[se] backyard green tree cemetery dawns

we're all stories unfinished and we die to find some fitting words to write

It’s really the mist that gets her - vaguely creepy and yet totally fitting for a ‘Wraith,’ as she’s heard the nickname go. Flitting from place to place, near-silent footsteps, pretty damn fast; it fits, and it makes her chuckle to think she’s gained a worldwide nickname. Loki is nearly too big to fit on her shoulder now, but crouches anyway, as big as a cat, tail snaking across her shoulders and down to wrap underneath her arm pit.

Wessex stands as still as a statue, not a breath or twitch within her - listening, watching - curious and cautious until she suddenly shifts and tilts her head towards the grey, cloudy sky and screams. Nothing intelligible, mind, just the cross between a barbaric yawp over the hilltops of the Wilds and the uninhibited despair of a woman asking the dead what the fuck to do about the incoming war.

WESSEX

"If I can't move the heavens above, I will move Hell" Sah was swinging through King's End on his travels to the Greatwood. Why take such a long detour? The canine truly liked the Wilds frankly. There was something in the air here, where no stronghold of civilization either remained or had yet to breach. An untapped wildness present  that just fit the name of the region. Sah loved it. And so he had found himself camping for a few days at King's End before continuing on. The canine had been sleeping soundly, nestled high up in the crook between the branches of an ancient tree when he heard the scream. Torn from his slumber without warning, Sah nearly jumped out of his skin. Not the best course of action for one currently in a tree. With an undignified yelp, Sah dropped down a few branches before managing to catch himself, looking around for threats. Upon doing so he noticed a vaguely familiar figure not too far off. Wessex? Yup, that was her. Relaxing slightly, annoyance took over. "Is it a thing in Caido to suddenly scream at the top of your lungs for no apparent reason?!" He called out, still half hanging off a branch. Righting himself, he jumped down to the ground level, brushing leaves from his clothes. "You scared me half to death." Sah grumbled, still cranky from the unwelcome wake-up. sah There stood the wolf in the winter wind Full of fearsome might There stood the wolf in the winter wind King of the winter night. -Tim Vallie

we're all stories unfinished and we die to find some fitting words to write

Well. That was very satisfying.

And she didn’t even have to worry about straining her voice because - no irritated vocal chords anymore. It isn’t until she hears a muffled yelp behind her that she whirls around - but there’s no one there. Until she looks a little further and realizes there’s someone hanging from a branch on a nearby try. Squinting unnecessarily, she calls out “Sah?”

His question lands a moment later and her first instinct is to go Yep. So she does. “Yeah, actually. Old Longheat tradition.” But she scared him? The queen raises a brow, both amused and curious. “What’re you doing in that tree anyway?” She begins to slowly walk towards the tree he’s in, meandering in a not so straight line. Not because she’s drunk, but because, well - she can in an open space like this.

WESSEX

"If I can't move the heavens above, I will move Hell" Sah gets down drown from the tree as Wessex approaches. Pulling the last few leaves from himself, he raises an eyebrow. "Really? Fun." His tone is bone dry and he has to restrain from rolling his eyes. Tradition my ass. Still cranky but willing to socialize, he replies to her inquiry nonetheless. "I was asleep." His previous annoyance still creeps into his voice. "Until the whole screaming bit." Sah lets out a deep sigh, trying to temper his still simmering anger. He hated to be woken up abruptly. "But what brings you out here anyway?" What would bring the queen of Hallowed Grounds all the way out here? A thought occurs and Sah's brows furrow, his tone turning grim. "I'm going to take a guess your presence has something to do with the coming war?" The word war is spoken with pure disdain and exhaustion. The kind that only comes from firsthand experience and a resulting hatred of war. sah There stood the wolf in the winter wind Full of fearsome might There stood the wolf in the winter wind King of the winter night. -Tim Vallie

we're all stories unfinished and we die to find some fitting words to write

Dry though his tone may be, Wessex doubles down. “Oh yeah. Gotta purge allllll the bad shit before the Festival of Light.” It suddenly occurs to her that she hasn’t heard of any preparations for the Festival. “If we’re even having it this year.” It’s an afterthought. The Grounds won’t host it. It wouldn’t be appropriate. Fuck Safrin.

