[RQ] Vested interest

MAEA

There was no point in going further than necessary. The voidlings were everywhere, infesting the enchanted woodland region just as quickly as the rest of them. Maea didn't think it mattered whether the flora or fauna she gathered came from the borders or the heart of the Greatwood - but just to be sure she picked a location well out of sight of any other landmasses.

Standing beneath a crimson river, dappled sunlight cast shimmering auras of red over her face that rippled and danced with the flowing water. Cool spray from the water dampened her hair and clothes with a pink patina, leaving ruddy dew to bead on the bone protruding from her head. It was one of the more magical sights she had seen across all her travels, one of those things that brought back the old reverence for the Gods that used to define her existence.

"What is really the difference between magic and what the gods can do?" she asked, tilting her horned head aside to look at Noah. Glistening droplets trembled and fell with the motion, further darkening her well worn coat with damp patches. "I know there's supposed to be one - some spark from another place they can't touch - but it seems so... similar. Just different in scale."

They were really here for the quest Dygra had granted her region. But she wouldn't pass up on a chance to pick a demi-god's brain on subjects she found interesting, now when she had him all to herself. Carrying a varied assortment of sacks, jars and cages in her backpack, all they needed now was some luck - if being targeted by void tainted flora and fauna could be considered luck.

Light is easy to love
Show me your darkness

BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3

your scars shine like dark stars
your wounds are where the light shines through

His second trek to the Greatwood in recent months, and Noah had his head on a swivel. He wasn’t entirely sure of the list of flora and fauna this fae-wild held without the influence of the void, so he knew they needed to be careful — especially with Phoebe missing. Noah hoped that Frey had whisked her up and put her in their protection as they had done in the past, versus what his mind could think.

But keeping his attention ahead of them and around them was paramount, so he focused here.

Maea’s question caught him a little off guard, and Noah lifted his eyebrows. ”Uhh, well. I think one of the major differences is that demigods all have unique magics. Even though Ronin and I are both Demi’s of life, our abilities appear quite differently, but their base is the same.” Noah said, recalling the other man and his abilities compared to his — starbolts versus arrows, celestial dome versus supernova, etc.

the forsaken

let's go there, to that place where
we sing these broken prayers, where the light shines through

MAEA

Turning more fully to regard the Foresaken, her hands clasped behind the back. "Ah. Yes. Though I should think that has more to do with you who wield the power, as well as the nature of the god that gifted it. But while you are considered blessed, someone born with magic is automatically Abandoned. So logically there has to be a difference between the types of power. Their essence, so to speak." Maea was starting to wonder if she was asking the wrong person. While Noah didn't strike her as a fool, perhaps it was too much to hope that he would hold the answers she was looking for. Or indeed the interest to find out.

Stifling a mild disappointment, she leaned down to pick up a piece of wood about the length of her arm, fallen from the crimson river, and began to peel the bark off. Given her claws it was swiftly done, and thus armed she pointed it at the underbrush.

"Let's see if we can rustle up something purple, shall we? Snakes, hanging vines, spiders - anything small and easy to transport should do fine."

Approaching a dense patch of shrubs she began whacking the branches, making as much noise and disturbance as she could. Insects took flight and a mouse ran squeaking off between her feet; cute, perfectly normal. Maea let it run and turned back to the task.

Light is easy to love
Show me your darkness

BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3

your scars shine like dark stars
your wounds are where the light shines through

Maea turned to look at him and Noah pursed his lips slightly, thinking of what she said, but keeping his head on a swivel. ”Well, I just mean that its more unique and it reflects the god we follow — versus abandoned who can relatively wield all the same magics.” Save for healing and life drain, as far as Noah knew, abandoned could all achieve the same range of their mage abilities. ”And, as far as history goes, abandoned was not always how magic-users were viewed. It was only after the Voice rose in her powers enough to think herself a god and destroy how the gods looked at them.” He said, no emotion in his tone, as he felt he was stated a fact (not knowing that Maea had once been both abandoned and ascended. ”And merfolk as well as ancients can wield magic.” Noah tilted his head some, trying to offer more room for discussion on the topic if the woman felt she wanted to add more.

But the ancient pressed on, and so did he. He watched from the corner of his eye as she sharpened herself a small shiv-spear, and he took his own spear from the strap across his back. Twisting it in his hands, Noah watched as Maea made herself a little scene, though his heart pumped with anticipation for what it could — or would — bring out. He walked a few paces away, looking in the bushes with interest but with less noise.

the forsaken

let's go there, to that place where
we sing these broken prayers, where the light shines through

MAEA

"Indeed." Saying 'I know' felt too impolite. Instead Maea settled for consideration of his suggestions, swallowing any annoyance to turn over what really was general knowledge of magic as if it was news. "Do you think it's fair of them, to abandon all mages over the actions of one?" She didn't mind either way, but it was an interesting topic and an easy conversation to uphold even as their search for voidlings commenced. "From what I've heard, Ancients and merfolk can't learn as much magic as the Abandoned. Perhaps that is why we are tolerated in a different way? Because we can't become a threat to the gods."

