Augury: Hate’s Creation

[+Sorana]

Sagitta took her bag and followed his proposal. If he wanted to clean up after her meal, she wasn't going to argue about that. Judging their current situation they would travel together for a long while - there would be ample oppurtunities when she could do it. Instead she had repacked her bag, taken her sword and followed the direction he had pointed out, looked for the stream.

It wasn't wide, but it's water ran more or less clean, with only a little dirt tainting the water a slight brown and it looked deep enough to submerge most of her body. Sagitta undressed quickly and then finished unbraiding her hair, let it fall down openly around her face. She dumped all clothes in a dirty pile on the ground and readied her second set to be put on once she was finished. Last but not least she strapped her knife to her thig and paused. Her scar, while it was still bulky and ugly had healed a great deal. It wasn't tender anymore, the skin less red, closer to her nomal skin colour. Weeks. She had heard both Tion and Intensity refer to her time on the island as weeks, but to see it on her own body was different. Weeks. So be it. At least now she had one thing less to worry about.

Lifting her arms up into the sky she streched and then walked into the cold water, taking her soap with her. She started with washing herself, enjoyed the moment alone, without anybody observing her, judging her. Veteran. the word made her feel old, put her in a place she hadn't expected to be for a long, long while. She didn't feel like a war-scared veteran, although she had no idea how to protest this description. If she wasn't a soldier anymore, she was a veteran. The label irked her, but she knew she wouldn't discuss it with Tion. Mostly she wished he would call her by her name, instead of a profession, and if he needed a profession, why not use trader? But then she was no trader either. Traveller. At least the last one was true, although it brought with it a feeling of distances, of a wisdown she had barely touched.

Staying inside of the water she exchanged her soap for her dirty cloths, washing them quickly. Her mother would have laughed at the time she spent cleaning them, and the way they coloured the water brown definitely proved her right. Taken by some strange urge to do it right, to succeed at least at this one thing she rubbed and turned and cleaned them until the water around them stayed clear. She spread them out in the sun to dry and hesitantly left the river again, shaking slightly from cold. Dressing again she took her time, made sure the long piece of cloth she used to keep her breasts close to her body was comfortable and didn't itch or rub. It was relaxing to have the time to properly tie her pants and to straighten her socks the right way, before taking on her shoes again.

"Soap is here on the stone close to the water." She told Tion when he arrived. "You can put the cup and the bowl in the bag. I'll sit over there and take care of my hair." she offered him some privacy. She didn't particularly care about that, but he had offered her a chance to wash on her own and she would return it. Walking several steps to the side she sat down on a boulder, facing away from him and set her knife down. The sun was warm on her skin and she found herself smiling when she started to work on the seemlingly thousands of knots in her hair. Their problems could wait for a while.

[Archer]

Tion found the soap where Sagitta had indicated. He also found the bowl, and put the bar inside of it. Then, out of habit, he repeatedly smashed his fists into the soap until it shattered into tiny flakes. The he procured a vial of white liquid from his coat and mixed it in to create a frothy mixture reminiscent of sea foam. They hadn't had a bath in weeks, they could probably find some more soap by the next time they'd need it. 

Removing his clothes, the god stepped into the water, moving to an area where it naturally pooled to a standstill. It was cold, but refreshing. Carefully, he dumped his solution onto the surface of the liquid, mixing it around with his hand. As expected, a mass of soapy bubbles formed. Content, he lowered himself down and closed his eyes to enjoy the sensations on his skin. In the distance, seabirds squawked, fighting over food. The river trickled slowly, flowing over his toes. Three or four fingerling fish swam by, following the current. 

Bzzzzzz. Bzzzzzzz. On the shore, his phone vibrated. "Thom's ***!" he shouted, bursting out of the water. Frantically, he scrambled over to his things, diving to put his coat back on. Soap clung to his legs as he jumped to pull on his pants. 

"Sagitta, grab your things! Make sure you're physically touching them, okay? I asked Reality to get us where we're going, he might do it any second." He thought back to the last time Thomas had helped them, when he'd teleported them without warning from the countryside to the city in a heartbeat. Somehow he knew the nuances of reality well enough to move people from a distance. Clever guy, Reality. I hope he hasn't gone too insane. 

Quote

At least, I think that's how I remember him doing it. It's kind of godmodding, but barring an objection from Xino in the chat, we can say he sends them to Decien similar to how he teleported the party last time. If I was asked to send people to a country, I'd send them to the capital. 

 

[xinoehp512]

Quote

I mean, I would ask where.  

A voice spoke out right next to Tion's ear. "Where in Ta'e'ilo?"

[Archer]

2 hours ago, xinoehp512 said:

A voice spoke out right next to Tion's ear. "Where in Ta'e'ilo?"

Tion answered without really thinking about it. "Oh, anywhere really. It's been a while since I visited Decien, if you can manage it! I wouldn't say no to somewhere nice and flat: a valley, or better yet, someplace by a river so I can, ahem, complete my business." Water continued to drop down his leg, pooling around his feet from his interrupted bath. 

Edited May 25, 2020 by Archer

[+Sorana]

The knot was particularly stubborn and she grit her teeth when it insisted to stay in her hair. Slowly she started to dissolve it one strand after the other, carefully using the hairbrush only rarely to prevent herself from ripping out some hairs. The rest she did with her fingers, until finally, it came apart and she was able to brush through her hair until it was soft and shining.