“You know that’s not a normal place to sleep,” quipping back at him with an arched brow, the Queen intends to quickly backtrack into something more PC until he mentions the war. Like that. Her brow stays raised, something steel-sharp flashing across her eyes. “Sounds like you have an opinion on something.” Gesturing in front of her, she gives Sah the stage.

“Do tell.”

WESSEX

"If I can't move the heavens above, I will move Hell" Sah tilted his head, his brow still furrowed. "Festival of light? What's that? Though I can see how a festival would be canceled with everything going on." At the mention of his choice of bed, the young man simply shrugged. "It's comfortable enough. And safely hidden. Usually." Sah let out a deep sigh, his jaw tense as he looked slightly above Wessex's shoulder for a moment. His eyes were somewhat vacant, flashes of fire and destruction overtaking his mind's eye. After a pause he closed his eyes and grounded himself. "War is horrific." He stated simply. When Sah's eyes finally returned to Wessex's, they were haunted. "For survival, resources, and life, it can be necessary. Painful but necessary." His whole body was tense as he continued. "But this? This kind of war? I can't comprehend it. A war built on baseless prejudice and fear? It's useless. The death and destruction that will result will be for nothing, only adding to the fear that's causing the war." Sah's voice quieted. "It's only going to make things worse. People will die and nothing will be gained, now matter who wins." Sah scoffed and turned away, letting out a long sigh. "I can't understand it. How humans and people can wage war over such insignificant things. Never could. And I hope I never do. And it's so much worse now that I'm human." He made quotation marks with his fingers as he spoke. "I'm an Abandoned, loyal to none of your gods. I have friends on both sides. If I stay neutral, I make an enemy of both. Choose one, and I have to fight. What the fuck am I supposed to do?" He threw his hands up in the air, frustration and pain coloring his voice. sah There stood the wolf in the winter wind Full of fearsome might There stood the wolf in the winter wind King of the winter night. -Tim Vallie

we're all stories unfinished and we die to find some fitting words to write

If Wessex didn’t see the flash of something personal in Sah’s eyes, the way he spoke about war was enough to clue her in to his experiences. But as she listens to his words - all of which are undoubtedly true, things she knows in the back of her head but have never seen in person - one thing becomes very obvious: he doesn’t understand.

For this, she can let his insinuations of responsibility pass unchallenged, proverbial hackles falling instead of baring her fangs in return.

“Well,” she begins once he’s drawn his tirade to a close. “It’s true, you don’t understand. I’m not even sure all of us do. We’re all pawns in the Gods’ fight and this was set in motion three hundred years ago. This is round two. Someone has to win, and everyone knows it.” Matter-of-fact up until then, Wessex sighs and address the second question. “I hope you’ll choose the side that doesn’t want to kill a whole race of people. Some of us are literally fighting for our lives and the right to exist.”

WESSEX

"If I can't move the heavens above, I will move Hell" Sah turned towards Wessex, genuine offense in his expression. "I would never participate in genocide." He declared with steel. "Perhaps I wasn't clear, my only issue with choosing a side is that I have people on both fronts that I wish to protect." Sah sighed, running an agitated hand through his hair. "But you're right. If I stay neutral, I basically would be allowing such crimes. As much as I wish to be separate from this mindless violence..." Sah let out a frustrated snarl. "Fucking hell. I really don't like your gods. The ones who are most similar to mine want genocide. What the hell is wrong with Caido?" Sah paced restlessly as he spoke before he finally paused. Letting out a tsk, he looked back towards Wessex. His eyes were filled with resolve. "Regardless of how this war takes shape, I will not sit by and allow the annihilation of the Ascended. If I can help, I will. But my priority will always be to protect the few people in Caido I care for. Regardless of which side they take." Having said is peace, Sah let out a deep sigh, forcing himself to let go of his held tension. "Ok, maybe I understand that screaming  tradition now." He aid tiredly. sah There stood the wolf in the winter wind Full of fearsome might There stood the wolf in the winter wind King of the winter night. -Tim Vallie

we're all stories unfinished and we die to find some fitting words to write

Sah seems to the kind of person who can come to his own conclusions (and hers) fairly quickly, demonstrating that she need not usher him along every step of the way. What a bright little Outlander he is. Wessex shrugs and offers him an alternative. “This is a new world for you. A chance to change. You don’t need to be beholden to anyone like your Gods because I can tell you now that Caido's are different. Whatever you loved about your Gods probably isn’t there. It can’t be, because to them, you’re tainted. So, why not take a chance on someone who doesn’t think that? Because she used to be Abandoned.”

