[Training] (SE) eyes like anvils and storms for lungs

when you learn that the road to hell
is paved with more than just good intentions;

“Ah, I see.” She mulls over the thought of preparation, of the demigods speaking with their heralds and trying to see if there’s any other options that could be utilized to try and garner any more information about what exactly the threat is. Of course, defensively and offensively would be the best idea and she nods her understanding while they walk, still pressing herself into his side to leech his warmth. “What fancy things does Halo have now?” She asks curiously, knowing him well enough to know that the region would be well protected (or at least in the process of it already).

As for training, she snorts, laughing lightly as she thinks on when the last time she’d trained was. And nothing comes to mind as she peers back up at him. “I don’t remember the last time I trained. Certainly not in this… Version.” A hand lifts to point to the horns from her head, before it drops to shove back into the warm pocket.

There’s an understanding nod at the idea of the refuge, though, despite the hope that they shouldn’t have to use it.

KIADA

you are not heads or tails;
you are the coin

DEIMOS

ache first, but then let the cuts close
spit out the blood

The inquiry made him laugh – she knew him well enough to understand changes made under his tutelage and leadership would be garnered with purpose and intention. “We added the healing powers to the hot springs in our last regional quest,” which she’d probably be able to sprint towards, given her jacket, but certainly not in this season, “but we also have the watchtower, weapons on the walls…,” and he continued rattling off other parameters, only ceasing when she snorted.

Her response only gave an arch to his brow, the sly depths of his snicker taking over again. Glancing along their surroundings, with nothing but the murk, fog, and considerations of winter amidst the bone bridge pathways, now seemed as good a time as any. Additionally, it’d alleviate some of the tension still contorting its way through his shoulders. “We could do something now. Is there something you wanted to work on?”

watch your body pull itself back together
then let your soul do the same

when you learn that the road to hell
is paved with more than just good intentions;

“Ooooh,” Kiada croons, flashing him a smile of approval. A hot springs right now sounded like it might actually be a godly moment for her. But with nothing in sight but the cold snow and slick ice, she’s stuck with daydreaming about it while they walk and talk. “You’ve always been well prepared. What else are you thinking of adding?” She asks idly, knowing that despite feeling like there’s an option for everything, having a back up for those options were something Deimos was capable of and great at implementing.

She would know, she was his pupil for a long time, after all.

Even still as the mention of training comes around and his hum of laughter toward her, and she peers through the fogginess of the bone bridges with pinched brows, debating with herself whether she should or shouldn’t take on something like this. But it would hopefully up her heartbeat, and with Deimos’ jacket it makes it far more manageable, right? “All I have is my shift right now, so maybe… Something more hand to hand?” She looks back up at him to see if he had any ideas, or if perhaps he could make something temporary to give her something to work with.

KIADA

you are not heads or tails;
you are the coin

DEIMOS

ache first, but then let the cuts close
spit out the blood

The appreciative murmur made him roll his eyes and shake his head, still slightly bothered she could only experience it in small doses. Her awareness of his overly prepared, conscientious mind, mostly because she’d been caught in its snares hundreds of times, caused the vaguest arch of his brow, but nothing more followed than the rumble of certainty. “We are considering adding some defenses to the dome,” an aerial portion; and even if it amounted to nothing in terms of whatever ominous qualities hovered over them, at least it could potentially ward off dragons. “And have had discussions about more weapons on the wall and better alarm systems.” Pausing, his eyes drifted away from her, and back over the murk. “Have the Grounds started on anything?” One would hope – or at the very least, Noah could assist in the measures, and make his way home that much faster.

Training would eternally suffice, though the potency of shifts left him pondering; knowing her lial ability may not stand up to all his predacious shifts – not now anyway. His gaze became all the more boyish and juvenile, expectations deriving; directly hand-to-hand could be just the same as animal shifts. “You know I can always make you a weapon,” especially if there had been something she’d yearned or craved to practice with. Simplistic, carved from wood, capable of holding up through trials, but not notched with incantations just yet.

watch your body pull itself back together
then let your soul do the same

when you learn that the road to hell
is paved with more than just good intentions;

“Of course you are.” She agrees playfully, despite not having any tone of upset or distaste over the choice. If anything, there’s understanding and appreciation within it, knowing that he’d look at something from every angle to try and prepare his region to the best of their ability.

As for the Grounds, she shakes her head. “At the moment, nothing that I’m aware of.” She hasn’t gone to any meetings yet nor has she spoken with Fox again to find out she’s going to go help make the region more habitable for them as Ancient’s. A fact that feels starkly similar to the Ascended the more she’ll think about it in the future.