Lifting her arms she separated a part on top of her head and then divided that one into three strands. She continued to take her time when she started to braid it, added one additional strand after the other, following the curve her head made.

"Sagitta, grab your things! Make sure you're physically touching them, okay? I asked Reality to get us where we're going, he might do it any second."

Tion's call made her draw her knife in seconds, her braid forgotten, eyes darting around and over the hills to discover a potential threat. Nothing. They were still calm and quiet. Collect her things and thouch them. She picked up her hairbrush and rushed over to her bag, stuffing the brush inside. Her soap was gone and instead her bowl was filled with milky white, soapy water. Shooting Tion an annoyed glance she emptied the bowl, wondering when she would ever be able to eat out if again without tasting nothing but soap. Probably never.

The bowl followed her hairbrush and she picked up her sword and coat, holding it all close to her chest.

[Archer]

Tion squeezed his eyes shut, knees slightly bent, waiting for that disconcerting moment when- WHOOOOOOOOMPH. The soft tinkling of the brook beside him was replaced by a commanding roar of flowing water.

The god looked around him. A few meters beside him, a grand river pushed past, headed down the gentle slope he stood on. His eyes followed its path to where it was headed. Rather than snake about, the water flowed straight, cutting deliberately through several small hills for at least a kilometer. He lost track of then, but a glance beyond told him where it was headed: the broken city of Decien.

The war had taken its toll on what had once been the shining gem of the Ta’e’lioan empire. Its once commanding skyline of strong walls and mighty houses was shattered. Their vantage point wasn’t the best for seeing the entirety of the settlement, but from what he could see of its outer regions, the Nomads had struck some decisive blows against the defenders.

Speaking of which… he checked back on where he was standing. The area was mostly empty field. It was half grass and tiny wildflowers, half trampled dirt. He could see one point where the soil had been piled into short walls. A closer look revealed a fair amount of litter strewn about: cast off strips of cloth, metal pieces half-buried in the mud, one or two sharpened sticks. There were no bodies in sight, nor bones. The animals will have gotten to those already. There was also a region of blackened earth, heaped up a bit to cover up the shallow mass grave that would lie beneath.

They stood on a battlefield. And a recent one, at that. “It can’t have been a month since there was a skirmish here,” Tion mused. “We’re too far away for this to be a main site of the fighting, but you know how those Ta’e’lions get about- sorry, I meant to say that they were likely trying to defend their water supply.”

“It’s all a moot point now anyway. Welcome home, by the way! How ya doing?”

[+Sorana]

Sagitta slowly knelt down, hand touching the trampled dirt. She remembered the sounds of the river vividly, how they had camped close to the capital, waiting for the nomands to arrive. Some of the improvised walls they had piled up remained like bluging scars in the earth. Walking forward as if in a dream she looked around, noticed the colours of the strips of cloth that were lying around.

"There are other water supplies as well." she replied absently minded, although Decien river was one of the largest ones, it wasn't by far the only one. Ta'e'ilo was a lot of things, but not dry. Bending down she lifted a part of a surcoat, fingers brushing over the emblem crudely embroidered in chest height. It was a bear next to two stright lines. Second bear regiment.

"Our council moved south months ago. All battles here are nothing but tries - futile tries to get back what we once owned."

Her fingers opened, dropped the rag to the ground again. He was right, there had been a battle. With the corpses gone and the blood washed away by the rain it looked as if someone had tried to stage a gruesome scene. Swallowing she found herself imaginging different faces, comrades she remembered, their laughter, they way the had grinned and shouted out for death to take them any other day.

"Why are we here?" she inquired quietly. "Why go to a battlefield? Especially one that is probably this observed by one side or the other?" Standing on the hill they were easily seen by everybody around. "If you are right about the water supply, it's only a matter of time until the first soldiers arrive to ask who we are." And without any way to proove that she had been part of their army as well, chances that they survived long enough to find someone who recognized her were slim.

[Archer]

Tion scanned the horizon for signs of movement. There was nothing, for now. Nonetheless, he trusted Sagitta knew what she was talking about. “I was actually planning on inviting some company, but not the kind you’re thinking of. Apparently I wasn't specific enough with my instructions to Reality, so this isn't quite where I wanted to go. Still, since we’re out here anyway, we might as well take advantage of the terrain. This is your home turf, right? And there’s nothing around that could get wrecked if another hole opens up. Do you feel like summoning Last for a chat?”

As he talked, Tion wandered over the river bank. It was steep, and mostly a dirt trough, but he spotted a couple of fair-sized stones just below the surface. “If you’re game, I’m going to need to collect some materials. Then we’ll need to choose a spot to draw him to. Not to be overly cautious, but somewhere defensible would be nice. Why don’t you get started on that, I’m going to need a few minutes.” 

Got to keep her busy, before she starts thinking about where she is. He looked at Sagitta’s face. Her eyes were already starting to darken as she took in the scene. That’s unfortunate. “Get going, sol- Sagitta! And if you see any big rocks, grab them for me, please!”

The god dipped his arms into the water, trying to keep the rest of his body on the dry land. The current was moving too quickly to make wading very safe. When Stacking, quantity was preferred. He’d worked on gardens filled with thousands of rocks, majestic in their enormous scale. But barring that, the rounder the stone, the better, making river rocks ideal for the task.

