One by one, they step through the tree, and for a moment it feels like falling. The air is black and cold and then it is cold and bright and they're standing in the snow beneath a clear sunlit sky and the long, forked branches of some great tree that is not the tree they passed through. This tree is white as the snow on the ground and its leaves are silver and undying. It is the only tree nearby. Around them, stretching out in a vast expanse, lies only these wide, rolling snow-drifts. Beneath the cold sunlight, the ground is bright and crystalline in its austere beauty.
When the wind hits, it cuts through their clothes like knives and pulls the warmth out of their lungs. Already Henry is hunched over, his hands brushing up and down his arms for warmth. Leah, when she comes through, gives this shuddering little gasp and crumples down onto her knees. The fire around her is gone, but for a tiny pin-prick spark in the center of her pupils.
"Not to worry, my dear. We shall yet find some warmth, I think." Henry's words are gently reassuring as he approaches her, laying a hand on her shoulder. He takes a careful breath and rubs his hands together, and begins chanting something in a language that Elijah will recognize but Kiara will not.
[Spirit 3 (cause we're in the Umbra) / Forces 3 / Life 2 / Prime 2 - burning his only Quint (oh Henry and your tiny Avatar) - diff 5 because everything is coincidental here -1 (specialty focus) -1 (taking time)]
Dice: 3 d10 TN3 (4, 5, 6) ( success x 4 ) [WP]
Book of Myths
[extending]
Dice: 3 d10 TN4 (3, 4, 9) ( success x 3 ) [WP]
Elijah
It's cold. It's the kind of cold that hurts, makes his lungs feel crystalline and he grits his teeth, wishes for once that he was wearing the ungodly amount of clothing that he usually wears (because, let's face it, Elijah wears a lot of clothing.) His jaw is clenches, his stomach tight and arms go instinctively around his coire as if this was going to keep him warm.
"It'll work out," he says, with confidence, as though he has no doubts in his mind that Henry will be able to get them through this because he doesn't doubt. He knows, knows in the way most apprentices think they know things- knows Henry well enough that he's pretty sure he wouldn't drag them out to their absolute demise. It would make a terrible story for them to all freeze to death, and both of them are pretty committed to coming back with an interesting story to tell.
His eyes go up to the sky, looking for the sun or some source of light.
Kiara
The abruptness of that chill steals their breath and for a moment after she recovers her equilibrium, the brunette is curling inward; arms wrapping around her slim frame.
The wind seems to dance along Kiara's form; playing with the silvery green glow that surrounds the Verbena; curling the edges and aggravating them like a spectral wave, frothed by the violence of the sea storms.
She moves to comfort Leah as she drops to her knees, paralyzed by the chill; her palm warm and solid where it comes to rest gently on the small of the other woman's back, Kiara's features pale and somber where she sets herself down on her haunches; quietly observing Henry's working and casting her eyes over a shoulder toward the tree towering behind them.
It, as much as anything, captures her attention.
The air is cutting and cruel and Kiara can feel the chill creeping into her fingers where they rest on Leah's back but her eyes are bright where they study the towering white tree, there's some tiny smile ghosting at the corners of Kiara's mouth for it. The majesty of its silvery leaves; the strength that seems to emanate from its roots where they're buried, deep in the Umbral earth.
"Beautiful." Any of them could be forgiven for thinking, momentarily, that the Verbena was making some mad commentary about the climate they found themselves in, until they noted the recipient of the female's admiration.
Book of Myths
Beautiful, Kiara says, and for all that the land around them may be a cold and unforgiving place, one would be hard pressed to look upon something so ancient and mythic and not acknowledge that it is, indeed, lovely. When the wind gusts through the branches, the leaves rustle and chime softly, creating a kind of ghostly music. Leah glances up at it as Kiara crouches down beside her, and for a moment she seems equally captivated.
It takes some time, but when Henry finishes his ritual it blossoms out into a wave of warmth. The touch of it is like the radiant heat from a fire, baking the sharp chill from their exposed skin and settling comfortably into their bones. When their bodies have begun to feel less numb, the warmth dies back a little - becomes this enveloping blanket of protection from the harsh environment.
Once she's able to breath properly, Leah gives a low sigh of relief. But there's something tentative about the way she stands and looks around. And her fire does not return.
"I don't think this place wants me here." The words feel a little ominous when she looks at Henry, her brows drawn.
"My dear, I think it is for you to decide where you are meant to be." Henry sets his hand on her shoulder once more. Something passes between them, but whatever Leah's reaction, she doesn't voice it.
Nearby, the glowing orb hovers patiently a few yards away. Red is standing beneath it, wind ruffling through his fur as he gazes out across the landscape. "There's something coming. There, on the horizon."
And indeed, there is. It's difficult to make out at first. There's movement, but whatever it is blends into the snow - white on white. As the motion draws nearer, multiple shapes can be made out. From a distance, they look like animals running. Big ones. Horses? Bears?
"Oh, it's wolves." Red doesn't sound tremendously happy about that, and he creeps back to huddle between Henry's legs.
"Ah, well. Here's hoping they don't try to eat us."
Elijah
There's something there, though he doesn't know what it is. Doesn't know the story with Leah, doesn't know what the look that passes between the two more experienced mages means. But, at that juncture, something else catches his attention.
There's movement on the horizon and he wanders, looks forward and brows his brows together. He sees the movement, but can't make out the shapes until-
Oh, it's wolves
"Are they supposed to be that big?" he asks, more curiosity and confusion than anything. They're the size of freaking horses and they're moving fast. He inhales slowly, feels the little bit of warmth push against the sharp chill. He's not fearless, not by any means.
But, there are things Elijah doesn't know. And, frankly, he doesn't know enough about the approaching trouble to actually understand how concerned he should be.
"It can't be that bad. They're territorial, right? So long as we're respectful we should be able to get where we're going," exhales, turns and looks at his companions to see if this makes sense, or if he's incredibly off base.
Kiara
Leah's fiery illumination doesn't return and the other Verbena's eyes remain with her as she rises and proclaims that she's not wanted here.
Kiara is carefully set on her haunches still as if prepared for a sudden flight to action; her fingers idly twisting and untwisting the chain around her neck; playing with the crystal that hangs from it and is, much like the flower set behind her ear; somehow more here. It gleams and glints and seems to glow as the pagan twines her fingers in it and eventually, almost reluctantly, lets it go when Red says something is coming.
The pagan is on her feet instantly, moving to stand beside the familiar and casting her eyes out in the direction Red's observing. Oh, it's wolves.
Are they supposed to be that big?
Kiara's mouth draws into a thin line, she turns and catches Elijah's eye for a moment. It can't be that bad. She looks away and Elijah can see her fingers reaching for her necklace again. See the concern etched into her movements; the way she instantly turns her focus on Henry.
"Is that the way we need to go?"
Book of Myths
Perhaps Kiara knows the answer to her question even as she asks it. Because there is the beacon hovering before them, and there is this possible new adversary approaching headlong from that same direction. It's astonishing, really, how fast they move, streaking across the snow on silent paws. There's little time to escape, even if they had somewhere to run to. But they don't. The tree at their backs is the only shelter for miles. Instinctively, Henry steps forward (like a father protecting his children, though he is likely no more capable of defending against such an attack than the rest of them.) He puts a hand up to shield his eyes from the sun, watching the pack draw closer.
"I believe so." He lets his hand drop and closes his eyes, murmuring some incantation. There's a pendant beneath his shirt that he reaches for and clutches. (Almost as though praying.)
A few paces back, Leah draws a knife from her belt and uses it to cut a slow thin line across her tongue. When she does it, the light in her eyes sparks a little brighter.
And suddenly the wolves are there. Massive white dire predators, leaping over the snow on huge paws, their jaws hanging open to reveal rows of gleaming white teeth. Their eyes are pale crystal blue, and their fur moves like water, rippling and soft. Elijah is right, these things are as big as horses. Wolves are not supposed to be this big. But this is the Umbra, and these are not the kind of wolves they know.
There are six of them, and when they reach the tree they spread out in a circle, hackles raised and heads lowered. There are low, soft warning growls, but... none move to attack. Yet.
One of them, the largest, looks at the little orb and flicks back her ears suspiciously. Then she looks at Red, huddled as he is now against the base of the tree, and utters a short bark. In response, he whines and ducks his head.
"She says we're in their territory."
Book of Myths
[Henry Spirit Speech, Spirit 2 diff 4 -1 (practiced)]
Dice: 3 d10 TN3 (2, 4, 7) ( success x 2 )
Book of Myths
[extending]
Dice: 3 d10 TN4 (3, 9, 9) ( success x 2 )
Book of Myths
[Leah, ditto. diff 4 -1 (focus)]
Dice: 4 d10 TN3 (4, 4, 5, 5) ( success x 4 )
Elijah
[Spirit speech! Spirit 2 +3 diff (because there is no way in Hell he's going to be able to get to his focus right now). Diff= 7 - 1 (quintessence) = diff 6]
Dice: 2 d10 TN6 (6, 6) ( success x 3 ) [WP]
Elijah
[Per+etiquette, diff 7]
Dice: 6 d10 TN7 (5, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10) ( success x 4 )
Book of Myths
[Yes that's right boys and girls, the Mage Admin cannot calculate casting difficulty. It is a dark day. *ahem* Leah extends her roll]
Dice: 4 d10 TN5 (1, 2, 2, 7) ( success x 1 )
Kiara
[Spirit Speech! Maybe. Spirit 2, Diff ... what are we at, 5, I think. -1 for a focus, we're gonna get some chanting on, -1 practiced]
Dice: 3 d10 TN3 (1, 4, 4) ( success x 2 )
Kiara
[Extending, I think!]
Dice: 3 d10 TN4 (2, 8, 9) ( success x 2 )
Elijah
[Extending, oh jesus.]
Dice: 2 d10 TN9 (1, 3) ( success x 1 ) [WP]
Book of Myths
[Look, we made a mess of our rolls, but it worked out in the end.]
Book of Myths
This is what Elijah can figure out about these wolves. 1: They're not just animals. There's something about the way they look at and process the world around them that feels intelligent. Not human, but definitely more than just animal. 2: While they are suspicious, they aren't openly hostile. That's likely a good sign. It means there's room for negotiation. 3: While they may be intelligent, they are still decidedly wolves. They are not likely to want to sit down for tea. Territory is important to them. Honesty, respect. They probably will not react well to any kind of lengthy attempts at diplomacy. Straightforward communication is best here.
Kiara
These wolves are - not initially what Kiara had feared but the appearance of them, bristling and huge, spreading out in front of them to block them in and corner their potential prey doesn't offer the particular sort of comfort that allows for her to relax. If anything, the sight of them, the massive creatures, has her spine straightening; her stance adopting one not so different to Henry's.
She sets herself just in front of Elijah and Leah; her hands at her sides; lips moving silently; her dark eyes alight with a glittering, honey-gold gleam; they shift between the massive direwolves and she watches as those heavy claws rake through the snow.
She says we're in their territory.
The swirl of Kiara's rejuvenating energy has been building; the colors that seem to shift and glimmer around the Verbena undulating with a quicker pulse as she closes her eyes for a moment, the final incantations breathed out; awareness rolling over her, outward and after a beat, her eyes blink open again; darker now; closer to their natural shade.
"Their territory ...," she breathes and then, with a look down toward Red, then back into those pale blue eyes, she offers: "I think they might be guardians."
Elijah
They're surrounded, and he focuses.
Focus isn't the word for it, it's an effort. It's a genuine, concerted effort. He hasn't had to work this hard for magic before, he hasn't had to push and the only reason anything happens is a sheer concerted effort of will. His stomach turns and the part of him that is more tangible than the rest of him wanes, his eyes feel dull and he exhales harsh, ends shaky but he straightens.
Looks at who he presumes is their alpha, assesses. Doesn't take long because they don't have long as far as he knows. He puts his hands up, doesn't reach for anything, doesn't move suddenly- tilts his head upward and to the side. Just enough to show he wasn't a threat, you bare your throat when you're not showing dominance, right?
"Our guide knows no other way than to take us through here. We don't want your food, your resources, your waters- we just wish to pass. And only pass- what would you want in exchange for this?"
It occurs to him right after this comes out of his mouth that he probably should have asked Henry if this was okay before opening his mouth. Hands stay up, breathing steady. Words clear.
Book of Myths
Elijah might have asked, but as it happens, he doesn't need to. Henry is about to speak, but his mouth closes when he hears Elijah's voice. Briefly, he glances back, and there's something pleased and proud in the bright glitter of his eyes.
"What my apprentice says is true. We are travelers seeking something that was lost to us. We mean you and your pack no disrespect."
The alpha (for indeed, that is what she is) pricks up her ears and stands tall, looking between Elijah, Kiara and Henry. At this, the other wolves cease their growling and go still.
"I have seen your kind before. You do not respect us or our land. Where are you going? What is it you seek? Speak true or I will bite you."
Elijah
"We are making a pilgrimage to find the Crown of Souls," the words are deliberate. Pilgrimage, as though they are supplicants and not adventure seekers. In a way, that is true- they weren't seeking power, they were seeking a piece of history. "We are still finding the way."
Direct, he thinks, be direct. They don't have bargaining room here, and truth is paramount.
Kiara
"There are those of us who don't respect you and your lands," Kiara says, after a pause.
She allows Elijah to speak first, to be the conveyor of their truth (or at least the version they wish to offer these spiritual creatures) before she speaks; voice solemn and quietly threaded through with some edge of (was that sorrow? regret for the way others had treated them?) emotion; her brows drawn together; mouth hooking at the corner into a frown.
"But they don't speak for all of us. They aren't a part of our -" Kiara's eyes tick over the others, return to those brilliant pale eyes. She says the rest with careful, slow precision. " - not our pack. Would you show us your land? Show us how to offer respect to it?" Kiara's mouth gives, just a touch, toward some hint of a smile. "We could teach the others like us how to be more respectful."
Book of Myths
Elijah speaks, and there is... silence. The alpha wolf regards him with cool, intelligent eyes. Kiara speaks next, and the wolves watch her with little hint of emotion in their eyes. Perhaps it's intentional, the way they let the moment draw out. Let the mages (and the fox) sweat a little. Let them wonder if they are about to be torn to pieces.
"You say you are different. Perhaps you are. If you respect this land, then you will leave it as it is. The others did not."
The alpha looks to Elijah then.
"If you seek the crown, then you seek the dragon. Do you intend to kill her?" She pulls back her lips, and a low growl emanates from her throat. "Your kind lured her here. She belongs as much as you do." There is a pause, another sharper snarl. "She killed my mate. I will let you pass. I have no care for your artifacts. But if you mean to kill the dragon, then I will do more than that."
The wolf takes a step back and lifts her head into the air, howling a long, echoing note into the sky.
"Give me her head, and we will help you."
Elijah
Therein lies a problem- there's a dragon. There is a literal, honest-to-God dragon that they might have to deal with. He blinks... blinks again for good measure and then regards his companions again. It's a focused shift in languages, because perhaps the wolves didn't need to be hearing his thought processes but...
"Uh... are we intending on taking this back with us and carting around an unspeakablly powerful artifact for the rest of our days? Because if not, I kinda think that offing a dragon might not be the best long term plan."
A beat.
"On the other hand, if we do plan of going sweet, Crown of Souls, dibs, then having someone and something to help us deal with something that flies and breathes fire and eats squishy human things would probably be a good idea."
Kiara
"The dragon might have been brought here to protect the crown." Kiara offers, her gaze shifting, with difficulty from the watchful eyes of the wolves. She turns her body a little to face the others, searching their expressions in turn. "If that's the case, we're responsible for it but that doesn't mean - " Her mouth flexes; a thin shoulder lifts.
"Do we have the right to kill it because it did what was in its nature? Or what it might have been commanded to do?" Elijah speaks of laying claim to the artifact and there's a beat where he can feel the scrutiny of the Verbena's eyes on him; the echo, perhaps, of a conversation they'd had at the Chantry about the fate of the crown itself.
The things temptation could do.
Her eyes cut away. "I don't think any of us should keep it but if removing it means we have to destroy the dragon," she hesitates, clearly unsatisfied by the alternatives. "The wolves are probably our best chance. At the very least, they could offer a distraction long enough to find the crown." A breath, then: "If we say yes, we're bound to it. Breaking a contract with them would be - " Kiara's dark eyes shift back to the wolves.
