Did Tal have too much on his plate? He sure did! But he didn't feel quite right going to a Frey shrine just yet when he'd made so little progress on his quest, and besides, Leafchange was Ludo's season.
Hak Etme was one of his least favorite places on Caido, but he'd been in the area a few times on various quests and deliveries, and he sailed the Peregrine low and silent over the desert to avoid alerting the landsharks to his presence. Once the shrine was below him he tossed out the ground anchor into the gaping eye socket of a nearby behemoth skull, making sure it was firmly wedged before he let down the rope ladder and slid down to the pile of various skulls that made up the altar. His pale dragon soared in a wide circle high overhead in the blue morning sky, keeping watch over her human far below.
It was. Uh. Certainly very... atmospheric? He rubbed his hand over the side of his Vest self-consciously as he cleared his throat and knelt before them. Out of his Bag of Holding came a small hand-carved checkers board with the pieces carved from pale bone and darkly polished petrified wood, and a little bowl with feline pawprints painted on it that could be used for food or water. "Hey, Ludo. I figure you're prob'ly pretty busy right now with all th'spirits wanderin' around but. I just wanted to say... thanks, I guess. For th'Vest, an' helpin' with my Dagger an'... y'know. Not smitin' me too much. I really appreciate it. So... yeah. Keep up th'good work."
What more needed to be said? Tal stood up with a sharp nod and dusted off his knees before looking around to make sure he hadn't drawn the attention of anything lethal while he'd had his guard down.
In the aftermath of a titanic clash between three demigods (and Flora) and a ghost landshark, the desert was eerily silent. Even the typical threats settled as if holding their breath in trepidation. A tension hung heavy in the air, the residue of divine power unleashed, and it seemed to follow the currently traveling demigod in his footsteps.
Noah, having left Ronin and Remi and Flora to their next endeavor, decided to make his way towards the shrine in the area. While he sustained no injury in the battle — no one did, in fact — there was still a coming-down of adrenaline that made his muscles feel tired beneath his skin. Walking along, Noah collected some bones and shiny trinkets (rocks). Once he stumbled himself upon the shrine, however, he noticed it was occupied.
He waited until the courier was done before speaking, but when he did it was with a rather lackluster—plain—wave of greeting and a, ”Hey, Tal.”the forsaken
Boreal was loyal and true as a companion could be, and she'd never let her human go without warning if anything truly dangerous had been approaching him. But she also had a quirky sense of humor, and almost never warned him about the approach of a friend. So he didn't realize Noah was approaching until the older man's voice made him jump - just a little - and land facing the demigod with wide eyes that quickly relaxed in relief.
"Noah!" He stepped towards his friend, reaching up to rub the back of his neck as he tried a wan and tentative smile. "Shit, y'startled me. Wasn't expectin' anyone else out here. Definitely not ano-- uh, a Halovian!" At least the Leafchange weather wasn't quite as brutal as it could be in Longheat, but Tal was certainly grateful for the Frostbite Cuff that kept him comfortable regardless of the heat or cold. "What're y'doin' out in the ass-end o' Caido?"
”Sorry.” Noah said, looking then to the dragon who had made direct eye contact with him before he spoke, and offered her a grin. ”Thought she would have tipped you off.” Eira would have, if not closed the distance between Noah and an approaching friend first. Noah stepped up closer to Tal and offered the man a pat on the shoulder — more like a slap, but friendly all the same — then stepped around him. He dug the bones and skulls from his pockets and placed them at the altar of the shrine. He half-looked over his shoulder at Tal before giving a prayer to the herald, and eyebrow lifting as he twisted on his feet.
