near half-empty

Deimos Control and composure were something he’d always prided himself on; built and fortified when worlds collided and tempers rang, when he could transform into a living, breathing weapon, or a manifested glacier – ice cold, chilling, a calculating maelstrom of contained menace. He just didn’t have that range over anything else in their constantly shifting lives – and it was wearing, tearing, to strive forward and see nothing come of it. He dug in when he had naught else to give, a stubborn, tenacious sort of rock and rubble, ruin from mountains, from summits, from currents, tossed ashore when it didn’t want his presence either. Libbs surpassed his expectations on this front though – where so many didn’t bother reading into his keen, obtuse, or finalized statements, or simply knew better – she pressed. His eyes narrowed dangerously, but they were staring at the ground, at the leaf debris, at things circumventing and spiraling out from underneath him. A certain layer of vehemence curled and clawed along his veins, but not in her direction or presence, but at himself. He shouldn’t have said anything at all; kept to his rooted stance of minimal discourse and let the lands drift around and by. The General swallowed down all the potential nuances, ruminations, and explanations he could’ve made: but none of them yearned to be relived, and he didn’t want to ruin this earth for her either. You will see soon enough wasn’t exactly a promising conviction to live by. Sometimes, no matter what you do, it will not matter wasn’t an awe-inspiring comment either. So he shook his head, aware in his struggles to find common ground with half the population when all they wanted to do was talk and all he wanted to do was tuck himself into shadows, remember what it was like to breathe, to be strong. “Where did you come from?” An entirely new topic, obliterating the other for something safer, something not grinding or perilous; broad, calloused hands still picking apart and combing through the fronds, gaze remaining on the gathered veins and split-apart vines. Out of sight and out of mind Make everything alright So let the sky and sea collide Just not in our lifetime

LIBBS

Libbs paused for a moment.

She hung her head for a moment, and stopped sorting the leaves. She very gently rested herself onto the ground, rubbing her hair back. Not as a matter of laziness, mind you, but because remembering- well, remembering was a concentrated effort. Her mind still fogged a bit whenever she tried thinking of home. And although she knew she could recall the memories with enough focus, it often felt like jolts of electricity that scattered the information across the horizon of her mind, leaving her lost and disorganized.

But, she would try, and she would tell him. Because inevitably, she will have to. That's the one thing she's learned. You got to keep on going, can't just quit. Because the minute you quit, you disappear. And the thought of a fleeting existence was a terrifying one to the young woman.

"I came.. from San Antonio." she nodded, pausing for a brief moment. "It was a different world. Not quite as.. chaotic, as Caido." she nodded. "Well, it was, but in it's own way. See, they didn't have wicker women or landsharks." she paused. "They didn't even have ascended, dragons, gryphons- none of that. Everyone was human. Everyone was normal. And there was no gods that walked around and caused problems. No Voice. No.. nothing. But, I guess without something causing problems, we'd pick fights with each other. But those fights pale in comparison to what I've seen here."


".. what did you want to know about it?" she offered.

let's run off to costa rica

BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3

Deimos He’d always been naturally curious, a part of his lifestyle and upbringing. Childhood had been reckless abandon and amusements before war and annihilation became a part of his blood and abilities. Sometimes the topic of worlds was safer, an interesting, intriguing notion, to hear what others knew or experienced – it’d been the way he’d guided others to ranks and similar attributes, an inclination of where to find their niche in a kingdom of far too many. So he listened, because that was a natural instinct too, while shifting through leaves, maneuvering over to another pile while she concentrated and began – not realizing what an effort it was, to strive and remember something notched or knocked away. He’d had his in dreams, in nightmares, in waking realities as more lives from multiple sovereigns rose to meet him, as he perished and lived and breathed again. The name she implored was unknown to his mind, but then again, Isilme, Helovia, Aurora Basin, and Moonlit Tides would be just as foreign to her skull. Not quite as chaotic, and he wondered what it was like to live amidst things not so driven by bedlam or menace; no dragons, no gryphons, no highlighted enemies and adversaries. Fights picked, but nothing of their scale. So the beast nodded, conforming to this sagacity and wisdom of one more stark, unknown world. “That is fine,” a notion that he wouldn’t pry any deeper, skim over the surface as he often did, striving and struggling not to be dragged under the current, drown in the wake of his own miseries. He almost wished he could say the same: but both lands that had sculpted him were known for their danger, their treachery, their mythical, legendary beasts, and the gods who wreaked havoc. “Was there anything you wanted to know about Caido?” He could try his best; though Jigano would likely be the best source. Deimos had at least met a landshark and lived to tell the tale. A trade; her assistance for his information. Out of sight and out of mind Make everything alright So let the sky and sea collide Just not in our lifetime

LIBBS

Libbs released her breath, rubbing her temples for a brief moment.

