westwhere | ► OPEN

( the cult sounded like big news, very bad and very much a typical tuesday kind of thing. it hadn't taken eve long to rule out that she was dreaming, especially since a place like this was more like her life than any of her dreams ever were. it sucked but she'd pulled her boots back on and started getting the lay of the land.

that was how eve had heard about the cult, whispers around the inn, things that she definitely felt like she wasn't supposed to hear (or maybe no one was as secretive about this, it wouldn't be the first time), so she'd poked a little more, found another concerned citizen that had ended up sticking with her and...

well. here they were. outside of a door in the western wing with less of a plan in mind than what eve would like. but they were trying to summon a world-destroying boar and that really couldn't happen )

We don't actually know how many people are going to be behind that door. Thoughts?

( search parties made for very long days but eve was stubborn and not yet ready to give up, not ready to call it quits-- you didn't just leave someone out there alone. but it was cold, it was making her feel a little grouchy (she'd have said tired but somehow she didn't feel tired) but many of the others that had set out earlier in the day with them had seemed to drop off, their numbers dwindling as the search continued )

Do you think they're further out?

( was distance the issue, had they somehow crossed paths or gone in the same direction and missed each other, the wrong direction? how far out would they have to go? )

[ Search parties did make for very long days but this was normal. Or, rather, he wasn't one to give up either. His wife would've been the same way. Even if she would've worried over the cold, for reasons no one needed to know about.

He gives Even a slight smile, even if she might be a bit grouchy, and gives a nod to her question. ]

They could be further out or we might need to change direction.

[ That did not mean they were going to split up. Not when that would probably be the worst thing for them to do, in general. ]

How do you want to handle this?

( no matter what magic or skills you possess you shouldn't go out on the ice. that was a lesson that moiraine was going to learn in likely less than two minutes. even though the ice had looked thick she'd channelled, working with air to keep their steps light, water to keep the temperatures cool and ice sturdy, though the closer that their steps took them to the child out on the ice... well, she didn't yet know it but underneath her work, under their steps the ice was still cracking )

Take his hand, you'll be alright.

( her hands were busy as she worked, directing the child to her partner in this, keeping herself close to them but not on top of them, though their little friend was less certain about the rescue efforts, scared and cold from being out there )

( Their answer comes too scant, too slow. Mouth cleaved, breathing thunderous, he feels — alive in the way of summer storms before the clap of a wind's starting aggressions.

At his side, one child already makes shield of his silks and takes shelter, a menace of shaved ice and brittle snow whipping their limbs, crawling up his jaw. Below, ice has pried open like a great crystalline eye his sword's tip stabs, methodically, to the roaring agitation of the shrivelled creatures beneath.

Their claws rake the iced dome, thin it. A pale of wind whispers the girl-child close, and she hesitates to loan out her hand — he, to catch it — but they bridge their distance, and he claims her in both arms, raising her above his hip.

The ice rocks and quakes with another creature's ramming. )

Retreat. They will not concede.

Edited 2022-12-20 17:56 (UTC)

( after dragons, robots and strange metal boxes that could fly it comforted moiraine to see a sight that was far more familiar to her. each day that they'd been at the inn she'd taken it upon herself to visit the stables, to groom the horses, whisper soft affection at each of them, though one of the smaller ponies took most of her affection, one that she'd taken out for a ride every so often.

she'd managed to find an apple in the inn, bringing it down with her today, splitting it before feeding a section to the pony, her other hand scratching at its back )

No one has yet given me your name, a shame for me to not know you.

( no, she's absolutely not thinking about naming her. or wondering if she can sneak her away when they move on )

[Pike, for his part, heads down to the stables as often as he can too. As cool as riding a dragon is there's something to be said for riding horses. This was, however the first time someone was there with him.]

My father used to say they'd tell you what they'd like their names to be, eventually.

He sounds a wise man.

( she keeps her scratching going on the horse as she turns and looks to him. she'd met few in her time here that were familiar enough with horses, nevermind someone perhaps well versed in them )

But how patiently must you listen?

( patience was not her strongest suit )

He is. Taught me a lot.

[And not just about horses.]

And that depends on the horse. Mine decided to dance for me one day, so I named him Tango.

I fear that these we won't know for long.

( as much as moiraine wished that were different. she's used to having a horse as a travelling companion, ever travelling very differently to some of the methods that they've used here. at least she's been able to ride somewhat here )

Were you taking one out?

You're probably right. From my limited time here, it doesn't seem like we're anywhere for too long.

[He's been in and out of the stables since they arrived here, it felt the most like Montana.]

I think they know me well enough by now to take one out, were you planning on it too?

Even a short ride would be nice.

( a comfort, a familiarity, an enjoyment and even just seeing some of the beauty in their landscape )

Would you like some company with it?

I'd love some.

[Usually, he liked riding alone, but he needed to make friends here, and horse riding was a good way to do it. Then he figured introductions were in order.]