"Unwise."
Book of Myths
It's a difficult decision to make on the spot. Even Henry, normally so unflappably optimistic, frowns with concern. He's encountered dragons before. Elijah knows this - has heard him speak about his narrow escape with Red. But that was not a battle. It was only a retreat.
At this, Red creeps forward and fixes Henry with a look that could speak a thousand words. Or maybe just four. (I. Told. You. So.)
"We may be able to get past a dragon. But we are ill equipped to fight one." He glances at the wolves. "At least, on our own." There is some consideration there, as he sizes them up. They are impressive creatures. Six of them, plus four mages? It might be enough...
"I suppose it depends on how big of a dragon we're going to face."
Yes, that was the million dollar question, wasn't it?
Kiara offers her own advice. The wolves watch them converse with a vague hint of impatience, pacing a little back and forth. The alpha flicks her ears forward, then back.
Finally Leah says, "What if we have to fight it no matter what? Maybe we should just go. We don't have to do this."
"No," Henry agrees quietly. "We don't." He regards Leah with a heavy look. "But I think we're meant to."
He looks around the group. "Shall we take a vote? All in favor of accepting the wolves' offer?"
Henry raises his hand. Red looks at him for a long moment before giving a little nod. Leah... doesn't answer.
Elijah
"We have a right to not die," he says. Frank. Matter-of-fact. "We're not going in, guns a-blazing like we're dragon hunters, we're going in with the expressed intention to find an artifact. If someone brought it here maybe we could- I don't know- renew some pact or whatever provided it wasn't brought here and it's pissed off about it."
He takes a second, "just... when we get there, mask your scent, mask your physical presence, sneak in, and call it good. We might be able to get through this without fighting. If the wolves are mad about her mate dying stuff, they're probably going to blame us if they lose more of their pack. I don't want to survive a dragon and then get eaten by wolves."
Hand stays down. He's not liking the deal.
Kiara
Kiara looks at Leah when she asks if they shouldn't just go, there's a part of the Verbena (keep running, don't look back) that sees the sense in it.
She hadn't come to perish in the quest for a crown that once belonged to an ancestor of her tradition. She'd come because Elijah had asked it of her and some part of the brunette bore him enough fondness (and some transferred sense of sisterly protectiveness) to agree to it. To be there in case something went wrong, something happened and they were hurt or stranded.
But then - they'd set out on Mabon.
The Avatar Storm had diminished.
Kiara's expression is difficult to read in the moments after Henry, then Red and finally Elijah, offer their piece. The pagan's eyes seem to betray more than anything, the internal warfare she's waging; turning over in her mind. The danger versus the need. The potential for casualty against the thrum of the wild in her blood. Finally, she uncrosses her arms.
"I agree with Henry in that I think there's a reason why we're here." She pauses; her gaze settling on the older man, she holds his gaze for a long moment, there. "I don't think turning back would mean we're cowards. Part of me thinks that's the smartest thing to do, but - " She breathes in, sharply, shaking her head slowly, side to side.
"I don't know if that means it's the right thing to do. If we don't, someone will. Others have. With the storm gone, it's only a matter of time before someone discovers it. Maybe it's better it's us, than - " Her expression firms, she lifts a hand.
"I'm in."
Book of Myths
There's an indecisiveness to Leah's demeanor that suggests her hesitance might have less to do with a fear of mortal peril than... something more personal. She doesn't raise her hand. But she doesn't quite stand firm with Elijah either. It wouldn't matter if she did. They've just been outvoted.
Henry nods to Kiara, and for once he doesn't try to offer some playful quip to ease the tension. Instead he walks up to Elijah and places a hand on his apprentice's shoulder. There's fondness in his eyes, and a bit of paternal protectiveness. "You can stay here, if you wish. I have no desire to put you in danger, dear boy." He glances at Leah. "And you as well."
But despite her reluctance, Leah is quick to shake her head at the suggestion. "No, Henry. I'm not leaving you alone."
"Very well. But know that we will be careful. Whatever we face. We can be clever about this. It is not impossible to kill a dragon. It is only difficult."
Whatever Elijah's decision, Henry turns back to the alpha and nods. "We will fight the dragon with you. But we are few, and it will be dangerous. I hope your pack is strong."
At this, the alpha lifts her head and bares her fangs. "We are the strongest hunters on the tundra, old man." She nods to the others, and fours of the wolves lower themselves down to the snow, indicating that the mages climb onto their backs.
"Come. We will take you to her cave."
Elijah
"Pfft, I knew what I was signing up for. Quests don't work if you split up," he looks Henry in the eyes and smiles. Bright, vibrant, fond. He'd follow that man to the ends of the earth it would seem, into what could very well be mortal peril. He waves it off like this isn't a big deal but... he knew it was. Of course he knew it was, he might not have hesitated to say that he was going with them, but... this was big.
He rolls his shoulders, listens to what was coming next, looked at the wolves and... waitaminute, they're riding.
"... oh, I totally change my vote now."
Because, seriously, that was just cool. If he was going to plunge off into mortal peril and face a dragon in her lair, then at the very least he was going to do it on the back of a wolf of mythical proportions. All in all, not the worst way to go.
Book of Myths
[Henry rolls to physically interact with the spirits, yo. Spirit 2, diff 5 -1 (practiced) -1 (focus)]
Dice: 3 d10 TN3 (6, 6, 6) ( success x 4 ) [WP]
Book of Myths
[Leah, ditto, -1 (focus)]
Dice: 4 d10 TN4 (2, 4, 7, 9) ( success x 3 )
Kiara
[Touch the Intangible sounds like a cool name for this. Spirit 2, Diff 5, same basic mods as earlier, maybe some WP so we don't botch and fall into a wormhole or that dimension made of shrimp.]
Dice: 3 d10 TN3 (2, 7, 7) ( success x 3 ) [WP]
Elijah
He takes a second, and it's off with his backpack. Into the main compartment, and away with something that looked like a little bundle of sage. Because seriously, screw having to do magic without a physical component again. He lights it up and exhales, blows smoke into the air and waits for the tiny bundle to burn up. Shouldn't take it too long.
[Spirit 2: Touchy touchy! diff 5]
Dice: 2 d10 TN5 (7, 7) ( success x 2 )
Elijah
[Please don't get stuck in the umbra]
Dice: 2 d10 TN6 (2, 4) ( fail )
Elijah
[COME ON]
Dice: 2 d10 TN7 (2, 10) ( success x 1 )
Kiara
Assuming they survived what was coming next, there's a strong possibility Kiara would ask Leah (or perhaps Henry) about how they were connected. What exactly it was that kept Leah at Henry's side, despite her reluctance to forge ahead. She looks between the pair of them and then, once Henry approaches Elijah, reaches out to absently touch the other woman's arm.
It's a brief thing, more Kiara's method of establishing what she cannot find verbalization for than anything.
There and then, as the wolves lower themselves down to offer their massive hides as transportation, gone again as the Verbena cannot quite contain the tiny sound of mingled pleasure and surprise. She's tentative as she approaches one of the wolves; marveling for a moment at its fur and the way it seems to shift and change where it waits for her to climb upon it.
She looks into that great eye for a long moment, drawing in a slow, steady breath and focusing; pulling at the strands of the world around her as the rich scent of burning sage invades her senses. There's a beat, another. And then Kiara's hand lifts, stretches out and finds - fur. A tiny smile curling her mouth as she strokes it gently over the beast's side and finally - clambers onto its back.
Settling herself and winding her fingers into the fur.
Book of Myths
The wolves lower themselves down, and Red looks at them, realizes what's about to happen, and just... sighs.
The alpha wolf glances at him and bares her teeth a little wider. It almost looks like a smile.
Henry, of course, is just as delighted by their new method of transport as his apprentice. There's a long moment where he pauses to work an effect. It's similar to the one he did before, chanting and focusing, rubbing a thumb across the pendant hanging beneath his shirt. When he's finished, his aura shines bright in the sun, shifting between violet and pink and aquamarine. He moves to place a hand on the back of one of the wolves, allowing himself one slow stroke of his palm over the luxurious coat. Then he climbs on and holds out a hand for Red to jump up.
The fox gives one last suspicious glance at the wolf he's about to ride, then hops up into Henry's lap.
Kiara offers Leah some quiet support, and there is a shared moment of silence between the two. What she sees when Leah turns her eyes to look at her is complicated. A teenage girl out of her element. A powerful Awakened mage - a Verbena, a Twister of Fate - who is not afraid to face down a dragon but is afraid of the way the air here steals her fire. Leah looks at Kiara and smiles, just a little, and when she approaches her wolf a moment later, there is a bright, renewed light in her eyes.
The spirit regards her with a curious expression, folds back its ears and touches its nose gently to her forehead. There's a wuff of breath in her hair, and Leah laughs, charmed in spite of herself.
"That one smells like phoenix fire," the alpha observes, thoughtfully. "The dragon will not like her."
At this, Leah looks, for a moment, concerned. But then something comes over her, and her brows draw together in a fierce expression. A little flicker of flame licks its way down her back. She climbs onto the wolf's back. "Maybe I won't like the dragon."
The alpha laughs.
Kiara settles in atop her wolf, and it makes a low, rumbling sound beneath her. Its fur is impossibly soft beneath her hands, its body wild and strong. Elijah is the last of them to be ready, and when he climbs atop his wolf's back, the spirits climb to their feet and look out across the tundra.
The little beacon begins to fly quickly across the snow, and with a chorus of howls, so too do the wolves.
Book of Myths
It's incredible, how fast the wolves are able to move across the tundra. Their paws hardly seem to touch the ground as they fly over the snow, the cold wind whipping through their fur and back over the mages (and the fox) riding atop their backs. The five travelers will find quickly that there's no room to relax on this journey. They must grab hold tightly to keep their balance, lest the wind and the velocity knock them to the ground. Thankfully Henry's magick protects them from the worst of winter's bite, but they can still feel the lick of cold lashing at their skin as they ride.
This is a harsh land. Beautiful, but unforgiving.
For awhile all they can see is empty snowdrifts. But gradually, the sight of a distant mountain range materializes on the horizon. Without the wolves, this journey will have taken them a long time. Perhaps that thought will bring some small measure of comfort to those still wondering if they made the right decision.
Gradually they draw nearer their destination, leaping and sprinting over rolling drifts. The mountains ahead grow taller and more distinct with each yard. At some point they will be able to make out a cave in the distance, carved into what looks like a sheer wall of ice. The mountains themselves, in fact, are made of ice - not stone. In the light of the sun, they seem to glow a pale shade of aqua. Something has unspooled itself over the ground past the entrance to the cave: a long, white serpent's tail, its scales shimmering in shades of blue-green iridescence where the light hits it.
There is very little in the way of cover out there. Only a few low snowdrifts - just tall enough to crouch behind. Beyond them, the ground is flat snow and solid ice.
The wolves stop running before they get too close. Slinking close to the ground, they detour off to one side, creeping silently over the snow. The little beacon of light stays with them for awhile, then rises up into the air, shoots over and stops, hovering, just above the cave's entrance. This is, it would seem, their intended destination.
They stop behind a drift, and Henry looks to the others, reassuring himself that all are well and ready. "When we go in, we must let the wolves lead. Our strengths are range and cleverness. And I will not have you dying by dragon-breath on my watch."
Elijah
The ride is lovely, in the very least. It's long, or at least it feels long, and after awhile the land turns into less land and more snow. Just drifts and a harsh, overwhelming sort of mountain of ice. Something that would seal itself shut or bury them in the ocean if it ever melted.
This was a land of almost unending cold, though, he knew good and well that the likelihood of all of this crumbling beneath their feet was slim. This was a place that was almost the very idea of ice. Once they stop, he has a chance to look around, listens to Henry and for once his imagination isn't wandering. He's present, or as present as Elijah believed himself capable of actually being.
Exhales, waits to see his breath before he takes a quick look at that tail again.
Gives a thumbs up, exhales slowly.
"Glad we're all on the same page," on the not dying courtesy of dragon's breath, that is.
Kiara
She keeps her eyes open on the way there.
It's tempting to close them and Kiara does bend low, arms wound into the fur of the great wolf below her; fingers gripping at its sides as it makes quick work of the distance. She turns her face into the beast's pelt and then, as the mountain begins to unveil itself in the distance; rises up and watches it grow nearer; her dark hair whipping out behind her like a wild, curling banner.
The sight of the dragon's tail, massive and protruding from the depths of the cave sends tension into the Verbena's frame, she's focused and grim as they creep down behind a drift of snow, her breath pluming out before her as they ready themselves to face - was there really any way to prepare yourself for what they were about to?
Kiara's fingers reach for Elijah's hand and she takes it without sparing the other a glance; but Elijah can feel the intention to it; the way the brunette seems to impress her feelings into one, brief capture of his hand; imprinting things into his skin in a sudden flood of familiar warmth (stay safe, be careful).
She nods at Henry and her jaw clenches; her hands rubbing absently over her jeans. "I'm ready." She's not, her heart is racing, beating wildly inside her chest but somehow - her voice comes out steady. She does spare a moment for their wolf allies, Kiara, and sets a hand on one of their massive coats as they pass, murmuring some wish for caution.
Book of Myths
"Do you think I do not know you are there?"
The voice, deep and powerful, rumbles out from inside the cave. The mages feel it as much as hear it - the way it shakes the ground and vibrates into their bones. The sound of it is echoing and cavernous.
"Do you think I do not smell you? That I did not feel you coming across the tundra?"
The dragon's tail slides along the ice, moving in a slow slither as its owner shifts inside the cave.
"I knew you were here the moment you arrived, Amara. I have been waiting for you for a long, long time."
Those last words rumble so deep it makes the snow shift under the wolves' feet. The alpha bares her teeth and glances at Leah, but says nothing. Whatever this particular development, it does not change her plans. The wolves give a little shake and crouch down to allow the mages to dismount. Henry and Red hop off quickly.
They do not seem as surprised as perhaps they should to hear that name on the dragon's tongue. Leah though? She goes frozen-still, then gives this sudden shiver. It takes a moment for her to climb down from the wolf's back, and when she does she seems... angry. A little disoriented. She closes her eyes and puts her hands over her ears and bares her teeth like she wants to snarl the way the dire wolves do.
There is a conversation that needs to be had. But they have no time to have it. The dragon is moving. They can hear it, claws scraping on ice, scales sliding over scales. And then a great, horned head appears at the entrance to the cave. Iridescent-white like the rest of it. Pale, luminous eyes. When it breathes, crystals of frost form in the air.
This thing is no more a fire dragon than the land around them is in summer bloom.
The dragon takes a step out of its cave, spreads its wings and roars.
For a moment, everything is sound. Booming, echoing, ringing. Then the alpha lifts her head in a howling challenge and the wolves leap over the drift.
Elijah
There are some things he knows by touch, and would have been able to distinguish what Kiara's hand felt like even if they were cloaked entirely in darkness. She might not pay him a second glance but he does look at her, turns his attentions there and he does squeeze her hand a little. Enough to remind her that he's there, that he's heard, that he's actually paying attention or regards her enough to actually heed her instructions.
Stay safe. Be Careful.
But then, there is a sound. Something that resonates more in his chest than in his ears. The way he always thought dragons would sound, the way that it seems to know without having to know. Things seem to click into place for a second, eyes cast to Leah and her fire that was once there, the way the earth hadn't wanted her here, the way it had tried to steal her fire and he thinks of Amara Renata- firebird priestess- and he can draw conclusions. he can make parallels even if he doesn't know her, he does have enough faith in the cycle to be almost certain their dragon wasn't mistaken.
He hops himself down, gives the dragon a second look.
"Doesn't look that big," he tells himself, curses under his breath and says something else in some language only angels and Henry would know.
(ladida, you know, just prepping things with prime for prime 2, because prime is made of awesome and win
Kiara
Amara.
The dragon calls Leah Amara and there's a beat where she's not the only one who freezes. Kiara too, stops and what little color her face had contained seems to drain away in an instant as her eyes shift to the fiery mage as she puts her hands over her ears. Kiara's eyes close for an instant and her expression is some mixture of comprehension and dawning horror.
Oh, God.
They open again and flick to Henry with this bright, fierce look there's no time to quantify because the dragon is moving. Its great body lashing the ground as it moves and the Verbena slings her backpack off her shoulders; jams a hand into its depths and pulls out a small drawstring purse; she's sliding her pack back on and tipping the contents into a hand before the dragon has fully stepped out into direct sight.