This happened for a moment, before she rolled back into sorting. She had five neatly divided piles, of various 'greeness' levels, the left being the most verdant, the right crippled with decay. She figured somewhere in the midst of this, Deimos could probably figure out which would be the most opportunistic to look into. After all, this was his request after all. And the lessons and requests of the gods have yet to haunt her yet.

She stood up, reaching for another pile, and placing it next to herself. And she contemplated this question a bit. Quite a bit in fact. She ran a head over her brow, rubbing the sweat off of it. What could possibly plague her in that moment that needed an answer? That something he definitively would know? He was right, Jigano definitely had the land documented in spades. And you can bet, Libbs definitely made it a point to harass the bad routinely for questions and answers. But, she at least feeds him, so there's that.

"I'll.. admit. I have a lot of questions, but I don't know which ones are right to ask." she responded, after a moment of silence, as if the truth profounded herself in a way. "Because, well, Jigs usually tells me a lot of stuff. And if it ain't Jigs, it's Sunjata. And if it ain't Sunjata, it's Maea." she paused. "Really, the only thing none of them have told me is how they manage to live throughout these nonsenses. Because that.." she pointed at him. "Is what I would like to know. I don't want to be the one caught off guard, with a knife at my neck, or some mean beastie at my ankles. I want to know how they manage to survive. Because in the end, I kinda wanna survive too.. if that makes sense. And I may have gotten lucky now.. but I don't think I'll always get that lucky. That's just being dumb to count on it."

She continued to sort, in silence.

let's run off to costa rica

BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3

Deimos She’d made far more progress than he had, eyes skimming over the piles, and in the roots of silence, meandering over, hands immediately sifting through, taking away anything green, too verdant, too bright, too alive. And then there were those who’d been broken and bitten by decay, and he didn’t glance too far to see himself in those pinnacles and thresholds, listening, listening, listening to her explanations while he picked through, while he ascertained what would be enough. Were there any right or wrong inquiries? Perhaps – the ones that dug, the ones that tore, the ones he’d utilized to maul and maim in reciprocity and vengeance. But this world was too big, too vast, too fresh, too new for anyone to learn anything all at once – some would come from experience, some would come from those wiser, who’d been through the rebellions, the fallen barriers, the trials, and the tribulations. He made sure not to laugh at the nickname of Jigs, the snort caught somewhere in his throat. But then his eyes reeled back to hers at the notion of survival, at the sigh flickering off his chest. It was a loaded question, because he’d learned how to endure and persevere long before this world, had dug in tooth and nail when he wasn’t ready to perish, when kingdoms were torn apart, when battlefields echoed beyond tirades and tyrants. “Strength, might, and tenacity,” the Sword answered at first. “You have to pick your battles, and sometimes it is sheer luck, but there is value in being prepared.” Not to bombard their way in when they didn’t have enough menace or bite in their powers, in their capabilities. Not to try and become the hero; because it never worked to their favor. Not to be afraid to run when the going became tougher, more than they could handle; because sometimes there weren’t opportunities to come back. “You are welcome to come train at the barracks.” In any way, shape, or form she yearned to relish or try. To grow. To prosper. So she could live in this damned hellhole. His final words were quiet, but a truth, no matter how hushed. “There will be times that try your every patience or composure, and you want to do nothing more than give up. But you cannot.” 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, her countenance a bit cryptic, with her eyes narrowed, and her lips pushed together. She turned her head towards the ground, seemingly a bit sluggish, before moving up to face him again. She stretched a bit, and a sigh escaped her lips. She has heard this before. Don't give up. Of course she won't give up. She'd never give up. She came too far to give up.

But perhaps, she was asking the wrong questions. Or asking questions that didn't really have an answer, at least not a decent one that anyone had found yet. In that moment, Libbs felt a chill run down her spine- from the base of her back to the hair on her neck. It threatened to steal her breath and run away with it. A truth of sorts had been formed in her mind, and at that point, she opted for perhaps a different method.

"If I was to.. go pick up training- who'd train me? What would they train me how to use?" she asked, very sincerely, and very seriously. Because realistically, that was part of her conclusion. Personal epiphany or not, she still needed to be safe, and knowing what the best route for that would be could finally give her the security in this world that she was looking for.