And she has never played petty games, threatened children’s lives, or torn apart marriages. But that’s a whole other conversation. Maybe.

“I hear that a lot,” the Queen replies, turning a bit away from Sah and looking to the trees again. “And I always wanna ask them, what will do you if you have people on each side?”

Wandering up to a large tree with a number of well-placed lower branches, she jumps, catches one, and then swings her feet up and around the bough, hanging by her hands and ankles. “I’m not sure many will have the privilege of remaining truly neutral.” She looks back at him, upside down, and strangely matter-of-fact about it all.

Maybe she's just talked about it so much there's no emotion left for it.

WESSEX

"If I can't move the heavens above, I will move Hell" Sah let out a heavy sigh, running a hand through his hair. "I know." His tone was heavy but carried a bit of steel. "One thing I don't get though, is if she was an Abandoned, why does she scorn them too? Everyone has told me that it's all the gods, new and old who loathe the Abandoned. The old gods align best with my past life. The new, more so with my current form. Both hate me equally it sounds like." Sah let out a long sigh. "Both sound risky regardless." Sah watched with mild amusement as Wessex started to climb the tree. Grabbing  a branch, he swung up beside her with practiced ease. Though he remained sitting vertically. Glancing down at the upside down Demi-god, Sah raised an eyebrow. "You're not wrong. Neutrality likely won't exist in this case. And only truly neutral people have the privilege tor protect loved ones on both fronts." Sah smiled cynically. "I've never been one of the lucky ones, I hate it. Most of the people in Caido who I'm on good terms with are loyal to the old gods." He paused, voice going quiet, almost out of shame. "I hate to admit it, but the idea of making enemies of them terrifies me. I'm terrified that I'd be alone again. I don't know if I can survive that a second time."   Taking a moment to gather his thoughts and composure, Sah grabbed the next branch above them and with a small leap, stood on it, glancing down at Wessex. "Hypothetically, if I did join your side, me being an Abandoned and all, what would happen? If I'm driven out of Halo for my choice, will I be able to seek sanctuary with the Ascended? Or will the Voice cast me aside and banish me like the old?" Sah glanced at the sky, contemplatively. "I want to help. I want to do the right thing. But I'm so new to this world and everyone's accounts are bias that sometimes it's hard to figure out what that is. I've only just begun to build a life here, in Halo. To tear it all down already is daunting." Sah glanced back at Wessex with a considering eye. The woman was an interesting one. Her demeanor and candor in the few cases they'd spoken had earn Sah's respect. Yet he respected Deimos and Noah as well. Both of whom seemed aligned with the old gods. If Sah were to take the leap and side with the Ascended, he'd be burning just about every bridge he had in Caido. He was doing his best to articulate the issue but he had a feeling he was falling flat in his delivery to the Demi-god. that and his trust in her wasn't absolute either. He had found out her Demi-god status from other sources for example. He trusted Deimos more. But Sah wouldn't allow the Ascended to be annihilated. But still. "And why should I trust you over the ones that have taken me in?" His tone wasn't accusing in any way. Sah genuinely wanted an honest answer from the woman. Why should he put his lot and faith with her over the Attuned in Halo? Over the ones whom he owed the little bit of stability he had in Caido. sah There stood the wolf in the winter wind Full of fearsome might There stood the wolf in the winter wind King of the winter night. -Tim Vallie

we're all stories unfinished and we die to find some fitting words to write

“I don’t think she really does. It can be hard to get an audience with her sometimes, but I’ve never heard her say anything bad about Abandoned.” Shrugging, she easily hauls herself right-side-up on the branch. “In fact, I’ve had a conversation with her where she said she’d welcome any Abandoned.” It may be a change due to strategy, but a win is a win.Flashing a bit of a fanged smile, Wessex waits for him to digest that, but what she gets is an explanation of his predicament.

