Court of the Fallen was created in October of 2018 by Odd, Honey, and Crooked.
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09-03-2023, 06:43 PM (This post was last modified: 09-04-2023, 02:54 PM by Sah.)
...look into a wolf's eyes. You'll never be the same again.
Deepfrost was here again and Sah found himself spending an evening at the Kraai. It wasn't a common sight to see the Wild Thunder present at the bar, but it wasn't rare per say either. With the whispers of change coming once again, and the sense of something amiss on the wind, the Abandoned was restless.
Restless and melancholy, leading him to his current predicament. Nursing a drink and brooding over what he couldn't live without. The first thing that always comes to mind was his family. Halo, his pack, his loved ones, his magic. Less serious things also came to mind such as being able to watch the stars, the ability to taste cookies, and the capacity to hear the laughter of his family. How could he ever pick one?
Perhaps, it was an instinctual thing? Letting out a hum, he closed his eyes. Using his mastered earth magic and creation magic, Sah let his emotions guide him. Thinking of love, life, joy, and safety, he let his magic bring them into physical form. Feeling a sudden weight in his hand, the Abandoned opened his eyes, only for them to instantly widen.
In his hand lay a carved piece of wood, a mural of sorts. On it he could clearly see the silhouette of the Citadel. And in the foreground were the uncanny visages of his friends and family all sitting by a fire. Lilly, Pad, Soleil, Luka, Hotaru, Aino, Deimos, Noah, Cordelia, and the twins. Even Talyson and Boreal had found their way into the mural.
It seemed that his magic agreed with him. His friends and family were the answer.
The Sword wasn’t a frequent occupant of the Kraai either. Usually wandering into the vicinity met meeting with citizens in another conjectures and contexts, instead of within the council hall or barracks; and with multitudes on his plate currently, he still harbor the need for a drink. Instead, he walked in and nodded to several inhabitants, including the barkeep, and figured he’d wait for the hunters and trackers to come through the door – slightly early for the appointment.
Glancing around though, with his piercing gaze, he caught sight of Sah – though the Abandoned appeared to be brooding over something. Given the things going on in the world, there could be multitudes of reasons why, but the Warden was curious, and Sah was a friend. “You all right?” came on a deep rumble as he approached.
...look into a wolf's eyes. You'll never be the same again.
Sah glanced up at a familiar voice, flipping the piece of wood over to conceal what was carved. When he recognized Deimos, he relaxed but left the mural face down. The Sword wouldn't judge him, he knew that. Especially not over something like this. But it was something personal and his emotions felt a bit too raw at the moment to share.
Gesturing for Deimos to join him if he liked Sah nodded, "I'm alright." Sighing he ran a hand through his hair, "Just a bit on edge. Whatever is in the air at the moment has me in an odd mood." The Abandoned didn't yet know about Safrin but there was an undercurrent of something. Something had changed and he didn't know what.
Sah’s quick flipping over of the carving had the Sword arching his brow and pondering over moving away – figuring he’d perhaps interrupted something – only for the Thunder to respond with his own gestures and invitations. Ensuring his gaze could still be on the door for when the hunters and trackers arrived, Deimos obliged; if only because it’d been a while since Sah and he had any discussions or discourse.
The answer wasn’t what he expected either, and with a long sigh building in his chest, and further unfurling, he glanced away, piercing eyes setting upon the aperture, then around the bar as he leaned into the chair. “There are certainly things happening. After I get some more information, I will report it to Halo at large.” A reassurance, maybe, that Sah’s inklings weren’t unfounded – unless there was something else going on that Deimos was unaware of.
For his own emotions and happenstance, besides dreams in which preferred gods announced departures, receiving potential ominous bracelets, and holding far too many meetings, the Warden was taking it all in stride. The cumbersome load was back on his shoulders, but not so overwhelming now, when he knew he had capable people alongside. “I am okay.”
...look into a wolf's eyes. You'll never be the same again.
Sah nodded, "Alright." A small smile stretched across his face, "Be careful while getting that information." It was a relief to know that the capable Warden was already handling the situation. He trusted the man to tell him what he needed to know when he needed to know it. Yet the Wild Thunder didn't want to see his friend harmed in the process.