The pagan's expression is stricken, pale and fearful but there's determination in those dark eyes as they fixate on the wings that snap open as it roars. The sound of it seems to vibrate Kiara's bones, she closes her eyes and grits her teeth against the sound and squeezes her fingers tight around the dried leaves in her hand.
[Let's work a little Entropy up in here, oh yes.]
Elijah
[Starting! Prime 2- Pew Pew! Diff 3 + 2 (sphere) = 5 -1 (because he actually has practiced this as weird as that sounds)= diff 4]
Dice: 2 d10 TN4 (7, 9) ( success x 2 )
Kiara
[Entropy 1, I forget the title, locate disorder and weakness? Anyway, Diff 3 + 1, -1 Foci]
Dice: 3 d10 TN3 (2, 6, 8) ( success x 2 )
Book of Myths
[The wolves get one Init score. They fight as one. +7]
Dice: 1 d10 TN1 (8) ( success x 1 )
Elijah
[5+d10]
Dice: 1 d10 TN4 (5) ( success x 1 )
Book of Myths
[Dragon +8]
Dice: 1 d10 TN1 (9) ( success x 1 )
Book of Myths
[Henry +5]
Dice: 1 d10 TN1 (8) ( success x 1 )
Book of Myths
[Leah +6]
Dice: 1 d10 TN1 (3) ( success x 1 )
Kiara
[Ack! +5]
Dice: 1 d10 TN3 (6) ( success x 1 )
Book of Myths
[Red +6]
Dice: 1 d10 TN1 (10) ( success x 1 )
Book of Myths
[And the order is:
Dragon: 17
Red: 16
Wolves: 15
Henry: 13
Kiara: 11
Elijah: 10
Leah: 9]
Book of Myths
[Leah loses a round being freaked out]
Elijah
This is Elijah. This is Elijah not losing his shit over the fact that there is a dragon who very adamantly wants to wreck Leah's world and, by extension, probably the worlds of everyone with her.
This is Elijah casting the most basic and effective form of magical defense he knows on something gigantic. Just keep focusing, this has to work, because it has before.
(Keep casting, sugar cube! Prime 2 really does work)
Kiara
[Kiara is extending her casting this round, more Entropy to find any weak spots in Puff the Magic Dragon]
Book of Myths
[Henry attacks the dragon with fire]
Book of Myths
[The wolves all attack the dragon's wing (grounding it would be good)]
Book of Myths
[Red bolts off at top speed towards the cave. Apparently he has an idea.]
Book of Myths
[Dragon activates charm: Armor]
Book of Myths
[Dragon spends 10 Essence and gains 8 soak dice against agg damage]
Book of Myths
[Red does his thing]
Book of Myths
[and the die of fate says...]
Dice: 1 d10 TN1 (8) ( success x 1 )
Book of Myths
[the wolves do some serious damage to the dragon's wing. It is grounded and takes 20 damage]
Book of Myths
[There is a lot of wind swirling around this dragon. Henry is going to convert some of it into fire. Spirit 3 / Forces 3 diff 6 -1 (practiced) -1 (resonance: ardent)]
Dice: 3 d10 TN4 (2, 8, 10) ( success x 3 ) [WP]
Book of Myths
[he will extend into next round]
Kiara
[Rinse and repeat as earlier. Okay let's get the diff correct this go around. Diff 6, +1 for extending, -1 focus and I think some WP here.]
Dice: 3 d10 TN6 (7, 8, 10) ( success x 4 ) [WP]
Elijah
[prime 2- extending?]
Dice: 2 d10 TN5 (9, 10) ( success x 2 )
Book of Myths
[Since the dragon took damage, she gets a new Init roll. Hah. +8]
Dice: 1 d10 TN1 (6) ( success x 1 )
Book of Myths
It happens very quickly, as these things always do. The wolves are on their prey within seconds, ripping and shredding into the dragon's wing with their huge, terrible jaws. Looking over the top of the snowdrift, the mages will be able to see first hand just what kind of threat they escaped when they allied with these creatures. The dragon is tough though. Some of the bites land on scale and clink uselessly against the spirit's armor. But one, the alpha's, wrenches through the long wing-bone and snaps it in half.
The dragon opens its mouth and roars in pain and anger, sending the snow whipping up in little cyclones with its good wing.
From their vantage point on the ground, the mages work their effects. Kiara, gaining what insight she can into the beast's weaknesses. Elijah, conjuring a blast of primal force. Henry, transmuting wind into fire.
But Leah... she hesitates.
And Red? Red has his own ideas. He's off like a scarlet bolt across the ice, making for the entrance to the cave. Distracted as it is, its likely the dragon may not notice something so small and silent.
Book of Myths
[Leah gets her shit together and decides to try this Prime attack thing]
Elijah
[Prime 2: Again again! Keeep continuing on with the casting. We're going to actually release the dang effect this round (hopefully)]
Kiara
Kiara's crouching there, watching the wolves tear into the dragon.
She doesn't flinch when there's the terrible crunch of bone snapping and being torn away; her eyes narrowing against the wind, rather, she's deducing, the brunette. Her dark eyes focused on the dragon as if it held (and in part, it did) the keys to their survival. Elijah and Henry are both working and there's a beat, as the dragon roars and throws its weight around that she twists, her voice rising urgently over the sounds of fray.
"You have to aim for its mouth. When it opens it, that's the only weak point. It's armor is too thick. Aim for the mouth." She turns back, jaw set and her teeth sink into her lip until she can taste blood. There's a shiver and she focuses anew.
[Hey it's a Prime party, let's all Prime 2 together.]
Book of Myths
[Henry extends his effect]
Dice: 3 d10 TN5 (2, 2, 10) ( success x 2 ) [WP]
Book of Myths
[That... was supposed to be a declare. Not a roll. Sorry.]
Book of Myths
[Dragon closes distance to Leah and bites her (split action)]
Book of Myths
[Wolves be like - excuse us, we're attacking you]
Book of Myths
[and the die of fate says...]
Dice: 1 d10 TN6 (2) ( fail )
Book of Myths
[the die of fate says the dragon shakes them off and keeps coming]
Book of Myths
[Second split Bite -3]
Dice: 5 d10 TN5 (2, 4, 5, 5, 6) ( success x 3 )
Book of Myths
[Leah is obviously going to revert to defensive action and try to evade. -1 WP]
Dice: 5 d10 TN6 (3, 4, 7, 9, 10) ( success x 4 ) [WP]
Book of Myths
[er... that's 3. Ignore that WP. She spent one to do the action. But still, narrowly escapes!]
Book of Myths
[Actually, let's just take that roll I did by mistake. So the total is 5 successes. Or 11 fire damage. And oh, hey, look at that. The dragon's armor doesn't work on Fire. Dragon loses 11 essence.]
Book of Myths
[That was Henry. Sorry. I can type names.]
Kiara
[Okay, so. We're gonna do this: Prime 2! Diff ... 5? +1 for targeting that mouth, -1 for focus (Blood). We're definitely going to need to extend, I suspect.]
Dice: 3 d10 TN5 (6, 7, 9) ( success x 4 ) [WP]
Book of Myths
[Dragon loses 8 more Essence from a bolt of prime down the gullet (ow)]
Elijah
[Prime 2: Because pewpew. Diff 3 +2 (sphere) +1 (targetted) +1 (extension): 7 - 1 quint (because I said WORK) -1 resonance (because "Magic, do what you will")
Dice: 2 d10 TN5 (8, 10) ( success x 3 ) [WP]
Book of Myths
[and again, dragon takes another 14 damage!]
Book of Myths
[And in case anyone is wondering, it has 37 left]
Book of Myths
The wolves warned that Leah would be in danger. Even they didn't know how right they were. The dragon gives a wrenching spin that sends the wolves sprawling across the ice. There are snarls and a couple of sharp whimpers as the dragon breaks away, lunging toward the mages. The ground shakes beneath its feet when it lands. When its eyes fix on Leah, it rears back and opens its jaws, striking out toward her with a vicious snap. Leah, her eyes widening in terror, turns to run, and she only just barely manages to escape the tearing strength of its massive, hooked teeth.
She's running headlong toward the only shelter she can see - the cave.
The dragon parts its jaws to snarl, but before it can turn to chase after its quarry, Kiara and Elijah release two consecutive blasts of pure quintessence straight into the beast's open mouth. It gives this surprised, pained, hissing roar (there is a sound like air moving through grass, whistling slightly) and lurches back away from them, snapping its jaws shut tightly and giving an unhappy shake of its head.
Behind it, the wolves get to their feet and dive in for another attack.
Book of Myths
[Leah runs from the inevitable attack she's sure is going to come her way]
Elijah
"OhholyjesusLeahgetthecrown!"
[action: run like Hell towards the cave]
Kiara
[More Prime attacking! Kiara's going to keep the dragon's focus on them as long as she can to buy them time.]
Book of Myths
[Henry goes for another Fire attack]
Book of Myths
[Dragon uses charm: Quake]
Book of Myths
[Wolves attack the dragon. Naturally.]
Book of Myths
[and the die of fate says..]
Dice: 1 d10 TN6 (9) ( success x 1 )
Book of Myths
[The wolves lash at the dragon's legs and underbelly, and the alpha leaps up and gets a hold of the dragon's throat, tearing a deep gash in its neck. Some kind of irridescent glowing ooze seeps out of the wounds. Dragon takes another 20 damage]
Book of Myths
[Dragon spends 5 essence and starts an earthquake. The ground rumbles and cracks, and the ice above the cave entrance begins to fall in large chunks. Everyone standing must now make a reflexive Dex+Ath roll at diff 8 not to fall over.]
Elijah
[This is the part where we faceplant]
Dice: 4 d10 TN8 (1, 4, 4, 7) ( botch x 1 )
Kiara
[Dragonquake! Rumble, rumble. Dex + Ath.]
Dice: 6 d10 TN8 (1, 2, 5, 7, 8, 9) ( success x 2 )
Book of Myths
[Leah - ah!]
Dice: 5 d10 TN8 (1, 2, 4, 5, 10) ( success x 1 )
Book of Myths
[Wolves roll as one]
Dice: 7 d10 TN8 (2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 8, 10) ( success x 3 )
Book of Myths
[Dragon probably will not fall from her own quake, but still...]
Dice: 8 d10 TN8 (1, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10) ( success x 1 )
Book of Myths
[Oh right, Henry]
Dice: 3 d10 TN8 (5, 7, 9) ( success x 1 )
Book of Myths
[Well that was a surprise]
Book of Myths
[Henry tries his effect at +2 diff because distractions]
Dice: 3 d10 TN4 (3, 7, 10) ( success x 3 ) [WP]
Book of Myths
[Augh, that was diff 6. Still 3 success though.]
Book of Myths
[Dragon takes another 7 damage]
Kiara
[Prime 2: Give the dragon the worst sore throat ever. Diff 5, +1 targeting (throat), +2 (stuff is going on), -1 focus (blood), possibly extending as before.]
Dice: 3 d10 TN7 (4, 5, 6) ( success x 1 ) [WP]
Book of Myths
[Elijah falls and loses a turn]
Elijah
action: Become acquainted with ground.
Book of Myths
[Leah makes it to the cave's entrance. Where a bunch of ice is now falling in her general direction...]
Book of Myths
The tide is turning. Perhaps the dragon can sense it, because it uses its next act not to attack but to defend, calling forth a groundshaking earthquake that rumbles and cracks the ice. The wolves, nimble as they are, manage to keep their footing, as do most of the mages. Elijah, unfortunately, is not so lucky. He loses his balance and topples over, landing on his face in the snow. One of his feet gets twisted at an odd angle beneath him, and he has to fight to get standing again.
Henry, seeing Leah running for the cave, does his best to lure the dragon back toward himself, shouting as he fires off another pluming burst of flame.
"Hey! Over here you worthless excuse for a dragon!"
The dragon isn't that stupid though. It knows (or thinks it knows) what it needs to guard against. Not the wolves. Not these three ragtag mages. They've nearly killed it, but its own life is not the thing its trying to protect. So it gives one last roar and charges headlong for Leah and the now-collapsing cave.
Ice is falling in larger and larger chunks. The cave is crumbling. Above it, there is a sound... like a rushing wave. But there's no water here...
An avalanche. And a sheet of snow is coming down, down.... heading for all of them.
Book of Myths
[Leah. *sigh* Really? Fuck you. Fuck you. Fuck this dragon. Fuck the umbra. Fuck this entire day. *has Spirit 3 epiphany* *turns around and hits the dragon with fire*]
Elijah
[Action!: Roll over, and attack the dang thing: Prime 2? Yes, yes Prime 2]
Kiara
There's a beat where all Kiara can feel is her heart, slamming against her chest. It's all she can hear, too. A pounding in her ears, almost like a rushing - no, wait. The Verbena's eyes widen. They drop to where she can barely see Leah now, through the collapsing snow and the dragon's charging form. Somewhere nearby is Elijah, too.
"Leah!" Kiara screams, there's horror and fear and it slices through the brunette like a knife. "No! Elijah."
There's no time. She focuses her energy and unleashes another blast of pure Prime toward the dragon. "You leave them alone."
[Whoop, one more Prime blast.]
Book of Myths
[Henry is going to cast a protective shield on Leah so she doesn't get crushed]
Book of Myths
[Dragon uses its last 5 essence and sacrifices itself to hit Leah with its ice breath. It was a brave dragon, in its way. We shall miss it. No, we shall not miss it. But hopefully it will re-birth itself in a better place where it can just be a dragon and not worry about protecting silly crowns.]
Book of Myths
[the wolves are going to gtfo]
Book of Myths
[The wolves run from the avalanche]
Book of Myths
[Dragon hits Leah with 5 agg]
Book of Myths
[Leah soaks maybe?]
Dice: 5 d10 TN6 (4, 7, 7, 7, 10) ( success x 4 )
Book of Myths
[Hells yeah Avatar 5]
Book of Myths
[Dragon dies. Leah takes 1 agg. Henry does his thing. Spirit 3 / Forces 2 diff 6]
Dice: 3 d10 TN6 (1, 2, 8) ( success x 2 ) [WP]
Book of Myths
[That had Life 2 as well. I know what I'm doing, honest.]
Kiara
[Re-directing Prime blast to get rid of some of that ice playing stacks on Leah. +1 for extending, -1 focus, yadda.]
Dice: 3 d10 TN5 (9, 9, 10) ( success x 4 ) [WP]
Book of Myths
[Kiara's blast fires off at the ice descending above Leah's head and carves a MASSIVE hole in it. She manages not to get hit with anything. That is, until the avalanche hits...]
Elijah
Int+survival: did Ian ever cover Avalanche Survival Techniques when they went camping?
Dice: 4 d10 TN6 (2, 2, 3, 8) ( success x 1 )
Book of Myths
[The only thing Ian has ever said about avalanches is this: "if you can't outrun the wave, when it hits, start swimming."]
Elijah
Action: (since there is nothing to poke with prime)... run? -1 WP
Elijah
dex+athletics: Running?
Dice: 4 d10 TN6 (2, 4, 7, 8) ( success x 2 )
Book of Myths
[Welp. Leah can't even kill the dragon now. So she's gonna hit the snow with fire instead. Spirit 3 / Forces 3 / Prime 2, diff 6 -2 (burning resonance x 2) (Forces specialty applies: Fire)]
Dice: 4 d10 TN4 (4, 8, 10, 10) ( success x 7 ) [Doubling Tens] [WP]
Book of Myths
The dragon dies. It doesn't drop to the ground, broken and bloody, the way a mortal dragon might. Instead its body shimmers and goes dim - incorporeal. Fading into a cloud of frost. The last thing it does before it goes is open its jaws and release this violent gust of frozen wind. The blast hits Leah full on, and she shudders from the cold, but manages to stay standing.
Then the dragon disappears.
Perhaps, for a brief moment, those left standing will have time to realize what they've just done. Something that until recently they likely would have assumed impossible.
Perhaps they are too busy trying to stay alive. Or trying to keep their friends alive.
Henry does his best to protect Leah, conjuring a faint shield of protection from the falling ice. It isn't much, and it doesn't last long. Luckily, Kiara's attempt to obliterate the danger proves more effective, as her attack blasts through the falling sheets and rips a hole in the cave's ceiling big enough to leave Leah out of reach of the collapse.