But for now, she’s blissfully unaware.

Which helps because her focus shifts toward the task of training and her uselessness when it comes to anything except for her shift, given what all she’d lost when she’d hid during the war and sought out Dygra. At Deimos’ offer, though, she snorts and shakes her head slightly, misinterpreting his offer. “I don’t want you to feel like you have to keep making me fancy things.” She shoots him a gentler smile from where she’s still tucked against his side. “But if you really want to, I wouldn’t say no.”

KIADA

you are not heads or tails;
you are the coin

DEIMOS

ache first, but then let the cuts close
spit out the blood

He took the ribbing in good-natured decrees; for Deimos had always been an individual aligned with purpose. His actions were grounded in steadfast, motivated, and ambitious motions, and he ensured the rest of his world was too; tenacious, enterprising, and persistent, and they wouldn’t flail about without a plan in place. Measures were swift and countenances unwavering – Halo had been built on stern, unfaltering stubbornness, and he maintained the weight of it all on broad shoulders. Because through it all, he just wanted them safe.

The Grounds working on nothing caused a brief wrinkle to his nose; but those notions were well out of his hands and control. Perhaps in time they’d be able to conjure something in preparation – it’d remain to be seen.

As for the following semblances, his brow arched and he rolled his eyes – having had the same, familiar conversations with Evie. “I would not infuse it with magic. How about that?” His acts of giving, of granting, were portions of his compassion for them; but he could understand if they simply didn’t want them. “What would you prefer?” Another bow? The staff? A sword of her own again?

watch your body pull itself back together
then let your soul do the same

when you learn that the road to hell
is paved with more than just good intentions;

They pause in their walk, stuck by an in between on the bridges while the Harpy clings to Deimos’ warmth, setting herself some ground rules on the things he can make for her – not wanting to take advantage of them and having felt as though she’d received more than enough with the jacket she’s currently burrito’ing herself into.

It does bring a soft laugh from her at the rolling of his eyes and she very vocally sighs before he sets a compromise that she certainly can’t deny. “Deal.” She says quickly, amused and content to have found a middle of the road. And perhaps later she’d allow him to make it magical, if it did her some good. For now, though, something basic and plain that would be crafted with her in mind is good enough for her (yet again, another thing to cherish). “I loved having a bow.” She muses softly, head tilting slightly as she tries to decide whether or not she wants any changes from the last one, coming up empty after a few long seconds.

KIADA

you are not heads or tails;
you are the coin

DEIMOS

ache first, but then let the cuts close
spit out the blood

Grateful the family, friends, and loved ones he’d surrounded himself with ensured he wasn’t taken advantage of, it made him all the more willing to give and grant to them. He wouldn’t bat an eye for constructing armament after armament for Kiada, nor anyone else in that tight circle of his, and so he granted a snort at the deal, before briefly peeling away his gloves, to permit the gilded glow of his incantations to begin.

Not unlike her bow of the past, it formed with similar vestiges – interlocking antler horns beginning to sketch and delineate along the sides, but alongside long teeth inscribed and etched into the wooden bounds. Thereafter, the arches of handles permitted and allowed little flames and embers to coincide, eventually completed and constructed with a final relish in darker varnishes. “Decent?” He smiled, giving it over, with an assemblage of arrows and quiver to match.

Putting his gloves back on, and granting her a moment to test and play with the weapon, he altered magic and enchantments back towards the snow, already inclining some into larger masses. “I will make some targets.”

watch your body pull itself back together
then let your soul do the same

when you learn that the road to hell
is paved with more than just good intentions;

She never wanted to seem like she wanted to take advantage of the things Deimos has worked so hard to obtain. Now, if he’s adamant about gifting her something, she won’t refuse it – much like the jacket she wears currently. A gift that made stepping through the snow and the brief trip to Halo even possible, a freedom she hadn’t realized she’d lost (and still hasn’t, in a way, given that the jacket had come in handy before the first snow had fallen here).

Regardless, she tightens said jacket around her as she steps back to watch him craft the bow, eyes alight with wonder each and every time his hands glow to craft. She does reach out to hold onto his gloves, though, wanting to seem at least somewhat useful. And the second it’s done, she steps forward to trade him, fingers running over the still warm wood of the bow’s flourishes. “Beautiful. Thank you.” It always was, though. He’d known exactly how to decorate everything to suit her, and her face blooms with the happiness she can’t quite contain deep within.

She does take a moment to pull the string back, practicing setting the arrow into place. It’s a practice that goes over and over and over again while he starts to make the targets. “So… What do you think of Safrin leaving? Are you feeling okay about it?” Admittedly, Kiada has avoided many of the gods these days, unsure just where Safrin stood for the man before her.