He shimmied down the bank, grabbing everything bigger than a walnut. Oh, hello. After about fifteen minutes, he came across a budding growth of irises with floppy blue and yellow petals. There was something magical about finding such decorative plants in the middle of a battlefield. “Dumb flowers. You should be dead.” Tion carefully broke one off and stuck it in his pocket for later.

[+Sorana]

She wandered over the battlefield, her steps slow, her eyes moving over the grass. Look for stones, as large as possible. She picked up a frist one and then hesitated looked around for a place that was easily defensible. The old, improvised walls she had helped create left a stale taste in her mouth and her eyes wandered over, to the ruins of their once splendid capital. Her feet carried her closer, stone still in hand but already forgotten.

Decien had been a lovely city. It's murals a light grey it had appeared to glow in the sunlight. It had been built on the highest point in the area, the river cutting through the landscape at its feet. In it's center a fortress where their council had met, and all around marketplaces and houses. She vividly could see the rich ones in the center, remembered that some even had glass windows, and the simpler ones closer to the outer walls. They had spend their time in cheap bars in the outskirts, drinking and singing, forgetting about what was to come for a short moment.

Her viewpoint offered her a better angle at the ruins that were left, the fortresses tower crumbled, the walls still intact, but the huge gate gone. Black smears marred the once beautiful surface and she imagined she could smell the sharp smell of burnt wood and bodies even at this distance. It wasn't far away and she actually considered to go there, to use the walls for their purpose, but then let go of the thought again. It was of no use. Let the dead be dead.

Turning around she forced her eyes away from what once was and walked over to a larger boulder. It would offer them something in their backs, prevent them from being surrounded easily. Far from perfect, but probably the best she they would find. She set down the stone and then continued her way over the battlefield. There were even pieces of destroyed armour here, pieces she maybe could restore if she had the time. But she hadn't. Nor did she want to take from those that had died here. And she wasn't able to carry a full armour around without a horse anyway.

Instead she collected another stone, moving as if fast asleep, feeling as if she was stuck in a dream, a nightmare. Silently daring the moment she found something she recognized, a hint that one of those she had fought side by side had died here. Their body gone, their name sent over to the gods. To those gods that were crazy, that harmed their followers. To those gods that crawled along a river and plucked flowers. Nobody would add a start for them. Nobody would care enough to do that. They would be lost in time forgotten and there was nothing, nothing she could do about it. There was no place to go, no benevolent being looking down on you.

Something cracked beneath her foot and she stared at the bone, splintered apart in the middle for a moment. This was everything that waited for her, that waited for them. A grave on some battlefield. No honor, no brave heart, no stories told. Ta'e'ilo. She had always thought that this name had been a reminder, something that had been averted. But instead, it wasn't. She dropped the stone on the other one, watched it break apart by the impact. There would be no light for them. Only a void leading to oblivion.

Edited May 28, 2020 by Sorana

[Archer]

“This the spot?” Tion came around the lee side of the boulder, arms outstretched, pulling out his shirt to help him carry a small pile of stones. He dumped his collection at Sagitta’s feet. “We can take cover behind that boulder, ya? Good thinking!”

He noticed the way she was standing, intense and brooding. Immediately, his excitement dissolved, shifting his nervous energy over to a solemnly neutral expression. A note of concern crept into his voice. “Oh child…”

“Here. Let me show you something.” He crouched to root around in the stones. Most of them were smooth, near circles about the size of his fist, worn down by the water. But a few of them were drawn out ovals, twice the size of the others. He grabbed a few of both. “The thing about nature is it takes a while to give up its secrets. You have to sit in a garden and stare long and hard at a bud to see it bloom in front of you. Otherwise you just wake up one day and that dull green stem has suddenly turned into a beautiful flower, seemingly by magic.”

The god placed two round stones beside each other and connected them by placing a longer one on top, creating a tiny arch. He put another stone, about the size of an apple, on top. “Of course, you know all about flowers. Other people have done the starring for you and shared their results. It’s no longer magic. That’s just how things work. But can you think of anyone whose ever taken the time to watch the rocks? And I mean really watch them. Commune until the world goes dark and its just you and the-”

Tion realized he was getting to excited again, so he dialed it down a bit. “I call it Old Magic. I could call it just magic, but people would get it confused with the instincts or my Power. Those hardly count, we know how they work. Mostly.” He carefully selected another oblong stone and began balancing it on top of the stack he was working on. “Rocks are powerful. Get enough of them together and they’ll channel positive energy for you. That’s why the strongest cities are made of stone, although they’re poorly arranged for it. After this we’re going to need as near a perfect circle centered around this point as we can make. That should draw enough from the ether to at least get your friend’s attention. I suspect he’s extremely attuned to the flux of this realm. It’s like lighting a beacon fire.”

“The stones are also very good at absorbing things. Heat. Lightning. Souls.” Tion took a walnut sized peddle out of the pile and placed it on top of all the other rocks he’d been stacking. It gave the sculpture a humanoid form, what the Nomads would have called an inukshuk. His voice shifted again, deepening until it was hardly audible. “It is a terrible thing when a man loses his life, Sagitta. Not even I know what happens next.”