We talked about the names of the horses, but not ours. I'm Chris Pike.

( the first door that she'd come to had been locked, the second seemed a little stuck, the third thankfully opened but wasn't unoccupied. thankfully, una taking a look after raising the candlestick that had been in her hand, it was filled with a friendly face rather than a ghost. or some stranger that she'd barged into the room of )

Tell me you're real.

( he looked it but it was kind of dark and ghosts had spooked her. give her a moment )

[ Five blinks at Una, concern on his face easily confused for annoyance. He hates not knowing what threats are out there. Especially knowing it's likely something he can't fight against. ]

Real as you. [ He steps closer to the door, barely resisting the urge to blink out and see for himself: ] What are you running from?

Ghosts.

( which she doesn't believe in, not in the sense of the things from human scary stories but surprisingly in the moment it was the first word she'd found )

Something not exactly pleasant.

[ This room isn't really ghost-proof, but he'll let her pretend. He misses the days when they only harassed his brother. ]

What were they doing?

I didn't stay to look.

( she'd seen some of the friendlier folk, though it was more the blood-curdling chill and sight of something that had her out of her room. maybe it was nothing, who knew )

I don't plan to either.

[ Telling him not to makes it more tempting to see whatever is going out in the hall. He seems deep in thought about it before he finally nods and settles back in the room. ]

Alright. [ He isn't used to being the one people run to, but he supposes he's okay with Una hiding out. Possibly because he's been drinking enough to make him more agreeable. It's a small space, so she's probably already noticed the bottle sitting out, which he gestures to if she wants some. ]

Make yourself at home.

( though una picks up the bottle, sniffs it to test it against the drinks she knows, she puts it back down, not taking any, not a big drinker herself. she will at least sit down, start trying to relax a little )

You've not had any issues with them?

[ It's not exactly a quality bottle of alcohol, so he doesn't take offense when she doesn't want to try it. Mostly he appreciates that she doesn't hassle him about how he's been spending his time. ]

The ghosts? [ If she needs any more evidence he's been drinking, he has to remember why she's here. He scoffs and shakes his head, which isn't really an answer. ] You wouldn't know that we have several exorcists on hand.

[ From his view, they only decide to deal with the undead until after there's been some massive crisis. Not that he isn't used to it. ]

I wouldn't have expected them.

( not that she knows what to expect with ghosts. or magic )

This is why I tried to find out about magic. Not that I got many answers.

[ He frowns, because magic is awful and it's caused him nothing by trouble. ]

Been there. [ If she's not going to drink, he has no qualms about reaching for the bottle and taking a swig himself. ] You know they had... an entire library of books at one of the cities we stayed in. Hundreds of volumes dedicated to magic. All I learned is the more you try to learn, the more convoluted it gets.

[ True, that was when his curse was at its worst and his concentration suffered, but he still hates it on principle. Although — ]

I'm not sure if exorcism counts. I had a brother who dealt with ghosts, and he wasn't magical.

I wish those books still existed.

( or were still with them, the downside to manually travelling and things being physical instead of digital, una would have read them if she could even if they weren't entirely helpful )

How did your brother deal with them? What did he do with them?

Some might. We didn't burn it completely to the ground.

[ Unfortunately, Five had been half out of his mind while that was going on, so he's not totally sure about that. ]

Klaus mostly got high until he couldn't see them. Although apparently he sobered up in the '60s and learned a few tricks. He let himself get possessed a couple of times.

[ By their other brother. Not that Five realized it at the time, because Klaus is embarrassing and it's hard to tell when he's acting weird. ]

Let himself? I thought getting possessed was a bad thing?

( though most people also couldn't see ghosts and the like )

We're also not doing that now.

[ Not what? Burning things to the ground? He gives her a 'give it time' look, because he's sure there's only one way this will end. ]

I think he was doing it as a favor. [ It's a little painful to talk about Ben, knowing he missed a chance to talk to him because he didn't know. ] I have another brother who died and... stayed with him.

He could only do that because of Klaus. I'm not sure the same rules of possession apply here.

Let's hope they don't.

( she'd rather not find out to the contrary and how would they even affect each of them from their different worlds and universes? )

Is that the only thing you know about it?

[ He doesn't hope for much at this point. ]

...Back home, the dead only interacted with him. Could only possess someone like him. Here they're more aggressive.

The dead still seem to gravitate towards some. I wouldn't be surprised if the necromancers in our group help attract them, if you want someone to thank.

More than one? And more than one person doing this willingly?

( or purposefully, depending on which side of the coin you looked at. his brother hadn't been described in what she knew as a necromancer though honestly she couldn't really day she had a word for him. or a good use for any of this knowledge )

Maybe they can undo it.

[ He's gone back to regarding the bottle in his hand, and he takes another drink from it. For Klaus.

When he looks back at her, he has to backtrack slightly. ]

Undo it? You mean like exorcism? [ He considers that before getting her answer. ] Probably. There's a lot they could do if they cared to.