Another pile gone, to be replaced by another.

let's run off to costa rica

BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3

Deimos It fell to silence again; perhaps she didn’t like the way he answered, or the lack of transparency, no right insinuation to place into the loaded inquiry. Maybe it’d been too soon to consecrate the world as a potential hellhole and death-trap, but to remain ignorant in the face of ghosts, wraiths, phantoms, edges of rapacity and vitriol was also foolish, stupid, and asinine. So he glanced away, meandering through the piles again, eyes cast, studying rivulets, lines of veins, too much color or too few brown-flecked concoctions, discarding those that would remain useless to him now. Only a while later, in the midst of hushed scouring and scourging, did she finally pinpoint something else. His gaze lifted away from the fronds for a moment, tilting his head towards her, every inch a warrior, from the way the intrigue nettled into scrutiny and conspiring, to calculations curling and coiling behind his eyes. “We have militia members who can. I am always willing, or Sunjata,” he thought about mentioning Loren, but with the latest notice board paper, the summoner would likely no longer be available. “As for what you can use, we have a variety of weapons.” Armory instilled and created by himself, walls upon walls of metal fringes, serrated edges, or taut, bow strings. “Whatever you are comfortable with.” 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. Whatever she was comfortable with. That was a bit difficult. Because realistically, in her world those sorts of weapons were rare. Collected, but barely used. Instead, they had progressed into automatic weaponry. Bombs that could kill cities within a blink of an eye. In that, Libbs looked up to Deimos, chuckling a little bit.

"I don't know what I am comfortable with!" she admitted. "I'll take the lessons from anyone, I'm not picky. But, I don't even know where to begin in that regard." she paused, dropping her leaf onto the ground, letting it flutter with what little grace it had left to the ground.

"In my world, swords and axes were considered primitive, and outdated. Collected, but never used." She chuckled. "At that point, they made weapons so scary that they could kill in a blink of an eye. All you had to do was point." she made a motion with her hand, in the shape of an L, pushing her thumb down as if it was a trigger. "Pew!" The smile faded again though. "I know how to use once of those, but I don't think we have anything like that. I think the closest would be a bow. But I imagine that ain't easy is it?" she paused, looking to Deimos.

"I'll give it a shot. I ain't promising miracles, but I suppose that puts me on the same playing field with everyone else." she chuckled.

She finally sat back, her piles neatly divided. "Hey, you wanna take a look through mine real quick?" she asked.

let's run off to costa rica

BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3

Deimos Perhaps Deimos didn’t see the problem – surrounded by weaponry, munitions, battlefield roads, and insurmountable odds almost his entire life. Inexperience, ignorance, and the unknown were temporary issues (until something new came along), opportunities to grow, to prosper, to harness potential into more than just prowess. He hadn’t come into the world knowing how to wield a sword or how to draw a bow. He hadn’t marched into the training grounds with a ragtag bunch of other boys knowing much else but stances learned from his father, a few swings of wooden blades in fun and melee. Reality had slapped and stung them all in the face on the first day. So the General shrugged, remaining calm, composed, in the face of her confusion, exasperation, or whatever else seemed to be entangled in the here and now. “Then we find something. Come to the barracks when you are ready, and we can start from there.” No sense in miring towards apprehension or vitriol. It’d be better to try, to learn something, then do nothing at all. Reliance upon others wasn’t a grand or great defense. He listened still while going through pile after pile, sifting and churning, distracted from neither task. The only thing he recognized in her speech was the notion of pointing and shooting, and only courtesy of Adam. “A gun?” He intoned, almost proud to know what it was. “Adam has one.” But it’d been the only thing of its kind he’d ever seen – grown and plucked from a world with catapults and medieval diligence in their sway and assault. “Nothing is easy,” he retorted with the slightest of smirks; before that faltered and crumbled off too. “But at least you are willing.” Which was more than they could say for a multitude of beings sifting and sinking along. Libbs offering her pile a look through only caused him to shift slightly in her direction, long arms and large hands taking hold of some and dragging them over to his sanction, peeking through and through, as if were easy to process now, all his searching, all his deliberating. Then, one finally seemed to exist in his hold, a leaf entirely brown, decayed, and withered, but not crumbled to dust or debris yet. “Well done,” he extended to her, focus entirely on the frond as he gently removed it from the earth, retrieving a jar from his bag, and placing it within. Out of sight and out of mind Make everything alright So let the sky and sea collide Just not in our lifetime

LIBBS

Libbs chirped happily, standing up and brushing the debris off of her pants, and giving a slightly happy dance. She was able to be helpful! She looked to the rest of the discarded leaves, wondering what was so special about that particular leaf. In fact, it was almost a shame in some regard what the rest of the leaves. It seemed almost disappointing that they would fall into decay. But, she supposed, not everything could be quite as special as that particular leaf eh?