KIADA

you are not heads or tails;
you are the coin

DEIMOS

ache first, but then let the cuts close
spit out the blood

His eyes stayed on her, watching expressions alter and change as weaponry was handed over, content and pleased with both results. “You are welcome,” uttered on his residual rumble, before his attention settled upon snow and targets – altering bundles of the powder into rounded filaments, and then sending them to meander along the air, restlessly bounding and leaping at his Air incantations and command.

But the inquiry gave him pause; mostly because no one had ever asked him. The Sword had made it his duty and obligation to simply face forward, and not segment into the emotions and turbulence already beginning to settle their way down his spine and shoulders; ramrod straight, persistent to the core. He’d done as he was asked, and then settled into a routine – certain and sure in what Halo needed. So he sighed, watching the snowballs tumble. “Her departure leaves me with dread.” Pausing, his gaze narrowed, and the elements altered slightly to larger and wider components to start off. “Because we still really do not know or understand what it all means.” Could other gods do the same? Would they? What really lurked out there?

watch your body pull itself back together
then let your soul do the same

when you learn that the road to hell
is paved with more than just good intentions;

She continues to inspect the bow while he sets the targets up, crafting and placing, manipulating with the magic that brims under his skin. But her eyes leave the wooden adornments to the bow to focus on Deimos as her question lands; spotting just how he tenses and straightens. It has her perking up, nodding her understanding despite not quite understanding his devotion to Safrin.

“Yeah, that’s worrisome.” She agrees with a soft sigh, shrugging a shoulder before she hoists the quiver of arrows onto her back, around the jacket and sets an arrow into the bow to aim and shoot at the moving targets. “I’ve never asked… But, why are you so devoted to Safrin?” Any information she has on the goddess has been mostly through stories and the brief encounters, and of course the rumors of Ronin and Sunjata.

KIADA

you are not heads or tails;
you are the coin

DEIMOS

ache first, but then let the cuts close
spit out the blood

The magic molded under his command quickly and efficiently, until he’d had enough, staring out over the bone bridge, watching them meander and spiral around as the inquiries continued. It wasn’t what he expected, and his brow arched, figuring Kiada must have known ages before. Perhaps he was wrong, and the presumptions of the past were simply that and nothing more – for his own motivations were largely left private, and furtive, unless they were pressed and maneuvered for Halo.

Pausing, and then unfurling another long breath, his eyes eventually drifted back to her. “Because she gave me the ability to become Attuned,” when so many others time the shrines, the world, had been silent. And with that, the bitterness and rancor had faded over the years, even after catastrophes and wars. “And continued to give me chance after chance. So I gave her my loyalty.” But never his entire being or soul; no chains wrapped around his spine. To Kiada though, for he shouldn’t be the only one peeling away layers and lacquer, he allowed the slightest of smiles. “What about Dygra?” Had she met up with the chaotic being yet?

watch your body pull itself back together
then let your soul do the same

when you learn that the road to hell
is paved with more than just good intentions;

It’s possible that he has told her before, but as she tries to rack her brain around it, the Ancient comes up empty. So she focuses on simply asking, these days, rather than assuming only to assume wrong. It was better to get the facts from the source, wasn’t it? “That makes sense.” She agrees, flashing him a soft smile as she meets his look and the soft smile that blooms on his own face.

She slips an arrow back onto the bow string, looking away to shoot it toward one of the targets he’s crafted, trying to get a feel of the weapon before she responds. The arrow zips through the air toward it, missing though not by much, and she hums a laugh as she takes the next arrow out to place it again. “I only met her when I became Ancient. She… seems fine enough. I haven’t gone back, though. I should.” A casual shrug is given.

KIADA

you are not heads or tails;
you are the coin

DEIMOS

ache first, but then let the cuts close
spit out the blood

Sensible or not, though Deimos strived to lean towards the latter, the reasons seemed quality enough for her to relinquish the notions, and he meandered his attention back to the targets for a moment. He watched as she tried and tested, as the arrow rallied and zipped but ultimately missed – and he purposefully maneuvered the makeshift effigy to the left, with an ease in his magic and command. No tease or advice yet; the presumption that it had been some time since she’d practiced stayed in the back of his mind.

Any notions on Dygra seemed to be just that – simple and finite, drawn from one to another, and much the same as everyone else he’d asked. “I have not heard anything untoward,” and he shrugged his shoulders, uncertain where the chaotic brethren fit in amongst the other deities. At the very least, Safrin had ensured she wasn’t the latest and greatest villain. “Will you ask for something?”

watch your body pull itself back together
then let your soul do the same