Elijah, left with few options but to run, does so. As he turns, he can feel a rush of wind as the wolves bolt past his shoulder. He's turned, so he won't see what happens next, but Henry and Kiara do. They see Leah open her mouth and scream - only what comes out isn't a human sound at all. It sounds like a bird - like a raptor - and there's this bright, sudden glow of flame that spreads out into two burning wings at her back. Just before a massive explosion of fire erupts around and above her.
Then the avalanche hits, and there isn't time to tell if she survives. If Red is still alive in that cave somewhere. There isn't time to do anything but run.
It sounds like the ocean. Funny how much it sounds like that. Like they're about to get hit by...
The wave crashes around them, and everything goes dark and quiet.
Elijah
He doesn't have time to say anything. He just hears the sound, and it sounds like the ocean and something in his stomach turns and he runs. He runs like he's never run in his life- he doesn't want to get stuck in an avalanche, knows that his friends haven't turned tail and tried to break through with him.
He doesn't see what happens, just hears a sound, like the ocean, and the world goes dark and quiet and he knows he needs to go up and he's made enough progress to still remember where up is, plants his feet on what he presumes is solid ground and reaches upward, swims, pulls, pushes, doeswhatever he can think of to do because he didn't think to hold his breath and that's what he thinks is going to be the problem.
It doesn't matter if it's sand or water or ice or blood, if there's no air you'll die. Suffocate, drown, be crushed by the world around you and he doesn'twant that. When he pulls up he can finally feel something like cold air instead of wet snow.
Elijah tries to pull himself out of the snow, can't push forward to feel any other living presence. Just knows it's cold, and just knows that he's the one who had the running start.
So, instead, he tries to listen. Maybe he'll hear someone, maybe something other than wind and stillness.
"Fuck," he hissed. Panic hasn't set in yet. It's getting there, though.
Kiara
The momentum of it knocks the Verbena off her feet. There's barely time for her to cover her face and half turn as if somehow doing so and offering her back to the oncoming wave of snow would make a difference before it hits and Kiara is buried in it; there's a rushing roar as it pours over the mountainside and covers everything in its path and then - nothing.
Silence and a tiny smattering of snow drifting down in the avalanche's wake.
And buried in there, Kiara breathes in a sudden, spasmodic way. Her body engulfed in the crush of it; she can't breathe and for a moment there's nothing but panic. Such an instinctive, human reaction before she squeezes her eyes closed and forces her body to listen; to slow the rapid thunder of her heart. Of this, she has mastery - it's freezing but she reaches down with her feet; feeling for the earth beneath her.
Striving for the connection.
The strength contained in the earth below.
Kiara
[Life 3: Strength of the Earth, Umbral style. Diff 6, -1 focus, I mean what else is there to do right now but focus on getting out, -1 Quint because why not. She's not exactly getting anywhere fast is she.]
Dice: 3 d10 TN4 (2, 6, 7) ( success x 3 ) [WP]
Book of Myths
There's little sense of where the others are - let alone what kind of state they're in. One can only hope that they made it. Where Kiara rests, buried deep within the snow, she feels as though she's suffocating. The snow is in her eyes, her nose, her mouth. It melts when she breaths but not enough. Can she die that way here? Does she even actually need breath in this place? Perhaps the reason she does is because she believes she is alive. And so so she is alive.
The reason doesn't matter. She needs to breath and she can't. Not enough. Only these little, shallow wisps of oxygen. But she pushes her foot against the ground and she forces herself to calm. To focus. And she draws the strength of the earth up through her body.
When she pushes at the snow, she finds that she can move it a little. That she can dig in these achingly slow little movements. It's frustrating work, especially when she has so little air and the world is black and pressing in on her. But she does make headway.
Elijah is luckier. He ran, and when the wave hit he manage to swim partway to the surface. When his hand breaks through, he can feel the cold kiss of open air. There's a long moment where he tries not to panic. Swears under his breath against the snow.
Then something dislodges the snow next to his arm. A paw, digging through the surface. He can feel the snow being pulled away, feel his arm being freed. Finally teeth latch down on his shirt and give a hard yank.
And he breaks free.
The wolf drags him out onto the surface, then drops his arm, looking him in the eyes with this quiet note of concern. It's the same wolf he'd ridden on their journey to find the cave.
"We said we'd help," he speaks. "We keep our promises."
Then he turns and trots toward where the other wolves are digging in two other places.
If Elijah turns to watch him go, he'll see something else in the distance. A figure running through the snow wreathed in flame, and a tiny dot of trotting beside her. The fox is carrying something in its mouth that glints silver in the sun.
"Elijah!" Leah shouts. "We have to get Kiara and Henry!"
Elijah
[Int+enigmas, diff7. Because I'm pretty sure my friends are dying and I'm stressed because this is stressful]
Dice: 6 d10 TN7 (1, 3, 4, 5, 5, 9) ( success x 1 )
Kiara
[Strength + Ath, nnnngh.]
Dice: 8 d10 TN8 (2, 4, 4, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9) ( success x 3 )
Book of Myths
[Edit: omg, so many typos. So many. "and a tiny dot of red trotting beside her."]
Book of Myths
[Kiara successfully digs her way to the surface]
Elijah
There is this moment when the world feels like it wants to slip, like some part of him wants to break down and fracture and it doesn't. He doesn't know yet that this is a possibility, could have very well slipped in and out of breaks with reality earlier in life and never noticed because everything seemed like a fracture in reality, truth be told. We digress.
There is a wolf pulling him to the surface and he doesn't have words, doesn't know what to say except that he wants to hug the damn thing and that it was a bad idea to not take them along. He was on his feet soon enough, looks to the distance and hears Leah, calls back.
"I'm gonna look for Henry!" because Kiara wasn't a sixty something year old man with bad knees.
He darts off to follow along with one of the wolves in the distance. Puts his ear to the ground. They seem to have a good scent on things.
"Please be okay?" he asks, hopes he hears something. Wouldn't care who he found just so long as it was someone.
Kiara
The wolves are digging into the layers of snow and it must feel like a futile moment.
There was just so much snow and it had buried the place where Kiara and Henry had been standing. Surely they couldn't have survived long under that much snow. Suffocation could be as real as it felt, after all. Convince the human body that there was no air and hyperventilation was entirely possible.
Kiara keeps her eyes closed.
Keeps her breathing light and as even as she can afford to make it; her arms pinned to her sides; her ribs throat aching with the need to breathe in. And then, she can feel it. The seep of energy flowing into her; the tender brush of the earth under her fingertips; setting them twitching. Sinking beneath her skin and curling around her legs.
It's a rush, a jolt of sudden adrenaline and the Verbena kicks out, hard. Or as hard as she's able to and moves an inch. Another. There's the desire to cry out of pure frustration and perhaps it's that, as much as anything. A pure, stubborn will to survive that has her coil all her energy into a sudden movement. A sharp, animalistic snarl as she pushes at the snow with all her might -
And a hand bursts out of the snow.
Something wet and twitching finds it and there's an answering whuff. The Verbena keeps kicking and a snow-smeared head and shoulders appear from under the dislodged snow. Her lip is bleeding badly (a deliberately inflicted wound) and she seems disorientated for a moment, blinking rapidly in the light.
Oxygen floods her lungs and the Verbena sets her hand on the ground, content for a moment it would seem, just to breathe.
Book of Myths
When Kiara breaks the surface, the wolves move to get out of her way, allowing her space to rest - to breath. Then there is a hand on her shoulder and it feels warm.
"You're okay, you're okay.." It's Leah, kneeling down to wrap her arms around Kiara's shoulders - holding her tightly for a moment as though to reassure herself that the other Verbena is really alive. There's a sudden breath and then "Thank you." Her flames feel soft where they lick at Kiara's skin. They melt the snow remaining there, leaving her dry. Then she's gone a moment later, rising to help Elijah and the wolves dig Henry free. If he was even still alive.
Elijah follows the wolves, pressing his ear to the snow in a frantic attempt to hear... something. Anything. But there's nothing to hear. Are they digging in the wrong place, or is Henry unconscious? Or worse.
"It's okay," Leah says, softly, as she comes rushing over. "We'll get him out." The wolves are digging fast, dislodging great piles of snow with their powerful legs, but it isn't fast enough and Leah sets her hands on the snow and says something in a voice that doesn't wholly sound like her own and isn't in any language Elijah or Kiara will understand (because no one has spoken it for thousands of years) and her eyes glow.
Book of Myths
[Aaand melting the snow. Same as before.]
Dice: 4 d10 TN4 (2, 4, 5, 6) ( success x 4 ) [Doubling Tens] [WP]
Book of Myths
And then the snow sizzles and melts and rises into the air in clouds of steam. When it finishes, there is Henry's form curled into a ball in the crevice, unconscious but alive.
Red drops the thing he was carrying and races down to look at him. When he presses his nose to Henry's face, he utters a plaintive whine.
Then Henry inhales in a gasp and opens his eyes.
Elijah
It doesn't dawn on him to hide the fact that he is terrified of the prospect of losing his mentor. That this would be it for him, he didn't want to study with anyone else, he didn't want to be around anyone else, he wanted to study with Henry. He wanted to share stories and incorporate the old man into his life and introduce him to Jenn and give him a freaking house key and build this person as a fact of his current existence.
And he might be dead. He might be unconscious, what if they were in the wrong place and Elijah couldn't reach any further than he had. Leah tells him it's okay, and he's looking at her like he desperately wants this to be true, like she has to know something he doesn't- because that wasn't hard. He was, by far, the least experienced person here. Took a lot of things for granted.
The snow is gone and he looked relieved for a brief moment, which then was kicked aside by the silence. Red pokes him, Elijah bridges the gap, should probably give Henry a chance to breathe, but he hugs him anyway.
"Je craignais tu es mort," because he wasn't taking the precious seconds it took to translate.
Kiara
"I'm okay." Kiara echoes after a moment, her voice raspy.
She's tentative as she pushes herself to her feet, the strength she'd channeled, pulled out of the ground itself still thrumming through her veins. She feels - surprisingly energized considering what had just happened and for a moment, all the brunette can do is stand there and stare at the point where the cave was, where (had it only been minutes? It felt like hours) there had been a towering dragon.
Now, there's nothing but the snow and the sounds of desperate digging, followed by the sizzling sound of Leah's working melting it down. By the time Kiara's moved to stand beside the others, Henry's been uncovered and Elijah has all but thrown himself down over the older man, saying something in French the Verbena doesn't understand, but - comprehends the meaning behind.
Gratitude. Relief.
She catches sight of the glinting object Red had dropped and moves to stand over it, staring down at it with a complicated expression twisting her features; her supple mouth into a frown. "You found it," she offers simply and doesn't move to pick it up but glances instead across at the other Verbena. Studying Leah's face with no tiny amount of consideration.
"Are you alright?"
Book of Myths
[Leah is going to heal this 1 dot of agg]
Dice: 4 d10 TN5 (5, 8, 9, 10) ( success x 4 )
Book of Myths
[well that was overkill]
Book of Myths
[Leah's dice are appropriate tonight]
Book of Myths
There's a note of quiet panic in Leah's eyes when she sees Henry's motionless body, but it relaxes when he opens his eyes. There's a moment where she looks at him with this complicated expression. Then she turns and walks a few paces away. She stops beside where Red dropped the crown, her eyes drawn to it. But when she looks at it, there's no sense of relief or joy - no gratitude at being reunited with this lost relic.
This crown that had once been hers.
She just looks... sad.
"Red found it," she answers Kiara quietly. When she looks up, there are tears glistening in her eyes. "Physically, yes. A little frostbitten." She holds out her hands, and Kiara will see that there are places where the cold left the skin blackened. There's a patch of it on her cheek too. She takes a breath and closes her eyes. Murmurs another word in that ancient tongue and the wounds heal like nothing ever happened. She bends down to touch the crown, and there is this.. arrested heartbeat. Almost, she can't make herself do it. But then she wraps her fingers around it and lifts it from the snow.
The crown: truthfully, it's more of a circlet than a proper crown. Surprisingly simple for something so valuable. Just a silver band inlaid with a few simple, elegant designs (they look a bit like bird feathers) and notched with settings for nine stones.
But whatever used to be set there... the stones are gone now.
Still, the crown hums with mythic resonance. If they're quiet, they can hear it. The way it pitches higher when Leah touches it. (Like it's coming home.)
"The stones are gone," she says, her voice cold. Exhausted. Embittered. "It's useless without them. We did all this for a trinket."
Back in the crevice, Elijah is clutching Henry, holding him, uttering his desperate relief. And Henry is smiling and laughing and wrapping his arms around his apprentice like he'd be just as happy to stay there with him all day. "Non, mon cher ami. Je n'aurais pas partir tu."
Elijah
The sound is one of utter relief, followed by incoherent sounds of even more relief. They could have forgotten all about the crown for all he cared, if they hadn't come back with Henry he would have been inconsolable. Even if it did have all of its pieces. Even if it was a completed relic. Somewhere at the back of his mind, he hears this, puts it together catches the bitter tones and knows...
No, doesn't know. Elijah has no ties to his past life beyond the warnings his avatar has uttered all of once- you've faltered before. Just the once, before the world went silent and dreams stopped being shitshow nightmares where Nothing reigned supreme.
He takes a minute before he finally gives Henry a chance to breathe, and a hand up to actually stand because heaven knows it can't be comfortable having a lanky twenty-something piled on top of you like an overeager puppy.
"Well," he announces, "we just found out that the quest is going to take a little longer than anticipated."
Seems, at the very least, that if the desire to search was still there, he was volunteering his services.
Kiara
The stones are gone, Leah says and Kiara's eyes drop to the glinting object in her (now fully healed) hands.
She doesn't seem as dismayed as she perhaps should considering the apparent power in the artifact but then again, for all the fact she was nearly smothered by a mountainside full of snow, the Verbena seems remarkably contained but for the way her hand trembles just a little as she seeks to slide it around Leah's body, bracketing the other woman in a brief, supportive embrace.
She watches Elijah and Henry's reunion with a tiny, half formed smile for a moment and then takes a deep, cleansing breath. There were things she wanted to ask, questions that needed answering - among them, what happened now, to the crown, to the search for the stones and whoever had taken them from this place - but Kiara doesn't seem particularly inclined to ask them, as much as her eyes speak of them when they cut across to the others, to Leah's expression.
"Not for nothing." She does say, after a while. Her eyes dropping to the circlet. "At least we know where they aren't." Then, she squeezes at Leah's side lightly; offers her hand as it falls to her side.
"Let's go home."
Book of MythsIt's incredible, how fast the wolves are able to move across the tundra. Their paws hardly seem to touch the ground as they fly over the snow, the cold wind whipping through their fur and back over the mages (and the fox) riding atop their backs. The five travelers will find quickly that there's no room to relax on this journey. They must grab hold tightly to keep their balance, lest the wind and the velocity knock them to the ground. Thankfully Henry's magick protects them from the worst of winter's bite, but they can still feel the lick of cold lashing at their skin as they ride.
This is a harsh land. Beautiful, but unforgiving.
For awhile all they can see is empty snowdrifts. But gradually, the sight of a distant mountain range materializes on the horizon. Without the wolves, this journey will have taken them a long time. Perhaps that thought will bring some small measure of comfort to those still wondering if they made the right decision.
Gradually they draw nearer their destination, leaping and sprinting over rolling drifts. The mountains ahead grow taller and more distinct with each yard. At some point they will be able to make out a cave in the distance, carved into what looks like a sheer wall of ice. The mountains themselves, in fact, are made of ice - not stone. In the light of the sun, they seem to glow a pale shade of aqua. Something has unspooled itself over the ground past the entrance to the cave: a long, white serpent's tail, its scales shimmering in shades of blue-green iridescence where the light hits it.
There is very little in the way of cover out there. Only a few low snowdrifts - just tall enough to crouch behind. Beyond them, the ground is flat snow and solid ice.
The wolves stop running before they get too close. Slinking close to the ground, they detour off to one side, creeping silently over the snow. The little beacon of light stays with them for awhile, then rises up into the air, shoots over and stops, hovering, just above the cave's entrance. This is, it would seem, their intended destination.
They stop behind a drift, and Henry looks to the others, reassuring himself that all are well and ready. "When we go in, we must let the wolves lead. Our strengths are range and cleverness. And I will not have you dying by dragon-breath on my watch."