He took the iris from his pocket and laid it softly at the feet of the marker he’d made. Its colourful petals lay in stark contrast to the surrounding browns and greys of the worn battlefield. “I fear our souls might just wander when our bodies fade. We drift on the spectral winds. Never finding rest. That is why we taught them caution. It was a Rule. Always place a stone over the body so its aura may be absorbed and bound. Otherwise… I don’t know what happens. Best never to find out.”

The god straightened his back and stood back up. Closing his eyes, he dipped his head in respect for the fallen. "Allah dormi. They will find rest."

[+Sorana]

"Are you a god?" Sagitta asked quietly, eyes never leaving the stones he had placed on the ground. Old magic. Something different from the instincts everybody used, something mystical and unknown. Magic. A part of her wanted to laugh at the idea that a god-like being was attracked by a circle of stones, but if reminded her too closely of the circular shape of the pit the'd witnessed. Maybe Tion had a point. Magic. She had discarded the idea of magic, it had sounded like a children's story to her, like nothing but a tale of the past, long obsolete in today's society. Her mother still belived in fairies, left milk outside at night and carried candles to stone circles -

Sharply she looked up at him, one hand resting on the boulder nearby. "There are stone circles around." she told him. "Places some believe to hold old power. I don't know where the closest one is, but we could ask around. I doubt it's far."

She realized that she had changed the topic too much had jumped from what she wanted to know, to what she remembered and made an unwilling gesture with her right hand. The whole battlefield had hit her harder than she thought if wasn't able to concentrate on one thing at the time. Finish one line of thought before starting another. Her eyes returned to the pieces of armour around them. A battlefield. And if stones were really able to take up souls, to preserves them, she suppressed the urge to hug herself when she pictures herself walking between the souls of the dead. It was an awful thought. To be trapped in stone, to spend eternity lying around between the bones of those that died the same day. But he didn't know. It was what he suspected and he thought, really thought that if you didn't remain bound to earth, you would by flying around, through the ether, unbound - she shuddered again and then forced her thoughts back to her first question. He didn't know. And no matter what, this wasn't something to find out about soon. It wasn't something she could change. So she could always worry about any other day.

"That doesn't mean that I don't want to know. Are you a god, or are you simply something different, something old that humanity chose to call god one day?"

[Archer]

Tion shrugged.  “I am Sensation. I am the last good creature in a world of monsters. That is all I know for sure. You doubt me because I strike you as too human. I’m not almighty and aloof enough, yeah? But have you considered that maybe its because your traits are a reflection of mine? Technically speaking, I am a god. I’m special. I’m fairly confident that I’m immortal. When you cut me, I bleed slowly. And I posses powers beyond the scope of any mortal. People worship me. Back in the beginning, we were much more open about our status. That planted the seeds in people’s mind, it made them conceive of the notion of godhood itself. So in that sense, yes, I am your god.”

He looked at his pile of stones. A few of them were pretty shades of solid grey, so he pocketed them. The rest he left in a heap. “Now, if you give people enough time, they’ll come up with other ideas too. Monotheists, worshipers of the abstract, all sorts of imaginative ways to be wrong. It’s entirely possible that I had a hand in creating this realm. I don’t remember that far back. There are gaps in my memory, I suspect it was intentional, a group effort to hide the truth from ourselves. Should gods be able to do that? Who knows, we’re writing the rules as we go. Point is, as far as options for worship go, we’re the gang that’s the most likely to offer something in return for your fealty. We do stuff in the world. Consciously.”

“There are others in Hopearaa that are ancient. Other systems of magic exist. If you want to get all philosophical on me, you could argue that they deserve your praise just as much as I do. But a tenth of this continent’s populace has me to thank for their powers. Remember that. Respect all your elders, but be the friendliest to the ones that give you gifts.”

It was a long speech, one he hadn’t planned on giving. He wasn’t fully aware of it, but the Augury and its corresponding events were making him nervous. Like a dying man passing on stories to his grandchildren, there were things he wanted to talk out before it was too late. “Right then. If you’ve got bigger stone circles around, I’m all for that. I can calibrate them just as easily as the little stones, and the result will be better. Surely someone near the capital will have some ideas where to find one. Shall we?” He gestured towards Decien. He suspected Sagitta had other reasons for wanting to explore the area first anyway, so they could afford a slight delay.

[+Sorana]

"You don't strike me as human." Sagitta disagreed quietly and started to walk towards Decien. "You strike me as someone who spend a lot of time observing humans, but never quite got the act right." Calmly she picked her way through the remains of the battlefield. There was no use to stop being honest now, although it took some convincing of herself to keep her eyes forward. If she angered him again, she would pay for it. Dearly. That she'd survived last time had been nothing but pure luck.

"What confuses me, is that you didn't want my worship." she continued, listening for his steps, for any change in them, ready to move should he attack her again. "You were one of the two I prayed to my whole live and you discarded it as worthless. Told me to amuse you, not pray." Her lips pressed together she took another step, fighting the emotions that rose in her chest. "You say you are my god, that you are a good creature - but at the same time you trample on everything I am, everything I care about as soon as you get a chance. You mock me and what I was taught, and when I attempt to learn, to behave in a fitting way, you just tell to amuse you."

Her pace picked up a little and she lifted a hand to brush away the tears that ran over her cheeks, annoyed and angry by her own weakness so openly on display in front of him. She hated crying, it always reminded her of a weak childish girl with no control over her body, over her reactions. "I've killed in your name, those that died here on this battlefield died with your nation's name on their lips. God or no god, if you are a good creature, then you're lacking an astonishing amount of decency."

