always prepared

Deimos He gave no inclinations towards his own thoughts, about what he’d do; snagging at the thoughts in their own set of brambled machinations, thorns and nettles he’d already scorched. His eyes narrowed slightly at her first statement though, for he’d heard likewise. Perhaps it’d been mere rumor, and he’d have to dig further into the midst, towards another Ascended, or it was a lie, meant to keep others at bay. Maybe they had no intention of assistance, maybe they’d made decisions within the elder, stronger core, maybe everything was a hoax, and the council were the only ones beginning to implement a plan. If he was frustrated by the response, he didn’t give anything away, a nod of respect for her glimpses of insight, before burrowing down the exasperated layers under his chest. They had time – but it would go quickly, without end or pause. The General only looked at the stalls they passed now, mind not grasping on the images, on the aspects of wares, mind solely focused on honing in preparations. Her own inquiry lifted into the ether, pulled him out of the calculations, and into more. The slightest narrowing of his eyes occurred, a portrait of furrowed brows and speculations, staring out into the void instead of lantern lights and ashes of evenings. “I am not certain.” Would it cease everything? What brought the eternal darkness, the time where deities couldn’t remain, couldn’t reign? Had it been the Voice, or something else far, far before? “They still have LongNight here, but no monsters.” Folds of shadows, partying when the sun went down, with naught else to fear. For how long? Out of sight and out of mind Make everything alright So let the sky and sea collide Just not in our lifetime

EVELYN

Their surroundings went by in a blur to her. While she had heightened hearing and vision, her sense of smell and taste were dulled, and so when she focussed her attention on a singular task, she easily ignored the rest that might try to distract her. Torchline was fascinating, beautiful, and she would take the time to enjoy it - just, after she was done pestering the General of the Grounds.

No monsters here, she mused to herself, having spoken to her sister about spending the last Longnight here, but both of them deciding to go to the Temple instead, to linger around that which was at least somewhat familiar to them, even if they did not know any there. Perhaps this year would be different - perhaps there wouldn't be any monsters at all.

Was this the war Mabel spoke to Wessex about? A war against the monsters?

She supposed it depended on whether everyone's definition of 'monsters' was the same.

"I hope to see a Longnight with no monsters," gentle tones hummed, her mind awhirl with new ideas and information to tell her sister, to discuss and to try and mold to their very initial beginnings of a plan, a scheme, an idea to bring more into the fold of the Voice. A Longnight with no monsters sounded like a dream for an Ascended, where their senses thrived in the dark, where no sunlight burned at their skin and no monsters clawed at their beings.

cross me once
i dare you
it is the only chance you will get

Deimos The hope voiced; and he nodded in agreement, in solidarity with the wish. They’d had the opportunity this past year, but his sense of duty, obligations, and responsibilities had kept him tied and tethered there, intending to help Rexanna defend the void – and only ending up guarding her makeshift tomb. A barb notched its way through his lungs at the thought, and he gave it no voice, no outlet, except for the clenching of his fists, the pretenses of meandering further down into the fold, another tower, another monolith, rising above the rest when all he wanted to do was sink. His stare rendered and held on a few more stalls, before they’d come to the end, where the market dropped off to further stones, inns, bars, and some other plethora of entertainment, and then reeling out into the sea. The General ceased his movements then, standing amidst the crowd, surveying the rest of the passerbys, before his stare went back to the young Ascended. “If we are not successful at the Grounds, at least you have Torchline and Halo.” A preparation for failure, for them to fall apart in the interim of battle and bombardments, and a plan for everyone else so they didn’t become amongst the number of perished. He’d survived so many, he presumed one day he simply wouldn’t; the scars marking survival, but not noting just how close he’d come to another end. Then he remembered his promise, and a nod indicated the grouping of wares before them. “Did you find anything to your liking?” Out of sight and out of mind Make everything alright So let the sky and sea collide Just not in our lifetime

EVELYN

Hope was dampened slightly as he offered an alternative view, a world where the monsters weren't slain, where she and her sister would be safer to seek shelter away from the Grounds. And while they both dreamed of the world, of adventure and exploration now that the gift of a second life had been granted to them, Longnight was one of those times where they would feel most secure at home, even if it proved to be the most dangerous. But she nodded all the same, knowing he spoke wisdom, just not wholly accepting the taste of it.

The end of the aisle, the ocean spread out before them, she found her gaze, her focus, finally drifting, finally pulled from the conversation to admire the expanse of sand and water, of clouds in the distant horizon. There were people out there too, some alone, some in couples or groups, all living their own lives. How many of them were Ascended? She had to wonder - another question for her sister, or Wessex, or the Voice. How many had made the decision to accept the Voice's gift like she had her sister? She longed to meet them, to know them.

Pulled back to the conversation by his question, she flashed him a small smile. "A beach to explore," she said in reply, knowing it wasn't exactly what he was asking about - in truth, none of the stalls held things she was interested in, aside from the hilt, sheath and belt she had found from that first crafter. But she had a promise, a bargain struck up with the General, and she was scrupulous ad ruthless enough to follow up on it (and perhaps see if she couldn't have something made for her sister in the meantime). "I will come find you after you return," she said by way of farewell, the time mid-flowerbirth fresh in her mind.

"Oh, I'm Evelyn, by the way. Evelyn Occidendum." And with that, the girl was gone, sights set to the beach, to the ocean, to the world beyond the marketplace - a world wholly unprepared for the whirlwind that was the Ascended girl.

cross me once
i dare you
it is the only chance you will get

Deimos A beach to explore, and likely hundreds of others, worlds opened, fresh, foreign, and new. He nodded again at her indication, at the way she promised to come find him, once honeymoons were over, once there was a return to normalcy (and he wasn’t sure if the knot of dread in his ribs was going to remain contained). Eyes upon the horizon, on the patterns of evening, twilight, night barrages, and then on his satchel, on the food, gifts, and everything else contained. Time had unwound, and their minds rendered with clarity for the moment, an angling of parting ways. “Enjoy your stay, Evelyn.” Then he twisted back towards inns, leaving her to the ocean, to the midnight sprawl. {FIN} Out of sight and out of mind Make everything alright So let the sky and sea collide Just not in our lifetime