”I was in the Greatwood, and I heard the messages about the Family, and then the earth trembled. I came here to find out what it was. A giant, ghost landshark. Flora was there too. She channeled and Remi and Ronin both came. The fight was quick with them helping.” Noah said, before realizing he was word-vomiting what had happened just mere hours ago to the courier. ”How long have you been here? Did you feel any of that?” Noah would be surprised if he hadn’t — especially since he had felt it all the way in the Greatwood. the forsaken
Boreal waggled her wings at Noah, somehow managing to look quite pleased with herself despite being high up. She remained in position, circling her chosen thermal with deceptive laziness as she remained aloft to watch the backs of both men below her. Mischief incarnate she might be, but she was dependable enough when it counted!
"Depends on her mood," Tal explained with a snort. "An' whether she thinks y'might have treats for her!" If treats were involved she might well abandon her post and divebomb the Forsaken with all the best intentions to snorfle his pockets and then return to the sky as soon as she'd emptied them of anything edible.
Tal withstood the pat/slap without more than a blink followed by a grin as he turned to watch the demigod curiously. Seeing that Noah was involved in the same thing that he had been, Tal looked away until Noah was done and ready to talk again. "Ugh, those fuckin' messages. I hate 'em," he growled, shaking his head as if he could dislodge the creepy voice that kept popping up inside it. "An' I hate what it's sayin' even more. Th'business with Stormbreak an' th'Greatwood... I dunno, Noah. What happened to Soh and Phoebe?" He looked to the older man with the hope that the demigod would, somehow, have all the answers.
As for the landshark, the courier just shrugged. "I was flyin' this way, yeah. On a package run, but I felt... somethin' fucky," he admitted. "Didn't last very long, though. Not long enough for me t'get there, at any rate. So I figured I might as well stop for a break an' give Ludo my regards," he added, probably unnecessarily, glancing back to the shrine and its most recent osteological additions.
Noah's head bowed in momentary silence, peace centering him as he prayed that Ludo would find their placing of the landshark spirit to rest pleasing.
He opened his eyes after his prayer and nodded to his fellow Halovian. "I hate them, too," Noah iterated, face growing deep lines of worry. "Phoebe has been missing for quite some time -- since before all of this started, before Safrin disappeared. I'm hoping Frey has pulled her into safety. They've done it before." When they made her a demigod, they had taken her away from this world and let her do her transformation in peace and safety. Noah sat on his heels for a moment before the shifting sands beneath his bulky frame necessitated movement. He stood and took a step away from the shrine, towards the courier. "As for Sohalia, I can't say. My only knowledge of the woman was from when she came to Halo to talk about opening Stormbreak to everyone."
He could tell that Talyson was more worried than he was hopeful, and Noah understood that deeply. He had felt similarly before, several times -- when the ascended with Sunjata's shifts crashed into Halo and tried to kill them, when he stood looking at the mountains of the Draig in the darkness. He took a deep breath. "We can go take a look, if you want. Just to scope things out for ourselves." He started. "If the void is taking hold as we fear it is, the Celestine will be overrun with those creatures."the forsaken
Tal didn't like it when Noah looked worried. When Noah looked worried, things were really bad. The older man had always been an anchor in a storm; a fire in a blizzard, to so many Halovians. And sure, he wasn't that much older than the courier, but he'd been someone that Tal had looked up to since he was a teenager, at least, and only moreso after becoming a demigod. Noah could handle anything.
So if even he was worried, Tal had to wonder if it was time for him to start panicking.
He exhaled slowly, almost a sigh of relief at hearing that the Greatwood's former leader was probably safe and protected, at least. He didn't really get it, but he trusted the other man's account of previous such events, especially where it concerned other demigods. But that still left Soh...
"She's a good friend," Tal admitted, trying not to let his worry and misery color his voice too much, but not sure how well he was succeeding. "I know she was strugglin' with bein' a leader but... she loved Stormbreak too much t'just run, no matter what anyone else says." He glowered out at the desert, as if daring it to contradict him. "Whatever happened, I'll bet anythin' that Soh didn't leave willingly." If she'd left at all. But the thought of her imprisoned somewhere - or worse - hurt too much to think about...