ElijahThe ride is lovely, in the very least. It's long, or at least it feels long, and after awhile the land turns into less land and more snow. Just drifts and a harsh, overwhelming sort of mountain of ice. Something that would seal itself shut or bury them in the ocean if it ever melted.
This was a land of almost unending cold, though, he knew good and well that the likelihood of all of this crumbling beneath their feet was slim. This was a place that was almost the very idea of ice. Once they stop, he has a chance to look around, listens to Henry and for once his imagination isn't wandering. He's present, or as present as Elijah believed himself capable of actually being.
Exhales, waits to see his breath before he takes a quick look at that tail again.
Gives a thumbs up, exhales slowly.
"Glad we're all on the same page," on the not dying courtesy of dragon's breath, that is.
KiaraShe keeps her eyes open on the way there.
It's tempting to close them and Kiara does bend low, arms wound into the fur of the great wolf below her; fingers gripping at its sides as it makes quick work of the distance. She turns her face into the beast's pelt and then, as the mountain begins to unveil itself in the distance; rises up and watches it grow nearer; her dark hair whipping out behind her like a wild, curling banner.
The sight of the dragon's tail, massive and protruding from the depths of the cave sends tension into the Verbena's frame, she's focused and grim as they creep down behind a drift of snow, her breath pluming out before her as they ready themselves to face - was there really any way to prepare yourself for what they were about to?
Kiara's fingers reach for Elijah's hand and she takes it without sparing the other a glance; but Elijah can feel the intention to it; the way the brunette seems to impress her feelings into one, brief capture of his hand; imprinting things into his skin in a sudden flood of familiar warmth (stay safe, be careful).
She nods at Henry and her jaw clenches; her hands rubbing absently over her jeans. "I'm ready." She's not, her heart is racing, beating wildly inside her chest but somehow - her voice comes out steady. She does spare a moment for their wolf allies, Kiara, and sets a hand on one of their massive coats as they pass, murmuring some wish for caution.
Book of Myths"Do you think I do not know you are there?"
The voice, deep and powerful, rumbles out from inside the cave. The mages feel it as much as hear it - the way it shakes the ground and vibrates into their bones. The sound of it is echoing and cavernous.
"Do you think I do not smell you? That I did not feel you coming across the tundra?"
The dragon's tail slides along the ice, moving in a slow slither as its owner shifts inside the cave.
"I knew you were here the moment you arrived, Amara. I have been waiting for you for a long, long time."
Those last words rumble so deep it makes the snow shift under the wolves' feet. The alpha bares her teeth and glances at Leah, but says nothing. Whatever this particular development, it does not change her plans. The wolves give a little shake and crouch down to allow the mages to dismount. Henry and Red hop off quickly.
They do not seem as surprised as perhaps they should to hear that name on the dragon's tongue. Leah though? She goes frozen-still, then gives this sudden shiver. It takes a moment for her to climb down from the wolf's back, and when she does she seems... angry. A little disoriented. She closes her eyes and puts her hands over her ears and bares her teeth like she wants to snarl the way the dire wolves do.
There is a conversation that needs to be had. But they have no time to have it. The dragon is moving. They can hear it, claws scraping on ice, scales sliding over scales. And then a great, horned head appears at the entrance to the cave. Iridescent-white like the rest of it. Pale, luminous eyes. When it breathes, crystals of frost form in the air.
This thing is no more a fire dragon than the land around them is in summer bloom.
The dragon takes a step out of its cave, spreads its wings and roars.
For a moment, everything is sound. Booming, echoing, ringing. Then the alpha lifts her head in a howling challenge and the wolves leap over the drift.
ElijahThere are some things he knows by touch, and would have been able to distinguish what Kiara's hand felt like even if they were cloaked entirely in darkness. She might not pay him a second glance but he does look at her, turns his attentions there and he does squeeze her hand a little. Enough to remind her that he's there, that he's heard, that he's actually paying attention or regards her enough to actually heed her instructions.
Stay safe. Be Careful.
But then, there is a sound. Something that resonates more in his chest than in his ears. The way he always thought dragons would sound, the way that it seems to know without having to know. Things seem to click into place for a second, eyes cast to Leah and her fire that was once there, the way the earth hadn't wanted her here, the way it had tried to steal her fire and he thinks of Amara Renata- firebird priestess- and he can draw conclusions. he can make parallels even if he doesn't know her, he does have enough faith in the cycle to be almost certain their dragon wasn't mistaken.
He hops himself down, gives the dragon a second look.
"Doesn't look that big," he tells himself, curses under his breath and says something else in some language only angels and Henry would know.
(ladida, you know, just prepping things with prime for prime 2, because prime is made of awesome and win
KiaraAmara.
The dragon calls Leah Amara and there's a beat where she's not the only one who freezes. Kiara too, stops and what little color her face had contained seems to drain away in an instant as her eyes shift to the fiery mage as she puts her hands over her ears. Kiara's eyes close for an instant and her expression is some mixture of comprehension and dawning horror.
Oh, God.
They open again and flick to Henry with this bright, fierce look there's no time to quantify because the dragon is moving. Its great body lashing the ground as it moves and the Verbena slings her backpack off her shoulders; jams a hand into its depths and pulls out a small drawstring purse; she's sliding her pack back on and tipping the contents into a hand before the dragon has fully stepped out into direct sight.
The pagan's expression is stricken, pale and fearful but there's determination in those dark eyes as they fixate on the wings that snap open as it roars. The sound of it seems to vibrate Kiara's bones, she closes her eyes and grits her teeth against the sound and squeezes her fingers tight around the dried leaves in her hand.
[Let's work a little Entropy up in here, oh yes.]
Elijah[Starting! Prime 2- Pew Pew! Diff 3 + 2 (sphere) = 5 -1 (because he actually has practiced this as weird as that sounds)= diff 4]
Dice: 2 d10 TN4 (7, 9) ( success x 2 )
Kiara[Entropy 1, I forget the title, locate disorder and weakness? Anyway, Diff 3 + 1, -1 Foci]
Dice: 3 d10 TN3 (2, 6, 8) ( success x 2 )
Book of Myths[The wolves get one Init score. They fight as one. +7]
Dice: 1 d10 TN1 (8) ( success x 1 )
Elijah[5+d10]
Dice: 1 d10 TN4 (5) ( success x 1 )
Book of Myths[Dragon +8]
Dice: 1 d10 TN1 (9) ( success x 1 )
Book of Myths[Henry +5]
Dice: 1 d10 TN1 (8) ( success x 1 )
Book of Myths[Leah +6]
Dice: 1 d10 TN1 (3) ( success x 1 )
Kiara[Ack! +5]
Dice: 1 d10 TN3 (6) ( success x 1 )
Book of Myths[Red +6]
Dice: 1 d10 TN1 (10) ( success x 1 )
Book of Myths[And the order is:
Dragon: 17
Red: 16
Wolves: 15
Henry: 13
Kiara: 11
Elijah: 10
Leah: 9]
Book of Myths[Leah loses a round being freaked out]
ElijahThis is Elijah. This is Elijah not losing his shit over the fact that there is a dragon who very adamantly wants to wreck Leah's world and, by extension, probably the worlds of everyone with her.
This is Elijah casting the most basic and effective form of magical defense he knows on something gigantic. Just keep focusing, this has to work, because it has before.
(Keep casting, sugar cube! Prime 2 really does work)
Kiara[Kiara is extending her casting this round, more Entropy to find any weak spots in Puff the Magic Dragon]
Book of Myths[Henry attacks the dragon with fire]
Book of Myths[The wolves all attack the dragon's wing (grounding it would be good)]
Book of Myths[Red bolts off at top speed towards the cave. Apparently he has an idea.]
Book of Myths[Dragon activates charm: Armor]
Book of Myths[Dragon spends 10 Essence and gains 8 soak dice against agg damage]
Book of Myths[Red does his thing]
Book of Myths[and the die of fate says...]
Dice: 1 d10 TN1 (8) ( success x 1 )
Book of Myths[the wolves do some serious damage to the dragon's wing. It is grounded and takes 20 damage]
Book of Myths[There is a lot of wind swirling around this dragon. Henry is going to convert some of it into fire. Spirit 3 / Forces 3 diff 6 -1 (practiced) -1 (resonance: ardent)]
Dice: 3 d10 TN4 (2, 8, 10) ( success x 3 ) [WP]
Book of Myths[he will extend into next round]
Kiara[Rinse and repeat as earlier. Okay let's get the diff correct this go around. Diff 6, +1 for extending, -1 focus and I think some WP here.]
Dice: 3 d10 TN6 (7, 8, 10) ( success x 4 ) [WP]
Elijah[prime 2- extending?]
Dice: 2 d10 TN5 (9, 10) ( success x 2 )
Book of Myths[Since the dragon took damage, she gets a new Init roll. Hah. +8]
Dice: 1 d10 TN1 (6) ( success x 1 )
Book of MythsIt happens very quickly, as these things always do. The wolves are on their prey within seconds, ripping and shredding into the dragon's wing with their huge, terrible jaws. Looking over the top of the snowdrift, the mages will be able to see first hand just what kind of threat they escaped when they allied with these creatures. The dragon is tough though. Some of the bites land on scale and clink uselessly against the spirit's armor. But one, the alpha's, wrenches through the long wing-bone and snaps it in half.
The dragon opens its mouth and roars in pain and anger, sending the snow whipping up in little cyclones with its good wing.
From their vantage point on the ground, the mages work their effects. Kiara, gaining what insight she can into the beast's weaknesses. Elijah, conjuring a blast of primal force. Henry, transmuting wind into fire.
But Leah... she hesitates.
And Red? Red has his own ideas. He's off like a scarlet bolt across the ice, making for the entrance to the cave. Distracted as it is, its likely the dragon may not notice something so small and silent.
Book of Myths[Leah gets her shit together and decides to try this Prime attack thing]
Elijah[Prime 2: Again again! Keeep continuing on with the casting. We're going to actually release the dang effect this round (hopefully)]
KiaraKiara's crouching there, watching the wolves tear into the dragon.
She doesn't flinch when there's the terrible crunch of bone snapping and being torn away; her eyes narrowing against the wind, rather, she's deducing, the brunette. Her dark eyes focused on the dragon as if it held (and in part, it did) the keys to their survival. Elijah and Henry are both working and there's a beat, as the dragon roars and throws its weight around that she twists, her voice rising urgently over the sounds of fray.
"You have to aim for its mouth. When it opens it, that's the only weak point. It's armor is too thick. Aim for the mouth." She turns back, jaw set and her teeth sink into her lip until she can taste blood. There's a shiver and she focuses anew.
[Hey it's a Prime party, let's all Prime 2 together.]
Book of Myths[Henry extends his effect]
Dice: 3 d10 TN5 (2, 2, 10) ( success x 2 ) [WP]
Book of Myths[That... was supposed to be a declare. Not a roll. Sorry.]
Book of Myths[Dragon closes distance to Leah and bites her (split action)]
Book of Myths[Wolves be like - excuse us, we're attacking you]
Book of Myths[and the die of fate says...]
Dice: 1 d10 TN6 (2) ( fail )
Book of Myths[the die of fate says the dragon shakes them off and keeps coming]
Book of Myths[Second split Bite -3]
Dice: 5 d10 TN5 (2, 4, 5, 5, 6) ( success x 3 )
Book of Myths[Leah is obviously going to revert to defensive action and try to evade. -1 WP]
Dice: 5 d10 TN6 (3, 4, 7, 9, 10) ( success x 4 ) [WP]
Book of Myths[er... that's 3. Ignore that WP. She spent one to do the action. But still, narrowly escapes!]
Book of Myths[Actually, let's just take that roll I did by mistake. So the total is 5 successes. Or 11 fire damage. And oh, hey, look at that. The dragon's armor doesn't work on Fire. Dragon loses 11 essence.]
Book of Myths[That was Henry. Sorry. I can type names.]
Kiara[Okay, so. We're gonna do this: Prime 2! Diff ... 5? +1 for targeting that mouth, -1 for focus (Blood). We're definitely going to need to extend, I suspect.]
Dice: 3 d10 TN5 (6, 7, 9) ( success x 4 ) [WP]
Book of Myths[Dragon loses 8 more Essence from a bolt of prime down the gullet (ow)]
Elijah[Prime 2: Because pewpew. Diff 3 +2 (sphere) +1 (targetted) +1 (extension): 7 - 1 quint (because I said WORK) -1 resonance (because "Magic, do what you will")
Dice: 2 d10 TN5 (8, 10) ( success x 3 ) [WP]
Book of Myths[and again, dragon takes another 14 damage!]
Book of Myths[And in case anyone is wondering, it has 37 left]
Book of MythsThe wolves warned that Leah would be in danger. Even they didn't know how right they were. The dragon gives a wrenching spin that sends the wolves sprawling across the ice. There are snarls and a couple of sharp whimpers as the dragon breaks away, lunging toward the mages. The ground shakes beneath its feet when it lands. When its eyes fix on Leah, it rears back and opens its jaws, striking out toward her with a vicious snap. Leah, her eyes widening in terror, turns to run, and she only just barely manages to escape the tearing strength of its massive, hooked teeth.
She's running headlong toward the only shelter she can see - the cave.
The dragon parts its jaws to snarl, but before it can turn to chase after its quarry, Kiara and Elijah release two consecutive blasts of pure quintessence straight into the beast's open mouth. It gives this surprised, pained, hissing roar (there is a sound like air moving through grass, whistling slightly) and lurches back away from them, snapping its jaws shut tightly and giving an unhappy shake of its head.
Behind it, the wolves get to their feet and dive in for another attack.
Book of Myths[Leah runs from the inevitable attack she's sure is going to come her way]
Elijah"OhholyjesusLeahgetthecrown!"
[action: run like Hell towards the cave]
Kiara[More Prime attacking! Kiara's going to keep the dragon's focus on them as long as she can to buy them time.]
Book of Myths[Henry goes for another Fire attack]
Book of Myths[Dragon uses charm: Quake]
Book of Myths[Wolves attack the dragon. Naturally.]
Book of Myths[and the die of fate says..]
Dice: 1 d10 TN6 (9) ( success x 1 )
Book of Myths[The wolves lash at the dragon's legs and underbelly, and the alpha leaps up and gets a hold of the dragon's throat, tearing a deep gash in its neck. Some kind of irridescent glowing ooze seeps out of the wounds. Dragon takes another 20 damage]
Book of Myths[Dragon spends 5 essence and starts an earthquake. The ground rumbles and cracks, and the ice above the cave entrance begins to fall in large chunks. Everyone standing must now make a reflexive Dex+Ath roll at diff 8 not to fall over.]
Elijah[This is the part where we faceplant]
Dice: 4 d10 TN8 (1, 4, 4, 7) ( botch x 1 )
Kiara[Dragonquake! Rumble, rumble. Dex + Ath.]
Dice: 6 d10 TN8 (1, 2, 5, 7, 8, 9) ( success x 2 )
Book of Myths[Leah - ah!]
Dice: 5 d10 TN8 (1, 2, 4, 5, 10) ( success x 1 )
Book of Myths[Wolves roll as one]
Dice: 7 d10 TN8 (2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 8, 10) ( success x 3 )
Book of Myths[Dragon probably will not fall from her own quake, but still...]
Dice: 8 d10 TN8 (1, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10) ( success x 1 )
Book of Myths[Oh right, Henry]
Dice: 3 d10 TN8 (5, 7, 9) ( success x 1 )
Book of Myths[Well that was a surprise]
Book of Myths[Henry tries his effect at +2 diff because distractions]
Dice: 3 d10 TN4 (3, 7, 10) ( success x 3 ) [WP]
Book of Myths[Augh, that was diff 6. Still 3 success though.]
Book of Myths[Dragon takes another 7 damage]
Kiara[Prime 2: Give the dragon the worst sore throat ever. Diff 5, +1 targeting (throat), +2 (stuff is going on), -1 focus (blood), possibly extending as before.]
Dice: 3 d10 TN7 (4, 5, 6) ( success x 1 ) [WP]
Book of Myths[Elijah falls and loses a turn]
Elijahaction: Become acquainted with ground.
Book of Myths[Leah makes it to the cave's entrance. Where a bunch of ice is now falling in her general direction...]
