all that and more

Deimos Oh, they’d tried their tricks before. Communication through shells, reflecting designations settled into frames, or opening it at every opportunity. It’d saved some, and allowed for monsters to thrive. The notion of keeping everything locked tight, no longer a revolving aperture like last year’s, would be something they would have to relate again and again and again. Some of their Grounders would be refugees in other lands, other worlds, their choice to advance into another form of shelter. Some would buckle down in their own homes, comfortable in the reign of an endless, eternal week of death and damnation. They’d try to construct the Spark Bird perch once more, leave offerings for a wall and whirl of flames. They’d try, as they always did. And so too would the demons outside. He kept marching, elongating his stride along the bank, wandering, wandering, wandering as he mused and thought, as the apprehension and consternation began to build and brim behind his chest. Some role of responsibility flickered over his shoulders, weighed them down, and though the cumbersome load wasn’t his to carry, he’d do it anyway, jaw striving to clench out of habitual reticence, a way to retreat into the ease of distance, of nonchalance. He thought naught of Kiada’s inquiry though, forgoing the way Safrin had insinuated his next step would be to pledge his devotion to her, how he’d remained vigilantly silent. “I have to find an Ascended willing to give an upgrade and half of their fluid.” So she could ascertain how well that was damned and doomed to go. Out of sight and out of mind Make everything alright So let the sky and sea collide Just not in our lifetime