Whirling around she spread her arms, standing in the middle of a symbol for everything she had been, for everything she had believed in. It was crazy. She was crazy. She wasn't supposed to talk to a god like that, she wasn't supposed to talk to any superior like that. She was supposed to be quiet and behaving, following her orders and being a nice, good Ta'e'ilon girl. Except that she couldn't. She just couldn't anymore.

"So you're basically telling me, that the god who gave me his power tried to kill me yesterday." She considered the thought and then shrugged, the gesture exxagerated. "Well I suppose I have to thank him for that. After you, he's the second god that failed." Spreading her arms she tilted her head slightly back. "You want to finish it now? Here? In between the corpses and souls of those that have been my comrads for years? Or do you really want to tell me, you didn't know that the wiped out regiment around us, was my own?"

Edited May 30, 2020 by Sorana

[Archer]

“Well there’s a lot I don’t know! Okay?”

He bit his tongue to keep from screaming what he was thinking. You’re barely know me, kid. I know a boat-load more than’s in your tiny twenty-year old mind. A couple of comrades is nothing compared to the people I’ve seen wither away. Your anger is a testament to that. After a while, it just fades away. Even death loses its meaning, in time.

“So the gods don’t meet your expectations. Fine. What are you going to do about it?” He moved to follow her, but kept his distance. She could probably use a fight right now to work out the pain, but he was in no condition to give her one. “It’s hurts, doesn’t it. It feels all violet, with streaks of purple. The grieving shade is one of the most vibrant, second only to outright anger.”

He realized he was describing emotions in a way that only made sense to him. But he was struggling to remember what it felt like. It had been a while since something had really shook him like that. There’d been something significant a few years ago, but he couldn’t remember the details. That was strange, now that he thought about it. He changed tact.

“I hear your concerns. I empathize with you.” Despite himself, a hint of bitterness crept to the forefront of his mind. “Imagine my position. I swore off killing. I never so much as ordered it. I tried to keep my hands clean, for its own sake. And then the grand nation of Ta’e’lio decides to use my name as a battle cry. It was like they were trying to put their killings on my conscience. Ever seen a god have an existential crisis?”

“Yeah. Yeah, let’s finish this. Because some bad blood has been spilt. I never asked you to kill for me. This isn’t an ideal situation for either of us. So do what you need to do, just know that I’ve got problems too.” He let his arms fall limply to his side, accepting whatever fate was in store for him. He was vaguely aware that what he had said wasn't helpful, but this conversation needed to be had for them to continue as a team. 

[+Sorana]

Speechless Sagitta stared at him. "But -" she started and fell silent again. "Why -" she tried again, only to discard the sentence as well, her thoughts whirling around in her head. "You never told us." she finally said quietly, her voice weak. If he really had sworn of killing it meant what had happened earlier had been accident. He had fled instead of fighting his fellow god. And she hadn't seen him kill. Whatever that meant. As he had pointed out, she had only seen a tiny part of him. But why had he kept quiet? He had known, or maybe he hadn't and -

With a groan she rubbed her forehead, wished the situation was any easier. "What a mess." she finished, cursing for Price for disappearing. He could have made sense of all of this, had probably read some stories or documents. She just wondered what she was supposed to do now. Stay here. Leave. Go home. Back to the army. Intensity. Look for Price. Throwing her arms up in desperation she turned back towards Deicen and froze. The former empty remains of the walls had been manned during their discussion. She knew they would be holding bows, some even crossbows, their eyes on the stranger moving towards their city. Despite the threat she was nearly relieved to see them, to spreads her arms to indicate that she was holding no weapon. At least this was something she knew how to deal with.

"What do you think about the following. We solve this problem first. Summon Last and then talk, sort the mess out, so that we both know where we're standing." She suggested over her shoulder to Tion and loosened her shoulders. It would take her a little bit to draw her sword, she had to take its sheath off first. But with some luck, maybe they could talk their way past the soldiers. Maybe there were a few of the 2nd bear's left to recognize her. Unlikely given the amount of time that had passed, but there was no alternative now. They would have no chance to summon the creature without being disturbed, even if they used the circle Tion had planned to lay out.

[Archer]

“Sure.” Tion repeated the word again and again, trying to adjust his accent to match Sagitta’s better. “Sure. Sure. Sure…”

He was weary. Emotions hurt to feel. Irritated with himself, he slumped his shoulders and loosened up his coat, making his frame seem smaller beneath the mass of fabric. He wasn’t worried that they’d be mistaken for Nomads, but the guards might just dismiss them out of an abundance of caution if something seemed off.

“You take point in the conversation,” Tion breathed. “I’ll back you up and try to look harmless.” He consciously developed a slight limp in his left leg, but kept pace with Sagitta’s strides. The path they were taking turned and took them parallel to the wall for a hundred meters, giving the men on top ample time to inspect them. He resisted the urge to look up at them, instead keeping his eyes fixed on the indentation ahead: a fair-sized stone archway about the width of a cart. Holes along its sides where hinges would be indicated that it used to hold a door, but now it was only blocked by an iron portcullis. As they approached, a heavily armoured guard who had been sitting on the other side stood and picked up a red-painted spear. They shouted something, but their voice was muffled beyond recognition by their visor.