Book of MythsThe tide is turning. Perhaps the dragon can sense it, because it uses its next act not to attack but to defend, calling forth a groundshaking earthquake that rumbles and cracks the ice. The wolves, nimble as they are, manage to keep their footing, as do most of the mages. Elijah, unfortunately, is not so lucky. He loses his balance and topples over, landing on his face in the snow. One of his feet gets twisted at an odd angle beneath him, and he has to fight to get standing again.
Henry, seeing Leah running for the cave, does his best to lure the dragon back toward himself, shouting as he fires off another pluming burst of flame.
"Hey! Over here you worthless excuse for a dragon!"
The dragon isn't that stupid though. It knows (or thinks it knows) what it needs to guard against. Not the wolves. Not these three ragtag mages. They've nearly killed it, but its own life is not the thing its trying to protect. So it gives one last roar and charges headlong for Leah and the now-collapsing cave.
Ice is falling in larger and larger chunks. The cave is crumbling. Above it, there is a sound... like a rushing wave. But there's no water here...
An avalanche. And a sheet of snow is coming down, down.... heading for all of them.
Book of Myths[Leah. *sigh* Really? Fuck you. Fuck you. Fuck this dragon. Fuck the umbra. Fuck this entire day. *has Spirit 3 epiphany* *turns around and hits the dragon with fire*]
Elijah[Action!: Roll over, and attack the dang thing: Prime 2? Yes, yes Prime 2]
KiaraThere's a beat where all Kiara can feel is her heart, slamming against her chest. It's all she can hear, too. A pounding in her ears, almost like a rushing - no, wait. The Verbena's eyes widen. They drop to where she can barely see Leah now, through the collapsing snow and the dragon's charging form. Somewhere nearby is Elijah, too.
"Leah!" Kiara screams, there's horror and fear and it slices through the brunette like a knife. "No! Elijah."
There's no time. She focuses her energy and unleashes another blast of pure Prime toward the dragon. "You leave them alone."
[Whoop, one more Prime blast.]
Book of Myths[Henry is going to cast a protective shield on Leah so she doesn't get crushed]
Book of Myths[Dragon uses its last 5 essence and sacrifices itself to hit Leah with its ice breath. It was a brave dragon, in its way. We shall miss it. No, we shall not miss it. But hopefully it will re-birth itself in a better place where it can just be a dragon and not worry about protecting silly crowns.]
Book of Myths[the wolves are going to gtfo]
Book of Myths[The wolves run from the avalanche]
Book of Myths[Dragon hits Leah with 5 agg]
Book of Myths[Leah soaks maybe?]
Dice: 5 d10 TN6 (4, 7, 7, 7, 10) ( success x 4 )
Book of Myths[Hells yeah Avatar 5]
Book of Myths[Dragon dies. Leah takes 1 agg. Henry does his thing. Spirit 3 / Forces 2 diff 6]
Dice: 3 d10 TN6 (1, 2, 8) ( success x 2 ) [WP]
Book of Myths[That had Life 2 as well. I know what I'm doing, honest.]
Kiara[Re-directing Prime blast to get rid of some of that ice playing stacks on Leah. +1 for extending, -1 focus, yadda.]
Dice: 3 d10 TN5 (9, 9, 10) ( success x 4 ) [WP]
Book of Myths[Kiara's blast fires off at the ice descending above Leah's head and carves a MASSIVE hole in it. She manages not to get hit with anything. That is, until the avalanche hits...]
ElijahInt+survival: did Ian ever cover Avalanche Survival Techniques when they went camping?
Dice: 4 d10 TN6 (2, 2, 3, 8) ( success x 1 )
Book of Myths[The only thing Ian has ever said about avalanches is this: "if you can't outrun the wave, when it hits, start swimming."]
ElijahAction: (since there is nothing to poke with prime)... run? -1 WP
Elijahdex+athletics: Running?
Dice: 4 d10 TN6 (2, 4, 7, 8) ( success x 2 )
Book of Myths[Welp. Leah can't even kill the dragon now. So she's gonna hit the snow with fire instead. Spirit 3 / Forces 3 / Prime 2, diff 6 -2 (burning resonance x 2) (Forces specialty applies: Fire)]
Dice: 4 d10 TN4 (4, 8, 10, 10) ( success x 7 ) [Doubling Tens] [WP]
Book of MythsThe dragon dies. It doesn't drop to the ground, broken and bloody, the way a mortal dragon might. Instead its body shimmers and goes dim - incorporeal. Fading into a cloud of frost. The last thing it does before it goes is open its jaws and release this violent gust of frozen wind. The blast hits Leah full on, and she shudders from the cold, but manages to stay standing.
Then the dragon disappears.
Perhaps, for a brief moment, those left standing will have time to realize what they've just done. Something that until recently they likely would have assumed impossible.
Perhaps they are too busy trying to stay alive. Or trying to keep their friends alive.
Henry does his best to protect Leah, conjuring a faint shield of protection from the falling ice. It isn't much, and it doesn't last long. Luckily, Kiara's attempt to obliterate the danger proves more effective, as her attack blasts through the falling sheets and rips a hole in the cave's ceiling big enough to leave Leah out of reach of the collapse.
Elijah, left with few options but to run, does so. As he turns, he can feel a rush of wind as the wolves bolt past his shoulder. He's turned, so he won't see what happens next, but Henry and Kiara do. They see Leah open her mouth and scream - only what comes out isn't a human sound at all. It sounds like a bird - like a raptor - and there's this bright, sudden glow of flame that spreads out into two burning wings at her back. Just before a massive explosion of fire erupts around and above her.
Then the avalanche hits, and there isn't time to tell if she survives. If Red is still alive in that cave somewhere. There isn't time to do anything but run.
It sounds like the ocean. Funny how much it sounds like that. Like they're about to get hit by...
The wave crashes around them, and everything goes dark and quiet.
ElijahHe doesn't have time to say anything. He just hears the sound, and it sounds like the ocean and something in his stomach turns and he runs. He runs like he's never run in his life- he doesn't want to get stuck in an avalanche, knows that his friends haven't turned tail and tried to break through with him.
He doesn't see what happens, just hears a sound, like the ocean, and the world goes dark and quiet and he knows he needs to go up and he's made enough progress to still remember where up is, plants his feet on what he presumes is solid ground and reaches upward, swims, pulls, pushes, doeswhatever he can think of to do because he didn't think to hold his breath and that's what he thinks is going to be the problem.
It doesn't matter if it's sand or water or ice or blood, if there's no air you'll die. Suffocate, drown, be crushed by the world around you and he doesn'twant that. When he pulls up he can finally feel something like cold air instead of wet snow.
Elijah tries to pull himself out of the snow, can't push forward to feel any other living presence. Just knows it's cold, and just knows that he's the one who had the running start.
So, instead, he tries to listen. Maybe he'll hear someone, maybe something other than wind and stillness.
"Fuck," he hissed. Panic hasn't set in yet. It's getting there, though.
KiaraThe momentum of it knocks the Verbena off her feet. There's barely time for her to cover her face and half turn as if somehow doing so and offering her back to the oncoming wave of snow would make a difference before it hits and Kiara is buried in it; there's a rushing roar as it pours over the mountainside and covers everything in its path and then - nothing.
Silence and a tiny smattering of snow drifting down in the avalanche's wake.
And buried in there, Kiara breathes in a sudden, spasmodic way. Her body engulfed in the crush of it; she can't breathe and for a moment there's nothing but panic. Such an instinctive, human reaction before she squeezes her eyes closed and forces her body to listen; to slow the rapid thunder of her heart. Of this, she has mastery - it's freezing but she reaches down with her feet; feeling for the earth beneath her.
Striving for the connection.
The strength contained in the earth below.
Kiara[Life 3: Strength of the Earth, Umbral style. Diff 6, -1 focus, I mean what else is there to do right now but focus on getting out, -1 Quint because why not. She's not exactly getting anywhere fast is she.]
Dice: 3 d10 TN4 (2, 6, 7) ( success x 3 ) [WP]
Book of MythsThere's little sense of where the others are - let alone what kind of state they're in. One can only hope that they made it. Where Kiara rests, buried deep within the snow, she feels as though she's suffocating. The snow is in her eyes, her nose, her mouth. It melts when she breaths but not enough. Can she die that way here? Does she even actually need breath in this place? Perhaps the reason she does is because she believes she is alive. And so so she is alive.
The reason doesn't matter. She needs to breath and she can't. Not enough. Only these little, shallow wisps of oxygen. But she pushes her foot against the ground and she forces herself to calm. To focus. And she draws the strength of the earth up through her body.
When she pushes at the snow, she finds that she can move it a little. That she can dig in these achingly slow little movements. It's frustrating work, especially when she has so little air and the world is black and pressing in on her. But she does make headway.
Elijah is luckier. He ran, and when the wave hit he manage to swim partway to the surface. When his hand breaks through, he can feel the cold kiss of open air. There's a long moment where he tries not to panic. Swears under his breath against the snow.
Then something dislodges the snow next to his arm. A paw, digging through the surface. He can feel the snow being pulled away, feel his arm being freed. Finally teeth latch down on his shirt and give a hard yank.
And he breaks free.
The wolf drags him out onto the surface, then drops his arm, looking him in the eyes with this quiet note of concern. It's the same wolf he'd ridden on their journey to find the cave.
"We said we'd help," he speaks. "We keep our promises."
Then he turns and trots toward where the other wolves are digging in two other places.
If Elijah turns to watch him go, he'll see something else in the distance. A figure running through the snow wreathed in flame, and a tiny dot of trotting beside her. The fox is carrying something in its mouth that glints silver in the sun.
"Elijah!" Leah shouts. "We have to get Kiara and Henry!"
Elijah[Int+enigmas, diff7. Because I'm pretty sure my friends are dying and I'm stressed because this is stressful]
Dice: 6 d10 TN7 (1, 3, 4, 5, 5, 9) ( success x 1 )
Kiara[Strength + Ath, nnnngh.]
Dice: 8 d10 TN8 (2, 4, 4, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9) ( success x 3 )
Book of Myths[Edit: omg, so many typos. So many. "and a tiny dot of red trotting beside her."]
Book of Myths[Kiara successfully digs her way to the surface]
ElijahThere is this moment when the world feels like it wants to slip, like some part of him wants to break down and fracture and it doesn't. He doesn't know yet that this is a possibility, could have very well slipped in and out of breaks with reality earlier in life and never noticed because everything seemed like a fracture in reality, truth be told. We digress.
There is a wolf pulling him to the surface and he doesn't have words, doesn't know what to say except that he wants to hug the damn thing and that it was a bad idea to not take them along. He was on his feet soon enough, looks to the distance and hears Leah, calls back.
"I'm gonna look for Henry!" because Kiara wasn't a sixty something year old man with bad knees.
He darts off to follow along with one of the wolves in the distance. Puts his ear to the ground. They seem to have a good scent on things.
"Please be okay?" he asks, hopes he hears something. Wouldn't care who he found just so long as it was someone.
KiaraThe wolves are digging into the layers of snow and it must feel like a futile moment.
There was just so much snow and it had buried the place where Kiara and Henry had been standing. Surely they couldn't have survived long under that much snow. Suffocation could be as real as it felt, after all. Convince the human body that there was no air and hyperventilation was entirely possible.
Kiara keeps her eyes closed.
Keeps her breathing light and as even as she can afford to make it; her arms pinned to her sides; her ribs throat aching with the need to breathe in. And then, she can feel it. The seep of energy flowing into her; the tender brush of the earth under her fingertips; setting them twitching. Sinking beneath her skin and curling around her legs.
It's a rush, a jolt of sudden adrenaline and the Verbena kicks out, hard. Or as hard as she's able to and moves an inch. Another. There's the desire to cry out of pure frustration and perhaps it's that, as much as anything. A pure, stubborn will to survive that has her coil all her energy into a sudden movement. A sharp, animalistic snarl as she pushes at the snow with all her might -
And a hand bursts out of the snow.
Something wet and twitching finds it and there's an answering whuff. The Verbena keeps kicking and a snow-smeared head and shoulders appear from under the dislodged snow. Her lip is bleeding badly (a deliberately inflicted wound) and she seems disorientated for a moment, blinking rapidly in the light.
Oxygen floods her lungs and the Verbena sets her hand on the ground, content for a moment it would seem, just to breathe.
Book of MythsWhen Kiara breaks the surface, the wolves move to get out of her way, allowing her space to rest - to breath. Then there is a hand on her shoulder and it feels warm.
"You're okay, you're okay.." It's Leah, kneeling down to wrap her arms around Kiara's shoulders - holding her tightly for a moment as though to reassure herself that the other Verbena is really alive. There's a sudden breath and then "Thank you." Her flames feel soft where they lick at Kiara's skin. They melt the snow remaining there, leaving her dry. Then she's gone a moment later, rising to help Elijah and the wolves dig Henry free. If he was even still alive.
Elijah follows the wolves, pressing his ear to the snow in a frantic attempt to hear... something. Anything. But there's nothing to hear. Are they digging in the wrong place, or is Henry unconscious? Or worse.
"It's okay," Leah says, softly, as she comes rushing over. "We'll get him out." The wolves are digging fast, dislodging great piles of snow with their powerful legs, but it isn't fast enough and Leah sets her hands on the snow and says something in a voice that doesn't wholly sound like her own and isn't in any language Elijah or Kiara will understand (because no one has spoken it for thousands of years) and her eyes glow.
Book of Myths[Aaand melting the snow. Same as before.]
Dice: 4 d10 TN4 (2, 4, 5, 6) ( success x 4 ) [Doubling Tens] [WP]
Book of MythsAnd then the snow sizzles and melts and rises into the air in clouds of steam. When it finishes, there is Henry's form curled into a ball in the crevice, unconscious but alive.
Red drops the thing he was carrying and races down to look at him. When he presses his nose to Henry's face, he utters a plaintive whine.
Then Henry inhales in a gasp and opens his eyes.
ElijahIt doesn't dawn on him to hide the fact that he is terrified of the prospect of losing his mentor. That this would be it for him, he didn't want to study with anyone else, he didn't want to be around anyone else, he wanted to study with Henry. He wanted to share stories and incorporate the old man into his life and introduce him to Jenn and give him a freaking house key and build this person as a fact of his current existence.
And he might be dead. He might be unconscious, what if they were in the wrong place and Elijah couldn't reach any further than he had. Leah tells him it's okay, and he's looking at her like he desperately wants this to be true, like she has to know something he doesn't- because that wasn't hard. He was, by far, the least experienced person here. Took a lot of things for granted.
The snow is gone and he looked relieved for a brief moment, which then was kicked aside by the silence. Red pokes him, Elijah bridges the gap, should probably give Henry a chance to breathe, but he hugs him anyway.
"Je craignais tu es mort," because he wasn't taking the precious seconds it took to translate.
Kiara"I'm okay." Kiara echoes after a moment, her voice raspy.
She's tentative as she pushes herself to her feet, the strength she'd channeled, pulled out of the ground itself still thrumming through her veins. She feels - surprisingly energized considering what had just happened and for a moment, all the brunette can do is stand there and stare at the point where the cave was, where (had it only been minutes? It felt like hours) there had been a towering dragon.
Now, there's nothing but the snow and the sounds of desperate digging, followed by the sizzling sound of Leah's working melting it down. By the time Kiara's moved to stand beside the others, Henry's been uncovered and Elijah has all but thrown himself down over the older man, saying something in French the Verbena doesn't understand, but - comprehends the meaning behind.
Gratitude. Relief.
She catches sight of the glinting object Red had dropped and moves to stand over it, staring down at it with a complicated expression twisting her features; her supple mouth into a frown. "You found it," she offers simply and doesn't move to pick it up but glances instead across at the other Verbena. Studying Leah's face with no tiny amount of consideration.
"Are you alright?"
Book of Myths[Leah is going to heal this 1 dot of agg]
Dice: 4 d10 TN5 (5, 8, 9, 10) ( success x 4 )
Book of Myths[well that was overkill]
Book of Myths[Leah's dice are appropriate tonight]
Book of MythsThere's a note of quiet panic in Leah's eyes when she sees Henry's motionless body, but it relaxes when he opens his eyes. There's a moment where she looks at him with this complicated expression. Then she turns and walks a few paces away. She stops beside where Red dropped the crown, her eyes drawn to it. But when she looks at it, there's no sense of relief or joy - no gratitude at being reunited with this lost relic.
This crown that had once been hers.
She just looks... sad.