Noah offered, if not hope, at least action. Sometimes that was almost as good. At least it beat sitting around and doom-spiralling uselessly over 'what-if's! Tal nodded, hesitantly at first, and then more sharply. "Yeah... yeah, I'd appreciate that, Noah. In an' out. Just t'see how bad it's gotten." And maybe to leave a small offering to the gods, to assure them that Caido's people were still fighting back. "Can your magic take two?"
"No, my magic can't. My compass can but its...uncomfortable for two people. My magic can get me, though, and my compass you." Noah said. He reached in his pocket for the small, intricately designed compass and handed it to Talyson. "But don't get too attached." He said with a wink, a clear indication of the borrowing arrangement between them. Noah had other purposes for that compass. Once his twins were old enough, one of them would get it. "But use it to get there, and while we are there hold on to it. If we need to get out fast, think of Halo." Thinking of the place would bring him there, after all.
"In and out. Scope around. But maybe we should..." He paused and looked around for a moment. "Maybe we shouldn't look like ourselves. Is there anything in your skyboat to use for disguises?" Maybe there were some extra clothes in there for other climates, since Tal traveled so often. the forsaken
Tal's eyes unabashedly widened with glee at the compass Noah offered and he took it with careful hands that almost shook with eagerness. "Yeah, I know... I tried t'trade Flora for hers way back, but things never worked out," he admitted as he took the compass and turned it to admire the designs. Not that Noah had to worry about getting it back, but the courier was clearly enchanted with the powerful bauble.
He nodded in understanding of the directions, having no desire to play hero for a simple scouting mission. His brows beetled together in thought as Noah offered another suggestion and the courier scowled deeply in thought before nodding. "Yeah. Not really intended for it, but I bet we can make do... hold on."
He scampered up the rope ladder and rummaged around in the small boat's hold for a few minutes before returning with an armload of clothes. "They, uh... might be a bit small on you," he admitted with a grimace. "But here, see what y'can do with these. An' uh... what's th'plan for gettin' back t'Boreal an' th'Peregrine afterwards?" he asked, looking to Noah worriedly as he shook out something that looked close enough to a Dragoon's coat to pass for it in poor lighting and tugged it on. A yellow scarf tied over his dark hair turned him an approximation of blond, if you were half-blind and sufficiently drunk enough.
”With Boreal defending it I’m not afraid of bandits taking it away. We’ll get back to it, so long as we end up in the same place. Hopefully, though, we’ll just be in and out of the Celestine.” Noah said, trying to give the man a confident and reassuring smile as he fitted himself with a disguise. There was another jacket, older in style and made of leather, but clearly from Stormbreak. Noah slipped it on. It was tight across his broad shoulders, but not too inhibiting that he couldn’t use his arms.
Noah moved towards the skyboat’s ladder and climbed enough rungs until he could reach the bottom. He ran his hand along the bottom, collecting dust and dirt and general grime. He ran his hands over his hair, his beard, darkening the blond hairs with the debris. Clambering down, Noah’s feet landed on the sand again. ”REady?” He asked. the forsaken
Tal relaxed a little at Noah's reassurance, his trust in the older Halovian absolute. Some of the anxious tension bled out of his shoulders and he stood a little straighter under the demigod's confident regard. "Yeah... okay, yeah. Just lemme get a few more things..." While Noah sorted through the odds and ends to pick his own disguise, Tal rummaged about for a second trip through the hold until he had a handful of offerings to stash in his Bag of Holding for the trip. He moved to the anchor, playing it out so the little skyboat rose high into the air and out of easy range of grasping hands or makeshift grappels, then scampered down once more.
Once both men were back on the sand, Tal whistled Boreal down so the dragon could butt her head affectionately against Noah's hip before she took up the bottom of the boat's rope ladder in her teeth and flew it back up to the deck. The anchor line was the one weakness in the whole setup, but with an alert dragon keeping watch it wouldn't be easy for anyone to take advantage of it.
"I'm ready," he stated, more confidently than he felt. Holding out the Compass, Tal visualized the Celestine in Stormbreak--
And vanished.
~Fin~
|
