing to bend, refusing to break, until it happened again. He’d disappeared. He’d died. All his accomplishments, all his brutality, all his menace, gone and billowed into the void. Deimos heaved a monumental sigh, traces of the audible, and then said absolutely nothing, absorbed into silence. His eyes flickered over greenery, too alive, too fresh, too new, and that punctured somewhere, and it would’ve been nice to return to some point in life where not everything felt like a damned wound. Libbs’ squeal broke him out of the irritating resonance, gaze segmenting back to the fellow Artisan and her findings. He took the browned filaments, inspecting, only to find some greenery on the edges. “A good start. Where did you find it?” Perhaps it would have more of the same, and they could find one completely decrepit, but not yet succumbed to falling apart. Out of sight and out of mind Make everything alright So let the sky and sea collide Just not in our lifetime

LIBBS

Libbs nodded. She took a few steps back, looking to the sky. Why? Because namely; she didn't actually find it on the ground. She watched it fall in front of her face. And plucked it off the ground. Did it fall from behind her? The side. She whipped her body to the side, leaning a bit in a direction. Her eyes squinted for just a brief moment, before she pointed out something in the distance for him.

In the distance, there was a tree. While the tree itself seemed to have spacial presence, it's actual entity seemed.. empty in nature. The white bark twisted upward, but seemed to be tilting to the side, as if it was losing it's structure. Some of branches seemed.. barren, empty, as if the tree had been losing it's plumage for a while. And a leaf, partially decayed fell from the tree.

Libbs blinked. It must have caught some sort of disease, perhaps even a parasite. "Not sure if they're all gonna be like that, but it's worth a shot, right?" she asked him. And so, she started to make her steps towards the tree, curious to see if the tree's misfortune would be to their benefit.

In the midst of that.. Libbs asked a very innocent question, to fill the void brought upon the awkward silence between them. "Deimos.. um.. I am kinda curious. Are you.. an outsider? Or a natural?"

let's run off to costa rica

BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3

Deimos He’d looked for the dead before; either enemy or comrades, slipping between fallen forms and bloodied plains. Some to be buried, some to be ignored, some giving away to ash and embers, cinders and soot, some just another hollowed catacomb. Except now it was leaves, no ichor running down their still, prone figures; just the crumbling, withering, decaying nuances of brown and fatigue. His eyes followed her as she maneuvered along, stretching out his stride, instead of winding his way around, instead of maneuvering in a restless contortion. “Yes,” he agreed, gaze turning upwards towards the broken brambles, where something had gotten hold of it, unhealthy, even with the notion of dry, hot days. His memories cast to moments twisted and turned like the blight, pondering if they were to face more of the same in the coming seasons: whatever other disasters lay ahead, as if the little victories they’d managed to snag and ensnare were already long gone. The General’s breath was long and low as he raised his arm to another on a low-hanging branch, inspecting only to find the slightest amount of greenery left, as if clinging to the remains of life. He let it remain as Libbs spoke – and he would’ve been content to reside and reign in silence for an eternity, but rarely did anyone else feel the same. “Outlander.” Once, the world wouldn’t have let any of them forget it. “Been here for over a year though.” As if that mattered; assimilated and thrust within the sanctions, hurtling and harpooning himself into the void more often than not. Did she have inquiries for the land she suddenly found herself within too? The General’s gaze snapped back downwards to her, as if waiting, anticipating the incoming quandaries. Out of sight and out of mind Make everything alright So let the sky and sea collide Just not in our lifetime

LIBBS

Libbs blinked, almost in surprise. He didn't seem like an outlander. He seemed like a Natural, born and bred in Caido. He held the same oppressive air, it's cautious tendencies. Mistrust followed him, and his face was a shield to his thoughts and plans. Unlike the little woman, who wore her heart on her sleeves, and her voice carried every fleeting moment in it's chipper, happy song.

"Really?" Her tone was incredulous, and she tilted her head as she moved closer to the tree, stopping a healthy distance away. Her eyes squinted, making sure there was no knots, or twisty branches, like she was taught to. She has not met a Wicker Woman yet. She did not have any plans to meet a Wicker Woman. And thus, she kneeled down, starting to pluck at some of the leaves in question.