"Red found it," she answers Kiara quietly. When she looks up, there are tears glistening in her eyes. "Physically, yes. A little frostbitten." She holds out her hands, and Kiara will see that there are places where the cold left the skin blackened. There's a patch of it on her cheek too. She takes a breath and closes her eyes. Murmurs another word in that ancient tongue and the wounds heal like nothing ever happened. She bends down to touch the crown, and there is this.. arrested heartbeat. Almost, she can't make herself do it. But then she wraps her fingers around it and lifts it from the snow.
The crown: truthfully, it's more of a circlet than a proper crown. Surprisingly simple for something so valuable. Just a silver band inlaid with a few simple, elegant designs (they look a bit like bird feathers) and notched with settings for nine stones.
But whatever used to be set there... the stones are gone now.
Still, the crown hums with mythic resonance. If they're quiet, they can hear it. The way it pitches higher when Leah touches it. (Like it's coming home.)
"The stones are gone," she says, her voice cold. Exhausted. Embittered. "It's useless without them. We did all this for a trinket."
Back in the crevice, Elijah is clutching Henry, holding him, uttering his desperate relief. And Henry is smiling and laughing and wrapping his arms around his apprentice like he'd be just as happy to stay there with him all day. "Non, mon cher ami. Je n'aurais pas partir tu."
ElijahThe sound is one of utter relief, followed by incoherent sounds of even more relief. They could have forgotten all about the crown for all he cared, if they hadn't come back with Henry he would have been inconsolable. Even if it did have all of its pieces. Even if it was a completed relic. Somewhere at the back of his mind, he hears this, puts it together catches the bitter tones and knows...
No, doesn't know. Elijah has no ties to his past life beyond the warnings his avatar has uttered all of once- you've faltered before. Just the once, before the world went silent and dreams stopped being shitshow nightmares where Nothing reigned supreme.
He takes a minute before he finally gives Henry a chance to breathe, and a hand up to actually stand because heaven knows it can't be comfortable having a lanky twenty-something piled on top of you like an overeager puppy.
"Well," he announces, "we just found out that the quest is going to take a little longer than anticipated."
Seems, at the very least, that if the desire to search was still there, he was volunteering his services.
KiaraThe stones are gone, Leah says and Kiara's eyes drop to the glinting object in her (now fully healed) hands.
She doesn't seem as dismayed as she perhaps should considering the apparent power in the artifact but then again, for all the fact she was nearly smothered by a mountainside full of snow, the Verbena seems remarkably contained but for the way her hand trembles just a little as she seeks to slide it around Leah's body, bracketing the other woman in a brief, supportive embrace.
She watches Elijah and Henry's reunion with a tiny, half formed smile for a moment and then takes a deep, cleansing breath. There were things she wanted to ask, questions that needed answering - among them, what happened now, to the crown, to the search for the stones and whoever had taken them from this place - but Kiara doesn't seem particularly inclined to ask them, as much as her eyes speak of them when they cut across to the others, to Leah's expression.
"Not for nothing." She does say, after a while. Her eyes dropping to the circlet. "At least we know where they aren't." Then, she squeezes at Leah's side lightly; offers her hand as it falls to her side.
"Let's go home."
This is a harsh land. Beautiful, but unforgiving.
For awhile all they can see is empty snowdrifts. But gradually, the sight of a distant mountain range materializes on the horizon. Without the wolves, this journey will have taken them a long time. Perhaps that thought will bring some small measure of comfort to those still wondering if they made the right decision.
Gradually they draw nearer their destination, leaping and sprinting over rolling drifts. The mountains ahead grow taller and more distinct with each yard. At some point they will be able to make out a cave in the distance, carved into what looks like a sheer wall of ice. The mountains themselves, in fact, are made of ice - not stone. In the light of the sun, they seem to glow a pale shade of aqua. Something has unspooled itself over the ground past the entrance to the cave: a long, white serpent's tail, its scales shimmering in shades of blue-green iridescence where the light hits it.
There is very little in the way of cover out there. Only a few low snowdrifts - just tall enough to crouch behind. Beyond them, the ground is flat snow and solid ice.
The wolves stop running before they get too close. Slinking close to the ground, they detour off to one side, creeping silently over the snow. The little beacon of light stays with them for awhile, then rises up into the air, shoots over and stops, hovering, just above the cave's entrance. This is, it would seem, their intended destination.
They stop behind a drift, and Henry looks to the others, reassuring himself that all are well and ready. "When we go in, we must let the wolves lead. Our strengths are range and cleverness. And I will not have you dying by dragon-breath on my watch."
ElijahThe ride is lovely, in the very least. It's long, or at least it feels long, and after awhile the land turns into less land and more snow. Just drifts and a harsh, overwhelming sort of mountain of ice. Something that would seal itself shut or bury them in the ocean if it ever melted.
This was a land of almost unending cold, though, he knew good and well that the likelihood of all of this crumbling beneath their feet was slim. This was a place that was almost the very idea of ice. Once they stop, he has a chance to look around, listens to Henry and for once his imagination isn't wandering. He's present, or as present as Elijah believed himself capable of actually being.
Exhales, waits to see his breath before he takes a quick look at that tail again.
Gives a thumbs up, exhales slowly.
"Glad we're all on the same page," on the not dying courtesy of dragon's breath, that is.
KiaraShe keeps her eyes open on the way there.
It's tempting to close them and Kiara does bend low, arms wound into the fur of the great wolf below her; fingers gripping at its sides as it makes quick work of the distance. She turns her face into the beast's pelt and then, as the mountain begins to unveil itself in the distance; rises up and watches it grow nearer; her dark hair whipping out behind her like a wild, curling banner.
The sight of the dragon's tail, massive and protruding from the depths of the cave sends tension into the Verbena's frame, she's focused and grim as they creep down behind a drift of snow, her breath pluming out before her as they ready themselves to face - was there really any way to prepare yourself for what they were about to?
Kiara's fingers reach for Elijah's hand and she takes it without sparing the other a glance; but Elijah can feel the intention to it; the way the brunette seems to impress her feelings into one, brief capture of his hand; imprinting things into his skin in a sudden flood of familiar warmth (stay safe, be careful).
She nods at Henry and her jaw clenches; her hands rubbing absently over her jeans. "I'm ready." She's not, her heart is racing, beating wildly inside her chest but somehow - her voice comes out steady. She does spare a moment for their wolf allies, Kiara, and sets a hand on one of their massive coats as they pass, murmuring some wish for caution.
Book of Myths"Do you think I do not know you are there?"
The voice, deep and powerful, rumbles out from inside the cave. The mages feel it as much as hear it - the way it shakes the ground and vibrates into their bones. The sound of it is echoing and cavernous.
"Do you think I do not smell you? That I did not feel you coming across the tundra?"
The dragon's tail slides along the ice, moving in a slow slither as its owner shifts inside the cave.
"I knew you were here the moment you arrived, Amara. I have been waiting for you for a long, long time."
Those last words rumble so deep it makes the snow shift under the wolves' feet. The alpha bares her teeth and glances at Leah, but says nothing. Whatever this particular development, it does not change her plans. The wolves give a little shake and crouch down to allow the mages to dismount. Henry and Red hop off quickly.
They do not seem as surprised as perhaps they should to hear that name on the dragon's tongue. Leah though? She goes frozen-still, then gives this sudden shiver. It takes a moment for her to climb down from the wolf's back, and when she does she seems... angry. A little disoriented. She closes her eyes and puts her hands over her ears and bares her teeth like she wants to snarl the way the dire wolves do.
There is a conversation that needs to be had. But they have no time to have it. The dragon is moving. They can hear it, claws scraping on ice, scales sliding over scales. And then a great, horned head appears at the entrance to the cave. Iridescent-white like the rest of it. Pale, luminous eyes. When it breathes, crystals of frost form in the air.
This thing is no more a fire dragon than the land around them is in summer bloom.
The dragon takes a step out of its cave, spreads its wings and roars.
For a moment, everything is sound. Booming, echoing, ringing. Then the alpha lifts her head in a howling challenge and the wolves leap over the drift.
ElijahThere are some things he knows by touch, and would have been able to distinguish what Kiara's hand felt like even if they were cloaked entirely in darkness. She might not pay him a second glance but he does look at her, turns his attentions there and he does squeeze her hand a little. Enough to remind her that he's there, that he's heard, that he's actually paying attention or regards her enough to actually heed her instructions.
Stay safe. Be Careful.
But then, there is a sound. Something that resonates more in his chest than in his ears. The way he always thought dragons would sound, the way that it seems to know without having to know. Things seem to click into place for a second, eyes cast to Leah and her fire that was once there, the way the earth hadn't wanted her here, the way it had tried to steal her fire and he thinks of Amara Renata- firebird priestess- and he can draw conclusions. he can make parallels even if he doesn't know her, he does have enough faith in the cycle to be almost certain their dragon wasn't mistaken.
He hops himself down, gives the dragon a second look.
"Doesn't look that big," he tells himself, curses under his breath and says something else in some language only angels and Henry would know.
(ladida, you know, just prepping things with prime for prime 2, because prime is made of awesome and win
KiaraAmara.
The dragon calls Leah Amara and there's a beat where she's not the only one who freezes. Kiara too, stops and what little color her face had contained seems to drain away in an instant as her eyes shift to the fiery mage as she puts her hands over her ears. Kiara's eyes close for an instant and her expression is some mixture of comprehension and dawning horror.
Oh, God.
They open again and flick to Henry with this bright, fierce look there's no time to quantify because the dragon is moving. Its great body lashing the ground as it moves and the Verbena slings her backpack off her shoulders; jams a hand into its depths and pulls out a small drawstring purse; she's sliding her pack back on and tipping the contents into a hand before the dragon has fully stepped out into direct sight.
The pagan's expression is stricken, pale and fearful but there's determination in those dark eyes as they fixate on the wings that snap open as it roars. The sound of it seems to vibrate Kiara's bones, she closes her eyes and grits her teeth against the sound and squeezes her fingers tight around the dried leaves in her hand.
[Let's work a little Entropy up in here, oh yes.]
Elijah[Starting! Prime 2- Pew Pew! Diff 3 + 2 (sphere) = 5 -1 (because he actually has practiced this as weird as that sounds)= diff 4]
Dice: 2 d10 TN4 (7, 9) ( success x 2 )
Kiara[Entropy 1, I forget the title, locate disorder and weakness? Anyway, Diff 3 + 1, -1 Foci]
Dice: 3 d10 TN3 (2, 6, 8) ( success x 2 )
Book of Myths[The wolves get one Init score. They fight as one. +7]
Dice: 1 d10 TN1 (8) ( success x 1 )
Elijah[5+d10]
Dice: 1 d10 TN4 (5) ( success x 1 )
Book of Myths[Dragon +8]
Dice: 1 d10 TN1 (9) ( success x 1 )
Book of Myths[Henry +5]
Dice: 1 d10 TN1 (8) ( success x 1 )
Book of Myths[Leah +6]
Dice: 1 d10 TN1 (3) ( success x 1 )
Kiara[Ack! +5]
Dice: 1 d10 TN3 (6) ( success x 1 )
Book of Myths[Red +6]
Dice: 1 d10 TN1 (10) ( success x 1 )
Book of Myths[And the order is:
Dragon: 17
Red: 16
Wolves: 15
Henry: 13
Kiara: 11
Elijah: 10
Leah: 9]
Book of Myths[Leah loses a round being freaked out]
ElijahThis is Elijah. This is Elijah not losing his shit over the fact that there is a dragon who very adamantly wants to wreck Leah's world and, by extension, probably the worlds of everyone with her.
This is Elijah casting the most basic and effective form of magical defense he knows on something gigantic. Just keep focusing, this has to work, because it has before.
(Keep casting, sugar cube! Prime 2 really does work)
Kiara[Kiara is extending her casting this round, more Entropy to find any weak spots in Puff the Magic Dragon]
Book of Myths[Henry attacks the dragon with fire]
Book of Myths[The wolves all attack the dragon's wing (grounding it would be good)]
Book of Myths[Red bolts off at top speed towards the cave. Apparently he has an idea.]
Book of Myths[Dragon activates charm: Armor]
Book of Myths[Dragon spends 10 Essence and gains 8 soak dice against agg damage]
Book of Myths[Red does his thing]
Book of Myths[and the die of fate says...]
Dice: 1 d10 TN1 (8) ( success x 1 )
Book of Myths[the wolves do some serious damage to the dragon's wing. It is grounded and takes 20 damage]
Book of Myths[There is a lot of wind swirling around this dragon. Henry is going to convert some of it into fire. Spirit 3 / Forces 3 diff 6 -1 (practiced) -1 (resonance: ardent)]
Dice: 3 d10 TN4 (2, 8, 10) ( success x 3 ) [WP]
Book of Myths[he will extend into next round]
Kiara[Rinse and repeat as earlier. Okay let's get the diff correct this go around. Diff 6, +1 for extending, -1 focus and I think some WP here.]
Dice: 3 d10 TN6 (7, 8, 10) ( success x 4 ) [WP]
Elijah[prime 2- extending?]
Dice: 2 d10 TN5 (9, 10) ( success x 2 )
Book of Myths[Since the dragon took damage, she gets a new Init roll. Hah. +8]
Dice: 1 d10 TN1 (6) ( success x 1 )
Book of MythsIt happens very quickly, as these things always do. The wolves are on their prey within seconds, ripping and shredding into the dragon's wing with their huge, terrible jaws. Looking over the top of the snowdrift, the mages will be able to see first hand just what kind of threat they escaped when they allied with these creatures. The dragon is tough though. Some of the bites land on scale and clink uselessly against the spirit's armor. But one, the alpha's, wrenches through the long wing-bone and snaps it in half.
The dragon opens its mouth and roars in pain and anger, sending the snow whipping up in little cyclones with its good wing.
From their vantage point on the ground, the mages work their effects. Kiara, gaining what insight she can into the beast's weaknesses. Elijah, conjuring a blast of primal force. Henry, transmuting wind into fire.
But Leah... she hesitates.
And Red? Red has his own ideas. He's off like a scarlet bolt across the ice, making for the entrance to the cave. Distracted as it is, its likely the dragon may not notice something so small and silent.
Book of Myths[Leah gets her shit together and decides to try this Prime attack thing]
Elijah[Prime 2: Again again! Keeep continuing on with the casting. We're going to actually release the dang effect this round (hopefully)]
KiaraKiara's crouching there, watching the wolves tear into the dragon.
She doesn't flinch when there's the terrible crunch of bone snapping and being torn away; her eyes narrowing against the wind, rather, she's deducing, the brunette. Her dark eyes focused on the dragon as if it held (and in part, it did) the keys to their survival. Elijah and Henry are both working and there's a beat, as the dragon roars and throws its weight around that she twists, her voice rising urgently over the sounds of fray.
"You have to aim for its mouth. When it opens it, that's the only weak point. It's armor is too thick. Aim for the mouth." She turns back, jaw set and her teeth sink into her lip until she can taste blood. There's a shiver and she focuses anew.
[Hey it's a Prime party, let's all Prime 2 together.]
Book of Myths[Henry extends his effect]
Dice: 3 d10 TN5 (2, 2, 10) ( success x 2 ) [WP]
Book of Myths[That... was supposed to be a declare. Not a roll. Sorry.]
Book of Myths[Dragon closes distance to Leah and bites her (split action)]
Book of Myths[Wolves be like - excuse us, we're attacking you]
Book of Myths[and the die of fate says...]
Dice: 1 d10 TN6 (2) ( fail )
Book of Myths[the die of fate says the dragon shakes them off and keeps coming]
Book of Myths[Second split Bite -3]
Dice: 5 d10 TN5 (2, 4, 5, 5, 6) ( success x 3 )
Book of Myths[Leah is obviously going to revert to defensive action and try to evade. -1 WP]
Dice: 5 d10 TN6 (3, 4, 7, 9, 10) ( success x 4 ) [WP]
Book of Myths[er... that's 3. Ignore that WP. She spent one to do the action. But still, narrowly escapes!]
Book of Myths[Actually, let's just take that roll I did by mistake. So the total is 5 successes. Or 11 fire damage. And oh, hey, look at that. The dragon's armor doesn't work on Fire. Dragon loses 11 essence.]
Book of Myths[That was Henry. Sorry. I can type names.]
Kiara[Okay, so. We're gonna do this: Prime 2! Diff ... 5? +1 for targeting that mouth, -1 for focus (Blood). We're definitely going to need to extend, I suspect.]