“Bloody armour.” They took their helmet off, sending a long brown ponytail cascading down their back. The motion revealed her to be a middle aged woman with a strong jawline. She spat on the ground. “Oi, two on the road! Come a little closer so I don’t have to holler atcha.”

Tion smiled at her and tried to get a better look at the insignia on her collar, half-covered by her breastplate. She scowled in his direction and addressed Sagitta instead. “Just the usual, luv. Family, destination. Whatcha doing, where ya going, and why should I letcha through? Oh, and tell your gent to stop ogling me or I’ll order Gru to give him two bad legs. You are manning the murder-hole, aren’t you Gru?”

She glared at the ceiling of the arch. A small, previously disguised hatch was pulled back and a timid voice called down through it. “Sorry, ma’am.” An arrowhead poked through the opening, pointed in Sagitta and Tion’s general direction.

[+Sorana]

The arrow didn't worry her a lot, she could soften it's impact enough to render it close to useless. But the guards that were positioned along the wall made uneasiness creep along her spine. They could surround them easily and without some armour of her own, even she would have a hard time against so many. Add to that those she wasn't able to see now, plus those who would send in some arrows - her instinct was usefull, but only if she knew an attack was coming. Shoot her in her back while she fought of another guard and she would die just as quickly as everybody else.

"My name is Sagitta T'Sora." she replied camly, made sure to spread her hands in an attempt to show her good will. "I used to belong to the 2nd bears, but was divided from them during a battle." A half-truth, but it had to be good enough for now. She wasn't planning on spilling all of her history to this stranger.

"I belong to the T'Sora clan, living south. We are looking for a stone circle." she hesitated and then decided to add a little more information. "We'd like to ask the gods for a save journey south, and wanted to sacrifice. If you could point us towards the closest one, that would be great."

Her eyes moved over the collar, and she swallowed when she realized that there was no emblem. No soldiers, but those that had been left over. Neither Tion nor she looked wealthy, not after everything their clothes had been through, but they both carried weapons and that might be enough. Supressing her nervousness she stayed focused, concentrated. Persuasion wasn't her strongest feat, but maybe they were lucky and the woman had a good day.

[Archer]

The woman looked Sagitta up and down, lips pursed into a tight frown. “And you?” she hollered at Tion.

The god stepped forward and bowed his head respectfully. “Support crew. Had the misfortune of running rations to the Bears when-”

She cut him off. “Got any actual training?”

“Um, no. In fact, I bless the gods, I had the luck of meeting Sagitta here, who took the time to nurse me back to health after I was wounded by-”

“Ms. T’Sora, one of your company passed our way last week. Lieutenant A’Rollo.” The guard’s gruff expression gave way to the worn stress lines and cheerless smile of a soldier’s mother. “I’m sorry, luv, the news wasn’t good. Gru, get your head out of that stupid hole and start raising this portcullis!”

As the bars clanked upwards, she continued gently. “If you go south, you’re going to be reassigned. It was that kind of a battle for them. But you’re a strong lass. I expect you’re better with that sword than most of the volunteers we got here. You’re welcome to stay a while and wait. See if any more come.” The tone of her voice made it clear that she was desperate for good help.

“But if ya determined to go, Sensation guide you on your journey. There’s an old circle to the south-west. You can follow this road to the mill, then track along the stream a ways. That’s near where they got through last time. Walls ain’t standing, but gods know, those circles have a way of surviving. If anyone gives you trouble, just tell em Cat gave you the okay." As the portcullis chimed to a stop, she stepped to the side, one hand raised in a salute. “The choice is yours.”

[+Sorana]

To claim that it wasn't tempting would have been a lie. To walk through that gate, be a soldier again, to do nothing but follow orders, eat and spend her freetime throwing dice on a table sounded like heaven. There wouldn't be any heavy fighting, maybe the occasional raid. Sagitta knew that she technically wouldn't be a soldier anymore, that it would be different, on the other side of law but she hardly cared. Cat offered a sanctum, a place where she could stop worrying about the war, about gods, about Immortals going crazy. And it was the most temption offer she had ever heard.

Her eyes remained on the open gate, on the fact that it would take only a few steps. Tion could come with her, or not, it wasn't as if she could help him with his plan anyway. She had no idea about this old magic, didn't know how to deal with Last or whoever else decided to show up. She was nothing but a human. Her feet carried her a step forward, and she answered with a salute of her own, the gesture instinctive, nothing she needed to think about anymore.

"Thank you." she replied, her voice a little hoarse. "I never expected that offer." She knew she could help them. She was blooded, trained well and her instinct tended to allow her to survive even desperate situations. She could live a good life here, probably command some troops of her own soon. It would be over. The journey, the wandering. The drifting around clinging to a purpose, the discussions with a god, who didn't want her company. She would be accepted, valued for her skills and for who she was. Not discarded, not seens as a liability.

Glancing over at Tion she swallowed, he seemed weary, tired. She had fought for his country, had spilled blood in his name, and he was right. He'd never asked them to do that. Cursing herself she shook her head. "I'm afraid I have to decline. There is something I need to do first, maybe afterwards." She smiled sadly at the women. "It's tempting, more than I have words to tell you."