And she can see why it might be concerning. He is a pack creature, after all, or at least the wolf part of him is. “I’d be surprised if you’re driven out of Halo. Morgan is, if not neutral, then Ascended-friendly. She wouldn’t let anyone do that.” With a bit of a grimace, she continues. “But if they turn on you for a preference in Gods, are they really your friends? If you told me no, you were for the Old Gods, I would be disappointed, but I wouldn’t drive you from the Grounds, hate you, or hit you.” She might steel herself against the day when they might have to meet on the battlefield, but until then - they can be friendly.

Looking straight at Sah, she reaches out (if they’re close enough) and taps his chest, left side, where the heart is. “You listen to this. And this -” her hand lays on her flat, wood-hard stomach, right beneath her diaphragm. “It won’t lead you astray.” Not in what’s right for him

“It’ll tell you who to trust.” Then she holds up a finger in a caveat, “But only if you give both sides a chance. So why not go see the Voice? And then a herald, if you want?”

Standing up on the branch, she reaches for the next one, hands just touching over the top of the next bough. “Race you to the top?”

WESSEX

Only in the dark of night

Sah hummed as Wessex spoke. The idea of any Caido's gods welcoming the ascended was a sharp change from everything he'd previously heard. As for his place in Halo, Wessex was correct on nearly all accounts. Morgan wasn't anti-Ascended  from what he'd been told. One thing he did disagree on was the possibility of being chased out. Tensions were growing by the day and he had the feeling that solid sides would form. And with such division amongst the people, the land would divide as well. People moving to where the like-minded were until Caido was split geographically between those who were pro-Ascended, and those who wished them dead. And when this occurred, if Halo turned anti, Sah would be forced to leave.

Hearing that Wessex wouldn't turn on him should he side against her was a genuine surprise. He'd  have thought that as the Queen and as a demigod, she would have seen him as nothing but an enemy. And her advice to trust his heart and gut were solid. Her idea however, of visiting both the Voice and a herald was daunting. So daunting that he paused before responding to her challenge. He had to ask one last question. "If I visit the Voice, what do I offer? How should I approach her?"

After giving the woman a chance to answer,  Sah grabbed next branch. With a small pull, he brought his torso up. Swinging his legs brought him standing on the next branch. Glancing down with her with a playful grin, he accepted her challenge. "Race you!" He was already reaching for the next level.

Do the stars shine bright

Sah

we're all stories unfinished and we die to find some fitting words to write

It isn’t really fair to race Sah, but Wessex does make a half-hearted attempt to keep her speed and strength in check as the two of them haul themselves limb over limb, hands scraping against bark and the quiet pattering of displaced twigs fluttering to the ground beneath them. It isn’t until the tree starts to get a little spindly that the Wraith stops and eyes the top, unsure how much higher she should go.

“The Voice doesn’t need a gift. She isn’t like the heralds in that regard, doesn’t need to be bribed with toys or shiny things. But -” she starts, before standing up against the trunk again. “Say I sent you, or if you want I can go with you and then leave you be.”

With Wessex is tow, the demigod thinks he would be sure to get an answer from the Voice and the Queen isn’t above such tricks to win Sah to their side.

WESSEX

Only in the dark of night

Unlike Wessex who pauses when the branches thin, Sah goes a bit higher. Perhaps it still hasn't fully sunken in that he lacks wings. Once he goes as high as he dared, he nestled into some branches. Now comfortable enough to continue talking, he glanced down at the queen as she spoke. Sah knew full well that Wessex was actively recruiting him and pulling whatever tricks she deemed necessary to do so. He's seen it all before, heard it all before. The thing was, regardless of what he'd heard about the Voice, he wanted to help the Ascended. And it was for that reason that he considered her offer.

Letting out a sigh, Sah eyed the clouds contemplatively before responding. It did surprise him to hear that the Voice didn't need offerings. And he was leaning more and more towards paying a visit anyway. Having Wessex accompany him might actually help. "I'll go. I'm not promising anything, but I'll hear her out and hopefully get some answers." His voice was solemn but then a mischievous grin came to his face as he looked down at the queen. "I hope the Voice likes brutal honesty. I've never been one to hold back my words, not even to gods."

Sah then glanced at a tree nearby, it was almost in arms reach. Standing carefully he moved from the branches of one tree to the next. On his new perch, he grinned at Wessex. "Race you down?"

Do the stars shine bright

Sah