Än evil hiss started up when Maea prodded the other shrub. She leaped back just in time to avoid being bitten as a Void Viper struck at her feet. When it failed, it came slithering towards Maea, winding across the forest floor in attempts to coil around a leg.

"Found one!" she called cheerfully, "Watch your step. Is it me or is it almost cute?" You know. Evil void aura aside.

---

Void Vipers (Common): Once inquisitive Hanging Snakes, touched by the void, transform into Void Vipers. Their slender bodies now bear patterns that seem to absorb light, making them almost imperceptible in the shadowy depths of the woods. Instead of curiously exploring, they now slither with a purpose, seeking to entwine themselves around unsuspecting wanderers and imbuing them with a void-touched presence.

Light is easy to love
Show me your darkness

BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3

your scars shine like dark stars
your wounds are where the light shines through

"I don't think it is always fair what the gods do, no." Noah said, wanting to smile and tell her how unfair his particular god had treated him before. "But I would also have a hard time claiming that the gods have turned away from all mages, anymore." He said, sucking on his teeth. "I wouldn't claim, either, that the abandoned have the gods favor as the accepted and attuned do." But there was something to be said for the abandoned in Noah's life who had earned their way to a seat of favor with the gods, just as he had in his demi-hood. Sah, Hotaru, Deimos, and even Evie all came to his mind when he thought of his point. When it came to mer and ancients, however, Noah had a different take. "I think that could be part of it." The threat part.

The hissing immediately caught his attention, though, among their conversation. Trained and honed eyes locked immediately on the snake and he warned Maea to watch out, but she was already dodging the void serpent. He did not take his eyes off of it, but he disagreed with her. "No, I don't think so. I have a hard time viewing anything that Vi hates with any kind of favor." He said, dodging the creature in a similar manner as the ancient, but then using his spear to try and slow the snake's forward pursuit so they could catch it.

the forsaken

let's go there, to that place where
we sing these broken prayers, where the light shines through

MAEA

It was interesting to notice the change in attitude towards mages. It might just be Noah, but then again maybe it was more than that. She would have to ponder the implication later; there was no time for prying deeper right now.

Switching her attention to the task of trapping the serpent, Maea chased after it in quick feet. Using the stick as an extention of her own hand, she tried several times to pin the animal down, and finally managed after a fourth attempt. Normally these things didn't have teeth, but she took no chances; keeping the snake's head secure under the stick, she addressed Noah. "In my pack I have a sack, some twine and a pair of leather gloves. Could you reach them for me?"  

Up close, the void energy made her feel strange. Nauseous, angry, hungry - she couldn't put word on it. It wasn't pleasant, and perhaps that was why she didn't watch her tongue like she otherwise might.
"Do you lose all your own opinions on a thing if Vi hates it? What if he decides that he doesn't like Ancients?" There was a violet cast to her eyes as she shot him a quick glance, more than usual for all that her irises never had much color.

Intrusive thought, that. Maea really did try to put the worries of the war behind her, but when you had been attacked for what you were even once, forgetting was easier said than done.

"Did he happen to tell you anything about these things?" she wondered, nodding at the snake, "or about that woman Remi fought?"

Light is easy to love
Show me your darkness

BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3

your scars shine like dark stars
your wounds are where the light shines through

Maea ran off after the snake as Noah failed to pin it down with his spear. He followed her, eyes flicking this way and that and ears half-shifted to listen to another threat looming around them. She stopped, and Noah assumed she was successful. She flicked her head back at him and snarled something that made Noah’s stomach lurch slightly, as it wasn’t in the same tone as her debating questions held earlier. But the tiniest flash of violet made the pieces fall together quickly in his mind as he pressed his feelings down and rummaged for what she wanted. He handed her each requested item in turn.

”I have not known Vi to feel ire without reason.” Noah said simply. With the Voice there was plenty of reason, and her people were an extension of her, just as Noah expected anyone to view him as an extension of Vi. ”Vi told me they needed to be eradicated without mercy.” He said again, trying to remember if he had mentioned that during their hunt in Torchline. Like with her point, Noah knew Vi had a point at this command. Noah knew the point, too. He had felt some of the affects these creatures had on people and it was not anything that Vi would ever breath life into. This void-possession was not something the god of life would want in his realm—and perhaps Maea would see that now, feeling it on her own. ”Safrin told me that celestial magic doesn’t seem to harm the threat at large, and knowing Remi he has the ability to harness some of our magics—“—Ronins, for sure, as Noah had seen it—”so he must have tried them against her, but I’ve brought down several void creatures with my abilities.”

the forsaken

let's go there, to that place where
we sing these broken prayers, where the light shines through

MAEA

Was the desire to set her teeth into anything that moved a reason to attract Vi's ire?