Stepping back she turned towards the road, looked at the mill. It wasn't far away, definitely faster to walk there, than to build a new circle by themselves. "May the gods smile upon you." she replied politely, although the words tasted stale in her mouth. Maybe it was time for them to depend less on the gods and more on themselves. It was easy to blame an incorporal being, but a lot harder to look for faults in your own actions.

"Let's go." she said quietly to Tion, hoped that Cat would let them go. The woman could use her, needed any trained fighter, but it wasn't her place anymore. She hadn't felt it, but she had moved past it. Step by step, but what she had told Tion was true. She was no soldier anymore. She wasn't entirely sure what she was, felt lost in the conflict, in the situation in general. But she had been lost when she had stepped on the battlefield the first time. And then it had turned into something familiar. The fear, the stench, the pain. The capture had put an end to all of this, and it had been the same. Unknown at first, until she had been able to deal with her fear and find a solution. Price. Another new situation she had learned to deal with.

It was only Tion, only the gods that made her feel vulnerable, lost, helpless and that lead to anger. Because anger was familiar. She had always depended on her own skills to keep her alive. Had prayed because it was what you did, because a part of her had hoped that maybe someone would listen and would offer her a hand when she needed help. But he had done this. Tion had helped her. Without a sacrifice, without a prayer. Without him, she would be nothing but a mindless ghoul on the island of a crazy god.

She was no soldier anymore, couldn't think about a new label that fit her. Mercenary, traveller, she had considered so many. But maybe she didn't need one. Maybe being Sagitta was enough for the moment. The thought was scary, when she realized that there was no place to hide anymore, no excuse for her actions. They were her own. Not because of following a god's doctrine, or because of an officer shouting at her. Her own decisions. Her responsibility. But she could do this. Offer Tion a helping hand the way he had offered one to her.

She smiled at him, when she turned away completely, a part of her attention still with the possible threat behind her. "Let's take a look at Last."

Edited June 3, 2020 by Sorana

[Archer]

Tion, for his part, was quietly contemplative on the trip to the stones. At one point, he stopped and removed his shoes, carrying them the rest of the way down the road. It helped him sense the ground’s mood.

What they eventually arrived at was a the Ta’e’lioan equivalent of an urban park. Once a common lands for growing and grazing, a massive wall now bisected it, splitting it into two parts too small to be of much use for anything but leisure and sparring. The wall was easy enough to navigate around because it was half-collapsed and abandoned, the defensive line moved forward to ward off attackers before they would ever reach this point. As they stepped into a grassy valley on the far side, moving beyond the shadow of the wall, there was no one else in sight. Just a circle of moss-covered stones with a worn trail leading down to them.

Tion slapped the first one they came to. “Aw yeah, that’s a good one. But that one’s out of line, those two are leaning the wrong way, and this one needs a better name.” He stroked its weathered face. “Greg. It prefers to go by Greg.”

There was a bowl of thick white liquid lying at the base of one of the boulders. Tion casually raisd it to his lips and downed it in one sip. Then the god began slamming his weight against the rocks, shifting them into better positions, seemingly oblivious to any pain cause by it. “This part’s up to you, Sagitta! I got these. You need to sit in the middle and concentrated on drawing him here. It’ll become easier once I correct the placement of-” he nearly fell as he rebounded off a boulder, but caught himself “-these terribly maintained stones.”

“Oh, and get your sword out. Just in case, please.”

[+Sorana]

Sagitta nodded wordlessly and stepped up to the circle of stones. It seemed to be a little crazy, to think that this was going to work, but then - it could hardly be more crazy than Intensity's island. She set her bag down outside of the circle and removed her sword from her back, slowly walking to the middle of the stones. She had never been in the middle of such a circle before, it was a place for gods, her mother had claimed and Sagitta had believed it. And while she knew now, that this obviously wasn't true, she still as if she was intruding into some space she had no right to be.

Sitting down as Tion had instruction she rested her sheathed sword on her knees. She could draw it easily, and she wasn't planning to sit here, eyes closed with a blank weapon. It went against anything she had been taught, anything she had decided for herself. When she drew her weapon, she did it to fight or to kill. And given the fact that they were planning to summon a god or something like that, she prefered if it wouldn't come to that.

Closing her eyes she tried to remember her conversation with Last, the impression he had left on her. The way he had looked, how he had spoken. His words, his prescence. It wasn't much, most of it was burried, as if under a veil and she frowned, tried to remember more. Her father. He had appeared to be her father, had moved her to a room where she had been familiar and then - she'd known, had noticed the little differences, but they had been small, tiny, as if her mind had been trying to gloss them over, to make her feel safe and protected. It had been so easy to agree to his words, she hadn't even considered to question him, how could she, when he was a god. You didn't question the gods.

Pursing her lips she tried to focus her thoughts again, on the little details that she remembered, tried to call to him, to catch his attention. I am here! she shouted her thoughts out into the sky. Talk to me. I need to talk to you. Please.

 

@AonEne

[AonEne]

1 hour ago, Sorana said:

Pursing her lips she tried to focus her thoughts again, on the little details that she remembered, tried to call to him, to catch his attention. I am here! she shouted her thoughts out into the sky. Talk to me. I need to talk to you. Please. 