Which, got her thinking. This was supposed to be for a god right? To get help?

"Deimos, you mentioned that Safrin wanted these leaves to help you with something. What.. did you exactly need help with? If you don't mind me asking, that is.." she drawled, as she coughed a bit. It was a bit hot out! And she reached for a waterskin, taking some of the water and pushing it to her lips, offering the sack to Deimos, in case he too was thirsty.

For all of the awkwardness that was this adventure, no one deserved to be thirsty after a hard day's work!

let's run off to costa rica

BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3

Deimos Glancing over the jar, and securing the lid tight, the General placed it amongst the others in the bag, the fourth of such collected objects and artifacts meant to secure Amalia’s healing. Then he rose from the ground as well, tall and colossal again, not expecting Libbs’ inquiry drawling over towards him, configuring his features into a reticent expression once more to hide the weariness, the apprehension, the consternation stored and compiled in his mind. Truth be told, he hadn’t told Libbs much. The majority of those assisting him understood the nuances and didn’t expect an explanation – the tale had circulated far and wide, of Ronin’s rage, of sanctuaries falling, of another accord in the Fiat Lux torment. But Libbs had arrived after, in the aftermath of their trials and tribulations, so his eyes pinpointed to the ground for a moment, narrowing, shrugging the bag back onto his shoulders. “My fiancée lost the use of her legs when a portion of the temple fell on her.” Blunt and honest, gaze settling along the timber line, then the shore, as if he’d rather be distant than focus on the whys. Maybe she deserved to know for assisting. Maybe he didn’t want to say anything more. Maybe it wouldn’t matter in the end, when he’d succeeded, when everything could fine some sort of normal balance. Some amount of faith, bizarre for him to have at all, besides in himself, in Amalia, in Kiada, in other portions of family and friends. “I asked Safrin to heal her.” At the offering of the sack of water though, he shook his head, declining. Out of sight and out of mind Make everything alright So let the sky and sea collide Just not in our lifetime

LIBBS

Libbs took the declination with a humble shrug. Hey, it was better to try, then to not try at all! She continued taking another sip, before placing it back amongst her belongings, using an idle foot to kick away the leaves they had scattered. A bit of stress relief if you will; the destruction of something once it was complete. It was an odd phenomenon, but it was routine in her line of work when it came to totaled cars back in the old world.

After a moment, he would hear a dreamy sigh from Libbs. "I'm sorry! That sounds, that is very sweet, and lovely. It sounds like you really care for her! I bet you she's probably so happy to be with you." she giggled a bit. "And you know.. that makes finding that leaf all the worth while. Jigs says that the gods are very powerful, and that they can do many things. If they do half of what he has told me, then fixing some legs should be no issue at all!" she chirped, optimistic and sunny.

Because sometimes, it's good to be hopeful. This seemed like a good time to do it.

"Then, are we gonna head back?" she asked him.

(At this point, we can FIN the thread if ya like)

let's run off to costa rica

BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3

Deimos The Sword was never quite certain about Libbs and what would transpire. He didn’t expect a dreamy sigh, or being called sweet (which was the second time in his dual lives, and it disturbed him to a point where he had to repress a shudder). He blinked back the compliments and cheer for several moments, mind whirling  back to the proclamations, as if they made no sense in his head. Except yes, he did care for Amalia, immensely, deeply, and he was hopeful she was content with him, no matter what ridiculous, asinine things he managed to pull. “I hope so,” was all he could manage to say, eyes downcast, a rumble in his chest, a long, withering sigh pummeled from its contents (snorting softly at the Jigs nickname). One step closer to his goal. One step closer towards Amalia regaining the ability to walk, to wander, and then they could march forward, onward, to whatever the next venture contained. His eyes flicked back to Libbs, a grateful nod extended, acknowledgment of her assistance and findings: without her he likely would still be amongst the leaf fronds and piles, desperate, irritated, and exasperated without a selection in sight. “Thank you for helping.” Then he concurred and agreed, ready to go back, leading the way from the entanglements of Fae shorelines and whispers of the river. {-FIN} Out of sight and out of mind Make everything alright So let the sky and sea collide Just not in our lifetime