The question hung unasked in her mind, suspended and given no freedom to air itself. Maea gritted her teeth against the yawning unease radiating from the serpent. One at a time she accepted the items from Noah; gloves on. Bag open. Twine at the ready. With her hands protected, she seized the snake directly behind the head and felt its corded muscle wrap up around her arm as she lifted it off the ground. Putting the sack down, the snake was placed on it. Switching grip so that she could hold the animal through the cloth, Maea quickly pulled the sack up and freed herself from the slithering coils.

Now she could let go, to seal the sack from a safe distance. Just for good measure she added another bag, losely woven fibres of hemp allowing enough air through that the creature could still breathe. With every layer of material between herself and her captive the void energy muted; a heavy sigh escaped her, along with a faint shudder.

"I'm sorry. I don't know why I said it like that..." Taking a few steps away from the bag to breathe and escape the awful energy made her feel better. "If it makes you feel better, this one won't be kept for long. I don't know what Dygra will do with it, but ingredients are normally consumed in the process...." A snorted laughter without much humor recalled a near incident; "Amalia almost sacrificed herself to rebuild the Temple, before Safrin told us that." It had almost resulted in a failure of the whole quest.

Rubbing her forehead with the back of a gloved hand, Maea looked at Noah. "As someone who was born Abandoned and then resurrected by the Voice, I sometimes find it hard to stomach the decrees of the gods. That's not your fault however, nor do I think it unreasonable in this case. I'm definitely comforted to hear that some abilities still work on these things... just wish there was another way besides killing them."

No doubt it would be an unpleasant journey back to the Grounds. But at least the capture had gone smoothly and if the woods released them quickly enough the protective barrier was one step closer to completion.

Light is easy to love
Show me your darkness

BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3

your scars shine like dark stars
your wounds are where the light shines through

Noah kept guard as Maea worked, spear in hand ready to defend the woman from another void-creature coming from the depths of the forest, or if the snake was able to writhe enough in her arms to get free and attack her. She worked quickly and Noah was thankful for that. He was keenly aware of every sound coming from around them with his half-shifted ears. He nodded to her when she spoke of the snake being done-for quickly. While he did not know Dygra and could not vouch for her character, he was well aware of how the gods used the materials given to them during quests.

"I often remind myself that I am finite compared to what they know, have experienced, and see." It was a simple statement. "I spent the majority of my life without gods in an active role -- the heralds being within the barrier, and the Big Three needed elsewhere -- until I had no choice. When the barrier fell and the portal to Halo opened, none of us could ignore the gods any longer because now not only were they back in our lives, devout followers were too." He tilted his head some, then jutted his chin towards where they came so they could make their way out. "I chose to follow a god I thought that could give me what I wanted. I first followed Frey." He admitted. "Then Vi chose me for what I could offer him, and the world. Though I do think Vi has reason for what he decrees, it is not always easy for it to be my first choice." He admitted.

the forsaken

let's go there, to that place where
we sing these broken prayers, where the light shines through

MAEA

Without the overt glare of purple immediately impacting her mood, Maea felt herself warm towards the demigod. Now he sounded more human, less like a walking advertisement for Vi's fanclub and decidedly more palatable to have around.

"Would you have accepted the call from anyone else, had it not been Vi?" she wondered, with very real fascination this time. "I came across the Voice many times, and almost never by choice. But even after ascending I never truly accepted her or what she sought to accomplish. These days I am similarly connected to Dygra... and while I don't mind it as much, I keep wondering what that kind of connection is going to bring for us. I would hate having to choose a side again. If I am going to pray at all, I would much rather be free to turn to whoever I choose."

With choice and mutual trust serving as foundation for the relationship, above need or suitability.

Breathing a deep sigh, Maea stretched her back and rolled the neck until a few cracks released the kinks. Picking up the bag with her danger noodle, she nodded once and began to walk back in the same direction they had come. Hopefully the Greatwood would be as eager to get tid of the snake as Maea was eager to get back home; the less time spent hauling this cargo the better it would be.

Light is easy to love
Show me your darkness

BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3

your scars shine like dark stars
your wounds are where the light shines through

"I'm not sure." Noah answered honestly, after listening to Maea. He understood where she was coming from, especially with all that she had experienced. "If it is any help, Safrin made it very clear to me and other close followers that Dygra was not an enemy to the standing gods." His glacier eyes flicked towards her. Perhaps that would give her some confidence -- that even if she were one of Dygra's chosen children, perhaps other gods would still hear her, should she so choose.

Noah didn't carry much of the conversation save for answering more of Maea's questions as they made their way out of the Greatwood. Noah made sure that Maea made it to the place they had met up before using his compass to immediately shift home. He sucked in the cold air of Halo and headed for his house, the vision of his wife and children a welcome and desires respite after the events of his latest endeavors.

FIN

the forsaken

let's go there, to that place where
we sing these broken prayers, where the light shines through