[SE] No one is invincible

He'd put it off long enough.

War was on the threshold and he still didn't have a magical weapon to give him an edge against whatever the world would throw at them at season's end. He'd waited to the eleventh hour, but he didn't want to rely on the strength of others any longer. If Deimos and Noah were going to be gone, he had to step up for Halo.

And also he was just really fuckin' tired of feeling like his friends were leaving him in the dust.

But since he was in the Oerwoud already he decided to stop by the shrine dedicated to nature's gods. It seemed right, not to mention polite, to go straight to the source.

"Hi, Frey. Um, an' Rae? I uh. I have a favor to ask. An' I brought you a snack," he added hurriedly, making sure the mug of fresh-squeezed papaya juice was set just so beside the plate with thin wedges of sweet goat cheese and sliced dragon fruit arranged in carefully alternating order on the tree-top altar. "I want a weapon t'keep myself alive with. Somethin' magical, that's better at hittin' things from a distance so I don't have t'keep puttin' myself in harm's way to do some damage." And maybe something a little easier to carry around than his glaive, though he felt a little guilty thinking about it. The glaive had been doing well by him so far. It was just so awkward to carry around everywhere. "Oh! An' the Cuff has been workin' great! So, thanks for that. An' Petunia - I mean, the walkin' palm - was lookin' happy an' healthy last time I saw 'em." Damn, he missed that little tree. Shrub. Sapling.

Frey

Let's be real - Frey is absolutely here for the snacks. The deity appears on their belly with their chin cupped in their hands, elbows propped against the foliage (y'know, like a sixteen year old on their bed). "You ought to become a chef, sugarplum," they remark, picking out some segments of cheese and fruit to sample. "And that is very good to hear." That, of course, is about Petunia.

As for the weapon, Frey smiles down at the plate. "What kind of weapon are you thinking of?" thy enquire, their eyes flicking up as if they might see the glaive they know Talyson has begun to favour as of late. "Bows and arrows are a very good choice, you know."

Tal had been subconsciously holding his breath (as if that would give his prayer more urgency), but when the god made their appearance he let it out on a whoosh he might have been getting a little blue around the gills and grinned broadly as he sucked in fresh air. "Frey! Thanks for answerin'!" He beamed under the praise of his cooking - well, plating - skills, but gods were busy people and as Frey cut to the chase Tal sobered.

He gave a sharp nod as he gathered his thoughts and patted his glaive fondly. "Somethin' that can stab from far away. But I don't want t'worry about runnin' out of ammo. Or havin' t'learn a new weapon from scratch," he admitted with a grimace of embarrassment. He'd never been great at shooting, unlike throwing axes. "I thought maybe somethin' with my glaive? Or a spear? Havin' it shoot out really far to stab an enemy at a distance, and then retract?"

Frey

Rolling to sit up, it's with long fingers and an indulgent expression that Frey continues to enjoy the offering laid out for them, quietly listening to Tal as he speaks and motions to his glaive. The idea is good, they suppose... but clumsy. "Many things would take advantage of that," they remark. "A lot can go wrong with a weapon so unwieldy, especially if you lack the strength to carry it."

And no offence, Tal, but this is Nature Frey, and they know when something has been evolved for strength or, in the courier's case, dexterity. "Have you considered something a little more subtle?" they ask, motioning again to the plate of finely cut morsels. "You are handy with a knife."

Tal's ears and the back of his neck reddened at the reminder that, though he'd improved greatly in the past year, he lacked a certain level of musculature. Fancy footwork, quick slashes, and adroit stabbing were more his wheelhouse. And maybe he hadn't quite considered just how heavy a lengthened weapon could be become, even if it was only for a few seconds.

Well... shit.

At least Frey was patient with his learning curve, and the alternative suggestion had the courier opening his mouth to begin an instinctive protest... and then close it again a moment later as his brow furrowed and he gave the god's suggestion a more thorough consideration. "Uh... well... I hadn't," he admitted sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "I was thinkin', well, big an' flashy but..." But they couldn't all be Deimos or Sah, or even Melita. Besides, he was a courier, not a fighter. There was something to be said for subtle.

And it would sure as hail be a lot more convenient to carry around.

"A knife that I didn't have to throw t'hit somethin' far away would be pretty useful," he agreed slowly. Not losing his weapon? Yes please. "What're you thinkin'?"

Frey

Frey is patient. Much more patient than other deities, which is understandable when considering that they watch the flowers literally grow whilst going about their daily business. So they continue to nibble on the morsels of the offering that Tal has so kindly brought whilst the courier mulls over his decision.

And when he is ready (and of course it is the right decision), Frey gives an indulgent smile and looks them over. "I imagine someone like you has to make a great deal of Special Deliveries," they remark. "A blade that could deliver a strike at a distance as if you were standing next to your foe would be quite useful, I believe. That would suit you quite nicely, sugar."

It took a moment to sink in, but when it did Tal flashed a pained grin up at the gorgeous god. Ah, puns. At least they were easier to take from someone who looked so good. "I mean, yeah, I do... an' this would help a lot!" Puns were a small price to pay for a weapon that would keep him out of harm's way and Tal gave another firm nod. Dark hair flopped forward over his sweatband and he pushed it back with distracted fingers, not wanting to take his eyes off of Frey for a second.

"What can I bring you or do t'help?" He was starting to get the hang of asking for favors from the gods and the challenges and personal growth that often accompanied such requests, and he leaned forward eagerly to hear what his part in the weapon's creation would be.

Frey

Nodding indulgently to hear Talyson come on board with their idea, Frey finishes their offering and licks the last remnants from their fingertips before settling in the vines and branches and hmming softly under their breath. "I can think of a few things..." they say, and lean forward to give Tal their thoughts on the matter...

---

Tal has been given a quest from Frey!

He must:

1) Complete a thread mining diamond from the Fangs in Halo
2) Complete a thread petitioning a blacksmith to forge a dagger, using the diamond in the hilt
3) Complete a thread using the dagger to kill and skin a Blink Hare (keeping one of its furry feet)
4) Complete a Training thread focused on evasion

Once all the materials have been collected, return them to a Frey shrine!

The courier's brow furrowed as he focused on Frey's instructions and he nodded slowly after each item and task. Diamonds were easier to obtain than mageglass, at least. Maybe Sah could help him scout for some while they were in the caves. And diamonds were probably easier than Blink Hares, if it came down to it. Maybe he could ask Hotaru for help with that. She would know of any tricks to it.

And evasion training, well... yeah. Yeah, that was always a good idea for the scrawny courier.

He grinned up at the god and nodded sharply in confirmation. "Diamond, dagger, Blink Hare, dodging," he repeated. "Got it! Thanks, Frey. I'll bring some even better food next time!" He already had an idea of what to cook, in fact.

~Fin~