On observation, at first, it seemed chaotic. She just plucked a group of leaves and tossed them to the side. But then, carefully, one hand would reach for a leaf, inspect it briefly in front of her face for a moment, and she would put it down. Then another. This one looked slightly different. And that would be placed down as well.

"I wouldn't have believed it, to be honest. You look like you got everything under control. And just over a year too. Kinda.. crazy." she paused. "Think I'll get there one day?"

let's run off to costa rica

BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3

Deimos His soul hadn’t come from Caido’s expanse: twisted and turned along the Moonlit Tides, given life near tides and rivulets, close to crashing waves, and then given prestige and prevalence once more beneath the power and prowess of mountains. He’d lived multiple lifetimes in multiple lands and worlds, bombarded his way through kingdoms and fields, through disaster and ruin, holding it together through sheer willpower, spite, and vitriol. He wore a mask and he bore it well; carefully cultivated and constructed through those pits and pendulums, where vulnerability was a flaw, an adversary’s weapon, where hearts weren’t allowed to show anything more than their blackened, acrid abilities. He’d lost his willingness to impart emotion, save to a collect few, long, long ago, when life draining magic made its presence known as a child – when ice and glacial walls were easier to impart than kindness, compassion, or feeling, when the shadows were safer than his mere presence. The beast had eroded and worn down eventually, but no, Caido hadn’t made him. He’d assimilated and fumbled his way through its branches, brambles, and nettles, but he would never be a creature, a cretin, of the bubble’s orchestration. He knelt nearby, hands shifting through opposing leaf litter, plucking at various stems, roots, and vestiges, meandering away from her pile so they didn’t end up going through the same measures, wasting ample time. He didn’t turn towards her, but listened to the surprise in her voice, lowered his gaze back to the ground, a pause in the ministrations, searching, and tactics. Everything under control; maybe he was far better at faking it than he realized. Motivations kept him tethered and lined, coiled and contorted, composed and rigid; otherwise he’d be a damned mess. Maybe he was anyway. And like so many times before, the beast didn’t know what to say. “I do not,” he inclined; he’d tried more than once: planning for LongNight (it hadn’t mattered), orchestrating stalls, kiosks, and perimeters for Fiat Lux (it hadn’t mattered), venturing down into the Spire to destroy poisonous plants, to cease the blight (it hadn’t mattered). In the grand scheme of things, he’d done very little. The dissimulation seemed to have worked though: but Libbs was new, and hadn’t experienced the rash, cold, hard reality of a world that promised benediction and took it within an instant. “You will,” he promised and assured; but it felt like a cold, unwinding thing to say, when naught ever seemed to go right, when they were barely skimming over the surface, when the land seemed intent on anchoring them straight into oblivion. She’d see it all too, every last inevitable surge of trying, trying, trying, and watching it became a futile void. So his hands went back to the fronds and leaflets, swallowing down the choking nuances and notions. Out of sight and out of mind Make everything alright So let the sky and sea collide Just not in our lifetime

LIBBS

Libbs blinked at him. "You.. do not?"

In an odd sense of confusion, she paused her sort, resting the leaf she was holding carefully into the pile, the hand seemingly autonomous in nature. Her eyes blinked even slower, as if the thoughts were beginning to trickle downstream, escaping between the cracks of the curves of her mouth, the cracks of her brow. It was a bit out of place, especially for Deimos. But then again, she hadn't really.. talked.. to Deimos. Hesitation often plagued Libbs, insecurities of being a bother a persistent motif. In that moment, she was wondering if the growing weight in her stomach was perhaps the beginnings of another plant she hated growing.

Regret.

"Why.. do you say that?" It slipped out of her mouth before she realized what precisely she was poking. She stiffened, a bit, pausing a hand over the unsorted leaves, still as the sun in the sky. She could hear her breathing. She thought she could hear his as well. Ouch, that was a bit clumsy of a social faux pas to make. She cursed her curiosity in that moment. That and her damn brain.

"Uh.. you don't have to answer, if you don't want to. I shouldn't have asked."

let's run off to costa rica

BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3