Humming in consideration for a moment he leveled Deimos a look, "You can't laugh, ok? I was in a weird mood and let my magic kind of just...shape my thoughts." Sliding the board over, he flipped it so that Deimos could see the mural. Rubbing the back of his neck, he gave a small shrug. He didn't have a solid explanation apart from emotions and magic.
There could’ve been a quip mustered in response (am I not always careful?), but the world already knew the depths he’d go for friends, family, loved ones, and his kingdom. Often that meant danger and alarm, with zero forethought, or care, for his own safety. Such was the way of those who’d grown amidst war and cataclysms – but he appreciated Sah’s notions nonetheless. “I will.” Besides, thus far, nothing had seemed threatening in gathering said information. Just the ominous portions of what lay ahead.
Regardless, his head tilted back in Sah’s direction at the nuances of no laughter, already intrigued. “All right…,” which wasn’t really a promise – but he knew what it meant to have incantations spread and simply construct on their own meanings and speculations, so his eyes drifted to the presented board. There, layered within the wood, were silhouettes of Citadel fixtures, and familiar people tending flames; seeing himself, Ru, Soleil and scores of family. “This is nice,” and he meant it. Nor did he laugh. “What is the occasion?” Or purpose, for the construction.
...look into a wolf's eyes. You'll never be the same again.
Sah nodded. He knew that Deimos was capable, but it was reassuring regardless to have the man's word. All the Abandoned had at the moment was a growing sense of unease and zero context for it. From what he could read from Deimos' tone, there was no major threat at the moment at least.
Deimos didn't laugh, not that Sah had expected him to in the first place. The Warden wasn't one to mock or maliciously make fun of anyone. Instead, his praise made some of the tension in the younger man's shoulders melt. "Thank you." Sah's eyes traced the wood as he spoke, "There really wasn't an occasion per se. I just ended up in a spiral of melancholy thoughts and landed on the question of what I can't live without."
The Wild Thunder sighed softly, "This was apparently my magic's answer to it." It seemed like his magic was just as dramatic as him. How fitting.
While Deimos could tease and taunt in some mannerisms, the mischief was rarely reserved for someone’s craft or skills. Maliciousness and vehemence, far deeper in the colder edges of his soul, only came about in embittered, entangled webs of abhorrence and wrath; all of which weren’t proclaimed for Sah at any point.
So, as his eyes flickered back and forth between the door and the Abandoned’s woodwork, he was mildly surprised to hear the notions of why the product had been created. He’d never thought of the Thunder as one to become melancholic or brooding – Deimos figured his own fixtures fit well into those categories – but given how the world turned and churned and burned at any given moment, Sah was allowed his notions without too much justification. “Friends and family?” He arched his brow, the lightest of smiles curling in the corner of his mouth.
...look into a wolf's eyes. You'll never be the same again.
It was true that Sah wasn't prone to such moods, but one thing was vastly different this time around. There was brewing tension, and his kinds were adults now. There was no magical blessing to keep them safe should the worst-case scenario occur. Perhaps he was being too pessimistic but the Abandoned had personally seen wars break out mere years after another finished.
Deimos's question held his focus at the moment however and was met with a small grin, "Yes." Chuckling lightly Sah added, "I'm not one to typically prize materialistic things." The Wild Thunder could lose everything he owned and still be satisfied with life as long as his loved ones were alive and well. He had the feeling that the Sword was of a similar notion. "What about you? What keeps you going?"
Deimos hadn’t truly lost the parallels of trepidation when it came to others. Never worried about his own safety, the sentiments were harbored and harnessed for everyone under his wing, and then to anyone else within his familial threshold. It had been a steadfast clamor in the back of his mind since he was young, and well versed and acquainted with what it meant to lose. So when tension built, it threaded through the bones and notches in his spine, pooling along his shoulders, pressing inward, drawn into the back of his neck.
Even now, it took longer to unfurl the deeper breaths, flicking his eyes back and forth from Sah, the table, or the entrance of the bar. The consideration of the Abandoned’s comment gave him the lightest laugh. “Fair enough,” not one for materials either – unless they were of armament origins.