Why would they want to bring ghosts around?

( talking to dead loved ones, sure, but it wasn't an aspect of her culture )

I doubt they do it on purpose. My brother never did, they just... wanted to be around someone who could hear them. I assume.

[ Here it's different. Five misses the days when he was ignorant to the spirits around them. Klaus would have had a miserable time in the apocalypse. ...Well, obviously. He laughs to himself and meanders back to take a seat. ]

You're welcome to wait them out.

Better in company, right?

( though una isn't entirely certain that all of the ghosts brought around are accidental, certainly not here. elsewhere? she has no idea and he seems to have more experience with it )

Are they all just that... wanting someone there?

[ He frowns, like he's thinking about it. ]

I don't know what their agenda is, but it makes sense. If I didn't have a body, I'd probably be pushing people around to do what I couldn't. Unfinished business and all.

Of course, with Ben he was probably just stuck. Imagine the one person who could see you never listening to a word you said. I don't know how he put up with Klaus as long as he did.

[ Has he never mentioned Ben before? Well, that's what happens when you catch him drinking. ]

You think we should try and be helpful to these ghosts?

( take a chance and hope they were the same. maybe a little kindness would have them leave them alone more )

[ What? That's not at all what he was getting at. Just because he could sort of understand their frustration and misses his brothers. ]

I thought you were trying to get away from them.

( she'd gone out one day, come back, had gone out again and would keep doing so each time until they'd found the hunter. it was concerning eve that there'd been no sign yet, especially with how snowy and (she assumed) cold it was.

she'd shed her coat on coming back to the inn, laying it over the back of a chair to try and let it dry off, and though she didn't entirely feel it it was still cold in the air. she looked colder than she felt, at least just the thin, half-sleeved shirt would make her look so, sitting by a fire that had dimmed, puzzling through where else they could search as she worked her hair out of its braid to let it dry )

Do you think there's still a good hope? Where could he have stayed that would have sheltered him?

( it felt too long but she'd seen people survive worse )

[ Likewise, Marcos felt some responsibility to help search for the huntsman that went missing. Aside from his experience in tracking people down, he's uniquely equipped for searching in the snow. Which makes it all the more disappointing when he comes back empty handed.

He recognizes the woman that he caught glimpses of out there, and he feels a tug in his chest when she looks at him and asks about hope. ]

There's some. I'm not sure how good it is. [ He takes a seat near the fire and does his best to curve his pessimism. ] I've seen people turn up before, weeks after everyone stopped looking for them. He could be hiding for some reason, or injured and recuperating. Anything's possible.

Yeah, if he'd gotten somewhere.

( she's seen the same, military experience not wanting to let her entirely throw him for dead even if it felt that way. it was why she'd go back out there tomorrow even if she was alone in that, though with his words it didn't seem like she would be )

I wish I knew the land better to know where I could look.

( would you like to take a walk? had been the offer that she'd all but cornered him with in the inn, leading him down to the stables when he'd agreed (however willingly, her expression had been determined and whilst it was just a friendly little catch up she'd left him very little wiggle for saying no to her question. request.

whether or not he's familiar with horses she'd already gotten two saddled and ready to go before finding him, the smaller pony for her, untying both reins to lead them out before offering one of them to him )

It's a nice day for it. ( especially when you didn't feel the cold, eh moiraine? ) Quiet and calm.

[ When Moiraine said she wanted to take a walk, somehow Marcos didn't make the connection that she meant on horseback. He clears his throat and nods once she hands him the reins. ]

Ah, yeah it is. [ Not that he minds it too much: he runs hot, so the cold barely bothers him. Apparently it's the same for her. He isn't the best rider, but he thinks he can handle a horse well enough that he won't mention a lack of experience. ]

Unusual for us. We should take advantage while we can. [ He looks back at her, unsure if there's something more to this. ] You have somewhere specific in mind?

There's a clearing I rode to a few days past, it isn't so far.

( once they're both saddled she leads her pony off in a gentle trot, a nice leisurely pace for them to talk at )

I think this is the calmest place I've yet seen here.

[ He's grateful she isn't trying to go too quickly, but he's steadier on the horse than he anticipated. As long as it doesn't get spooked by something in the woods. It would actually be relaxing if he didn't feel like he should keep his guard up at all times. ]

I thought the same thing when we first settled in the last city. [ He and Lorna actually enjoyed working with dragons, as odd as it was. He cuts off that train of thought and takes in the woods around them, before he settles back on Moiraine. ]

You don't get cold?

I've learned not to feel it. When I was a girl, the winters were less kind, particularly in the White Tower.

( and really it wasn't even her ability to channel that meant she didn't feel it -- she just focused, thought of other things and shrugged it off )

That last city was perhaps the least familiar city I've seen yet.

► OPEN

★ lan wangji

★ xie yun

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★ lan wangji

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★ christopher pike

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★ five

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★ marcos diaz

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★ marcos diaz

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