Last appeared next to Tion with no fanfare and calmly asked him, “Could you please relay to Sagitta that I am here? I’m not able to appear to her senses as I am yours.” As it had been in Sagitta’s dream, the exact details of its appearance couldn’t be focused on, but its words could be clearly heard despite any noise Tion was making. @Archer 

Quote

Both of you feel free to ask Last any questions you want. If you try to touch the figure you’ll find that nothing is there - it won’t even feel weird to pass through. If you stick your head through it you can only see air. Sagitta can’t see or hear Last, but there might be other ways of making it known to her. You’d have to suggest that, though. 

 

[Archer]

Quote

I know this is DIY cannon, so I'll leave it up to you to decide how real and noticeable any Old Magic Tion tries to wield is. I've purposely left it ambiguous as to how powerful it is, and whether someone like Last would recognize it. 

Also, Tion believes Last is a telepath to some degree. How accurate his assessment is is also up to you. 

Tion flinched when Last appeared, hazy and indistinct, as if projected from a distance. The creature spoke directly to him, into him with concerning ease. Tion immediately squeezed his eyes shut to it.

Of course it’s a telepath. Tion’s memories were extensive. Most of them were ultimately useless: the secrets of long dead men, skills learned that were now obsolete, stories of adventures of no historical significance. The sheer scale acted as a layer of protection. If parts were corrupted or lost, chances are they weren’t important. And if anyone tried to scan his brain, it would take a while to find what they were looking for. But the mind is easily tricked. The more one thought about hiding their deepest secrets, the more those thoughts crept to the forefront of the mind. And Tion was all too familiar with the power of Sensation magic like this. A quick image of the right face or building or line of text and he’d instinctively call up the corresponding memory, revealing it. And he’d need more than a good poker face to bluff past this man. Entropy’s farts, this was going to be difficult.

“My companion should already be aware of your presence,” he said slowly, focussing on keeping his mind blank and unreadable. To test a theory, he thought the next sentence, but didn’t say it out loud. Soldier, please come here. Can he tell the difference between speech and-

Realizing his mistake, Tion stopped and recollected himself. “You are not of me. I don’t sense any connection. But you appear to have similar powers. Are you my replacement?” He stepped forward into the space Last occupied. He felt nothing.

“Sagitta, open your mind carefully. Try to feel it. Feel the power of this spot. You can speak and it will hear you, but it can’t appear to a young mind distracted by consciousness.”

Attempting to confuse the creature, Tion began trying to communicate in a combination of thoughts and speech. “Last.” Tell me your intentions. As we stand here, surrounded, “by the power of these stones,” reveal your true self. “I bind you to this spot.” With what he hoped was a surprising amount of sudden effort, he hissed, and tried to impose his will on Last. He threw his mind open, blasting centuries of memories into his psyche, flashing through them at unimaginably uncomprehendable speed. He felt at the ether, trying to channel the local magics through his soul, to dominate all the power in the region.

Sweat poured down his back. Every muscle in his arms was clenched. His eyes were still squeezed shut, unwilling to humor the illusion. He screamed a thunderous nonsense word at the air and threw up his hands. “CRATHOSS!”

Noticeably straining, Tion fell to one knee. His heart was pounding as he panted, waiting for some kind of a reaction.

[+Sorana]

Her eyes snapped open at Tion's words and she was nearly back on her feet when she noticed, that they were alone. There was nothing. Open your mind, feel the power of the spot. He sounded like her mother. The thought made her smile and she extended her right hand, the left still holding on to the sheath of her sword, ready to draw it should the need arise.

Fingers spread she felt the cool air, the slight breeze, but nothing the she would call power. Just a little warmth that spread in her hand after a while, possibly from the sun shining above. The air smelled moist, a little like the nearby ocean and she inhaled deeply savoring the smell, tried to take it all in, to grasp and feel whatever it was, that Tion refered to. Nothing. She opened her eyes again when he shouted, his face strained and he sank to one knee.

Rushing over she stood next to him, eyes wide open, searching for something she couldn't see, she couldn't feel.

"Who are you?" she asked loudly. Last could hear her, and if Tion was able to see him - then let Tion hear the reply and tell her. Thinking about her questions she felt as if she might have asked it before, but she wasn't sure, their last encounter still clouded in fog. A chill crept along her spine and she shifted her feet nervously. Suddenly the warm sunlight felt stale on her skin and the smell of the air nearly suffocated her. She hated this. The invisible powers, the clueless running around. Hopefully Tion had been right. Hopefully there were some answers waiting here for them.

@AonEne

[AonEne]

Quote

Last is not a telepath, not in the sense that it can read minds at least, sorry  

When Tion said that Sagitta should already be aware of it, Last turned and looked at Sagitta with a frown, but she clearly was not, so it dismissed the statement. “It’s true that I am not of you, nor your Power,” it said when asked. “I am not your replacement - do you plan on having one? It might be possible...” It thought about this for a moment, considering and discarding ideas wordlessly. 

As Tion yelled and Sagitta ran to him, there was a rustling of energies in the clearing, but whatever Tion had tried to bind Last with could find nothing to bind. Last listened to the changing magic for several seconds, observing; it didn’t know all the secrets of this world, and it was interesting but not very informative. 

It looked up at Sagitta with a sigh and said to Tion, “Please tell her that it is me, and that I am no person. Merely a Concept.” If it had had distinctly visible eyes, its tone implied they would be narrowed as it went on. “And as far as I am aware, you have no way to bind me, as you have no Power over my Design. My consent is required to restrain me, and I have not given you that.” 

@Archer @Sorana