But when the question was pinpointed towards him, he had to take a moment. His shoulders threatened to go rigid again, jaw clenching, eyes narrowing slightly. “In the past, there would have been moments where I did not think I needed anyone or anything.” Solid, stoic, and so firmly detached from every living being, immersed in shadows and working from the ranges of darkness; unbothered when multitudes fell apart over and over again – too numb to remember what it was like to care. “But that has changed,” and he gave a rogue grin in return – not filling in the spaces. “I would say family, friends, and loved ones as well.”
...look into a wolf's eyes. You'll never be the same again.
Sah stayed silent as Deimos spoke, letting the other man choose what to share and what to keep guarded behind stoicism. When the Sword fell silent with a grin, the Wild Thunder returned it with a mischievous one of his own. "I had a feeling it was that." Putting the wooden mural into his bag, he tilted his head at Deimos, "What have you been up to lately?"
Heavy thoughts aside, it was relaxing to just converse with one of his friends for a change. They had all been busy lately and such moments weren't to be taken for granted. Not in Caido.
The inquiry surprised him, in a mild sense, though perhaps he shouldn’t have been. Eyes widening slightly, then returning to their residual stoicism, if with an inkling of boyish mischief remaining within, he contemplated the list of activities since the last time they’d truly spoken, and had the opportunity to do more than whatever actions were required.
Besides having ominous dreams with goddesses, he’d kept himself plenty busy. A common notion, given who he was, and his propensity to grow restless if his mind wasn’t occupied by something. “House renovations, politics, training, exploring…,” ticking each off his fingers, head inclining, tilting slightly, as many things were glanced over – figuring the Thunder wouldn’t care much for the discussion of either. “Though I would like to start something amusing for the Citadel before LongNight.” His gaze went back to the other Abandoned, clearly intending to air out any other ideas, before settling finally on something that gave him cause for a larger grin, finally comfortable with telling people. “Evie and I are engaged.”
Thereafter, figuring that covered enough of his antics and actions, he presented the notions back to Sah. “You?”
...look into a wolf's eyes. You'll never be the same again.
Deimos listed off his recent exploits and Sah found himself grinning. "Sounds about right." It sounded like Deimos had been up to the usual and the notion of Deepfrost fun was familiar. "We had a snowball fight last time, right? We could do that again. Or we could have a race using shift, magic, dog sleds, or anything else." The people of Halo were resourceful, and a competition of any sort would certainly be a sight to see.
Sah nearly spit out his drink in surprise when Deimos dropped his news. "You are? That's incredible!" Smiling widely, he nudged the Sword's shoulder with his own, "I'm so happy for you both." Evie and Deimos deserved all the happiness in the world and the Wild Thunder was genuinely ecstatic for them.
Chuckling lightly Sah shared his own news, "It's nowhere near as life-changing, but I've finally mastered my creation magic and learned how to craft magical weapons. If you ever need to upgrade something but don't have the time to do it yourself, feel free to ask." Accomplishing the goal that he set out for the year filled the Wild Thunder with pride. It had taken years to reach this point and finally succeeding had been as worthwhile as he'd expected.
If memory served correctly, they’d had a number of amusing sentiments throughout the region – mostly to entertain in the long season of winter – and he rattled off the events he could recall. “Snowball fights, skating rink, sledding…though I do not think we have done so with racing.” Competitions always stirred something immensely childish and juvenile in him, and he placed the idea in the back of his mind for future intervals. “Could be entertaining. Or perhaps a combination of things.” To keep whomever occupied – he could ask around about kiosks and miniature events.
Snorting at the choked back drink, Deimos chose not to comment on any surprise; though given how private he was, perhaps the news itself had been the more shocking and bewildering notion. Regardless, he was more amused that he could still keep the world staggered for a moment or two. “Thank you.” Absorbing the nudge, he said nothing more; given they had much to plan and had done none of it…considering everything else going on.
Another being having creation magic mastered ensured a light chuckle through his chest, and a slight impish grin. “Congratulations. Have you done anything with it yet?” Pausing, he figured mentioning some manner of exploits with the incantations wouldn’t hurt – pondering if Sah had already found the restraints already. “I have found we are limited to certain magical item components throughout a season.”