Dice: 3 d10 TN5 (6, 7, 9) ( success x 4 ) [WP]
Book of Myths[Dragon loses 8 more Essence from a bolt of prime down the gullet (ow)]
Elijah[Prime 2: Because pewpew. Diff 3 +2 (sphere) +1 (targetted) +1 (extension): 7 - 1 quint (because I said WORK) -1 resonance (because "Magic, do what you will")
Dice: 2 d10 TN5 (8, 10) ( success x 3 ) [WP]
Book of Myths[and again, dragon takes another 14 damage!]
Book of Myths[And in case anyone is wondering, it has 37 left]
Book of MythsThe wolves warned that Leah would be in danger. Even they didn't know how right they were. The dragon gives a wrenching spin that sends the wolves sprawling across the ice. There are snarls and a couple of sharp whimpers as the dragon breaks away, lunging toward the mages. The ground shakes beneath its feet when it lands. When its eyes fix on Leah, it rears back and opens its jaws, striking out toward her with a vicious snap. Leah, her eyes widening in terror, turns to run, and she only just barely manages to escape the tearing strength of its massive, hooked teeth.
She's running headlong toward the only shelter she can see - the cave.
The dragon parts its jaws to snarl, but before it can turn to chase after its quarry, Kiara and Elijah release two consecutive blasts of pure quintessence straight into the beast's open mouth. It gives this surprised, pained, hissing roar (there is a sound like air moving through grass, whistling slightly) and lurches back away from them, snapping its jaws shut tightly and giving an unhappy shake of its head.
Behind it, the wolves get to their feet and dive in for another attack.
Book of Myths[Leah runs from the inevitable attack she's sure is going to come her way]
Elijah"OhholyjesusLeahgetthecrown!"
[action: run like Hell towards the cave]
Kiara[More Prime attacking! Kiara's going to keep the dragon's focus on them as long as she can to buy them time.]
Book of Myths[Henry goes for another Fire attack]
Book of Myths[Dragon uses charm: Quake]
Book of Myths[Wolves attack the dragon. Naturally.]
Book of Myths[and the die of fate says..]
Dice: 1 d10 TN6 (9) ( success x 1 )
Book of Myths[The wolves lash at the dragon's legs and underbelly, and the alpha leaps up and gets a hold of the dragon's throat, tearing a deep gash in its neck. Some kind of irridescent glowing ooze seeps out of the wounds. Dragon takes another 20 damage]
Book of Myths[Dragon spends 5 essence and starts an earthquake. The ground rumbles and cracks, and the ice above the cave entrance begins to fall in large chunks. Everyone standing must now make a reflexive Dex+Ath roll at diff 8 not to fall over.]
Elijah[This is the part where we faceplant]
Dice: 4 d10 TN8 (1, 4, 4, 7) ( botch x 1 )
Kiara[Dragonquake! Rumble, rumble. Dex + Ath.]
Dice: 6 d10 TN8 (1, 2, 5, 7, 8, 9) ( success x 2 )
Book of Myths[Leah - ah!]
Dice: 5 d10 TN8 (1, 2, 4, 5, 10) ( success x 1 )
Book of Myths[Wolves roll as one]
Dice: 7 d10 TN8 (2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 8, 10) ( success x 3 )
Book of Myths[Dragon probably will not fall from her own quake, but still...]
Dice: 8 d10 TN8 (1, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10) ( success x 1 )
Book of Myths[Oh right, Henry]
Dice: 3 d10 TN8 (5, 7, 9) ( success x 1 )
Book of Myths[Well that was a surprise]
Book of Myths[Henry tries his effect at +2 diff because distractions]
Dice: 3 d10 TN4 (3, 7, 10) ( success x 3 ) [WP]
Book of Myths[Augh, that was diff 6. Still 3 success though.]
Book of Myths[Dragon takes another 7 damage]
Kiara[Prime 2: Give the dragon the worst sore throat ever. Diff 5, +1 targeting (throat), +2 (stuff is going on), -1 focus (blood), possibly extending as before.]
Dice: 3 d10 TN7 (4, 5, 6) ( success x 1 ) [WP]
Book of Myths[Elijah falls and loses a turn]
Elijahaction: Become acquainted with ground.
Book of Myths[Leah makes it to the cave's entrance. Where a bunch of ice is now falling in her general direction...]
Book of MythsThe tide is turning. Perhaps the dragon can sense it, because it uses its next act not to attack but to defend, calling forth a groundshaking earthquake that rumbles and cracks the ice. The wolves, nimble as they are, manage to keep their footing, as do most of the mages. Elijah, unfortunately, is not so lucky. He loses his balance and topples over, landing on his face in the snow. One of his feet gets twisted at an odd angle beneath him, and he has to fight to get standing again.
Henry, seeing Leah running for the cave, does his best to lure the dragon back toward himself, shouting as he fires off another pluming burst of flame.
"Hey! Over here you worthless excuse for a dragon!"
The dragon isn't that stupid though. It knows (or thinks it knows) what it needs to guard against. Not the wolves. Not these three ragtag mages. They've nearly killed it, but its own life is not the thing its trying to protect. So it gives one last roar and charges headlong for Leah and the now-collapsing cave.
Ice is falling in larger and larger chunks. The cave is crumbling. Above it, there is a sound... like a rushing wave. But there's no water here...
An avalanche. And a sheet of snow is coming down, down.... heading for all of them.
Book of Myths[Leah. *sigh* Really? Fuck you. Fuck you. Fuck this dragon. Fuck the umbra. Fuck this entire day. *has Spirit 3 epiphany* *turns around and hits the dragon with fire*]
Elijah[Action!: Roll over, and attack the dang thing: Prime 2? Yes, yes Prime 2]
KiaraThere's a beat where all Kiara can feel is her heart, slamming against her chest. It's all she can hear, too. A pounding in her ears, almost like a rushing - no, wait. The Verbena's eyes widen. They drop to where she can barely see Leah now, through the collapsing snow and the dragon's charging form. Somewhere nearby is Elijah, too.
"Leah!" Kiara screams, there's horror and fear and it slices through the brunette like a knife. "No! Elijah."
There's no time. She focuses her energy and unleashes another blast of pure Prime toward the dragon. "You leave them alone."
[Whoop, one more Prime blast.]
Book of Myths[Henry is going to cast a protective shield on Leah so she doesn't get crushed]
Book of Myths[Dragon uses its last 5 essence and sacrifices itself to hit Leah with its ice breath. It was a brave dragon, in its way. We shall miss it. No, we shall not miss it. But hopefully it will re-birth itself in a better place where it can just be a dragon and not worry about protecting silly crowns.]
Book of Myths[the wolves are going to gtfo]
Book of Myths[The wolves run from the avalanche]
Book of Myths[Dragon hits Leah with 5 agg]
Book of Myths[Leah soaks maybe?]
Dice: 5 d10 TN6 (4, 7, 7, 7, 10) ( success x 4 )
Book of Myths[Hells yeah Avatar 5]
Book of Myths[Dragon dies. Leah takes 1 agg. Henry does his thing. Spirit 3 / Forces 2 diff 6]
Dice: 3 d10 TN6 (1, 2, 8) ( success x 2 ) [WP]
Book of Myths[That had Life 2 as well. I know what I'm doing, honest.]
Kiara[Re-directing Prime blast to get rid of some of that ice playing stacks on Leah. +1 for extending, -1 focus, yadda.]
Dice: 3 d10 TN5 (9, 9, 10) ( success x 4 ) [WP]
Book of Myths[Kiara's blast fires off at the ice descending above Leah's head and carves a MASSIVE hole in it. She manages not to get hit with anything. That is, until the avalanche hits...]
ElijahInt+survival: did Ian ever cover Avalanche Survival Techniques when they went camping?
Dice: 4 d10 TN6 (2, 2, 3, 8) ( success x 1 )
Book of Myths[The only thing Ian has ever said about avalanches is this: "if you can't outrun the wave, when it hits, start swimming."]
ElijahAction: (since there is nothing to poke with prime)... run? -1 WP
Elijahdex+athletics: Running?
Dice: 4 d10 TN6 (2, 4, 7, 8) ( success x 2 )
Book of Myths[Welp. Leah can't even kill the dragon now. So she's gonna hit the snow with fire instead. Spirit 3 / Forces 3 / Prime 2, diff 6 -2 (burning resonance x 2) (Forces specialty applies: Fire)]
Dice: 4 d10 TN4 (4, 8, 10, 10) ( success x 7 ) [Doubling Tens] [WP]
Book of MythsThe dragon dies. It doesn't drop to the ground, broken and bloody, the way a mortal dragon might. Instead its body shimmers and goes dim - incorporeal. Fading into a cloud of frost. The last thing it does before it goes is open its jaws and release this violent gust of frozen wind. The blast hits Leah full on, and she shudders from the cold, but manages to stay standing.
Then the dragon disappears.
Perhaps, for a brief moment, those left standing will have time to realize what they've just done. Something that until recently they likely would have assumed impossible.
Perhaps they are too busy trying to stay alive. Or trying to keep their friends alive.
Henry does his best to protect Leah, conjuring a faint shield of protection from the falling ice. It isn't much, and it doesn't last long. Luckily, Kiara's attempt to obliterate the danger proves more effective, as her attack blasts through the falling sheets and rips a hole in the cave's ceiling big enough to leave Leah out of reach of the collapse.
Elijah, left with few options but to run, does so. As he turns, he can feel a rush of wind as the wolves bolt past his shoulder. He's turned, so he won't see what happens next, but Henry and Kiara do. They see Leah open her mouth and scream - only what comes out isn't a human sound at all. It sounds like a bird - like a raptor - and there's this bright, sudden glow of flame that spreads out into two burning wings at her back. Just before a massive explosion of fire erupts around and above her.
Then the avalanche hits, and there isn't time to tell if she survives. If Red is still alive in that cave somewhere. There isn't time to do anything but run.
It sounds like the ocean. Funny how much it sounds like that. Like they're about to get hit by...
The wave crashes around them, and everything goes dark and quiet.
ElijahHe doesn't have time to say anything. He just hears the sound, and it sounds like the ocean and something in his stomach turns and he runs. He runs like he's never run in his life- he doesn't want to get stuck in an avalanche, knows that his friends haven't turned tail and tried to break through with him.
He doesn't see what happens, just hears a sound, like the ocean, and the world goes dark and quiet and he knows he needs to go up and he's made enough progress to still remember where up is, plants his feet on what he presumes is solid ground and reaches upward, swims, pulls, pushes, doeswhatever he can think of to do because he didn't think to hold his breath and that's what he thinks is going to be the problem.
It doesn't matter if it's sand or water or ice or blood, if there's no air you'll die. Suffocate, drown, be crushed by the world around you and he doesn'twant that. When he pulls up he can finally feel something like cold air instead of wet snow.
Elijah tries to pull himself out of the snow, can't push forward to feel any other living presence. Just knows it's cold, and just knows that he's the one who had the running start.
So, instead, he tries to listen. Maybe he'll hear someone, maybe something other than wind and stillness.
"Fuck," he hissed. Panic hasn't set in yet. It's getting there, though.
KiaraThe momentum of it knocks the Verbena off her feet. There's barely time for her to cover her face and half turn as if somehow doing so and offering her back to the oncoming wave of snow would make a difference before it hits and Kiara is buried in it; there's a rushing roar as it pours over the mountainside and covers everything in its path and then - nothing.
Silence and a tiny smattering of snow drifting down in the avalanche's wake.
And buried in there, Kiara breathes in a sudden, spasmodic way. Her body engulfed in the crush of it; she can't breathe and for a moment there's nothing but panic. Such an instinctive, human reaction before she squeezes her eyes closed and forces her body to listen; to slow the rapid thunder of her heart. Of this, she has mastery - it's freezing but she reaches down with her feet; feeling for the earth beneath her.
Striving for the connection.
The strength contained in the earth below.
Kiara[Life 3: Strength of the Earth, Umbral style. Diff 6, -1 focus, I mean what else is there to do right now but focus on getting out, -1 Quint because why not. She's not exactly getting anywhere fast is she.]
Dice: 3 d10 TN4 (2, 6, 7) ( success x 3 ) [WP]
Book of MythsThere's little sense of where the others are - let alone what kind of state they're in. One can only hope that they made it. Where Kiara rests, buried deep within the snow, she feels as though she's suffocating. The snow is in her eyes, her nose, her mouth. It melts when she breaths but not enough. Can she die that way here? Does she even actually need breath in this place? Perhaps the reason she does is because she believes she is alive. And so so she is alive.
The reason doesn't matter. She needs to breath and she can't. Not enough. Only these little, shallow wisps of oxygen. But she pushes her foot against the ground and she forces herself to calm. To focus. And she draws the strength of the earth up through her body.
When she pushes at the snow, she finds that she can move it a little. That she can dig in these achingly slow little movements. It's frustrating work, especially when she has so little air and the world is black and pressing in on her. But she does make headway.
Elijah is luckier. He ran, and when the wave hit he manage to swim partway to the surface. When his hand breaks through, he can feel the cold kiss of open air. There's a long moment where he tries not to panic. Swears under his breath against the snow.
Then something dislodges the snow next to his arm. A paw, digging through the surface. He can feel the snow being pulled away, feel his arm being freed. Finally teeth latch down on his shirt and give a hard yank.
And he breaks free.
The wolf drags him out onto the surface, then drops his arm, looking him in the eyes with this quiet note of concern. It's the same wolf he'd ridden on their journey to find the cave.
"We said we'd help," he speaks. "We keep our promises."
Then he turns and trots toward where the other wolves are digging in two other places.
If Elijah turns to watch him go, he'll see something else in the distance. A figure running through the snow wreathed in flame, and a tiny dot of trotting beside her. The fox is carrying something in its mouth that glints silver in the sun.
"Elijah!" Leah shouts. "We have to get Kiara and Henry!"
Elijah[Int+enigmas, diff7. Because I'm pretty sure my friends are dying and I'm stressed because this is stressful]
Dice: 6 d10 TN7 (1, 3, 4, 5, 5, 9) ( success x 1 )
Kiara[Strength + Ath, nnnngh.]
Dice: 8 d10 TN8 (2, 4, 4, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9) ( success x 3 )
Book of Myths[Edit: omg, so many typos. So many. "and a tiny dot of red trotting beside her."]
Book of Myths[Kiara successfully digs her way to the surface]
ElijahThere is this moment when the world feels like it wants to slip, like some part of him wants to break down and fracture and it doesn't. He doesn't know yet that this is a possibility, could have very well slipped in and out of breaks with reality earlier in life and never noticed because everything seemed like a fracture in reality, truth be told. We digress.
There is a wolf pulling him to the surface and he doesn't have words, doesn't know what to say except that he wants to hug the damn thing and that it was a bad idea to not take them along. He was on his feet soon enough, looks to the distance and hears Leah, calls back.
"I'm gonna look for Henry!" because Kiara wasn't a sixty something year old man with bad knees.
He darts off to follow along with one of the wolves in the distance. Puts his ear to the ground. They seem to have a good scent on things.
"Please be okay?" he asks, hopes he hears something. Wouldn't care who he found just so long as it was someone.
KiaraThe wolves are digging into the layers of snow and it must feel like a futile moment.
There was just so much snow and it had buried the place where Kiara and Henry had been standing. Surely they couldn't have survived long under that much snow. Suffocation could be as real as it felt, after all. Convince the human body that there was no air and hyperventilation was entirely possible.
Kiara keeps her eyes closed.
Keeps her breathing light and as even as she can afford to make it; her arms pinned to her sides; her ribs throat aching with the need to breathe in. And then, she can feel it. The seep of energy flowing into her; the tender brush of the earth under her fingertips; setting them twitching. Sinking beneath her skin and curling around her legs.
It's a rush, a jolt of sudden adrenaline and the Verbena kicks out, hard. Or as hard as she's able to and moves an inch. Another. There's the desire to cry out of pure frustration and perhaps it's that, as much as anything. A pure, stubborn will to survive that has her coil all her energy into a sudden movement. A sharp, animalistic snarl as she pushes at the snow with all her might -
And a hand bursts out of the snow.
Something wet and twitching finds it and there's an answering whuff. The Verbena keeps kicking and a snow-smeared head and shoulders appear from under the dislodged snow. Her lip is bleeding badly (a deliberately inflicted wound) and she seems disorientated for a moment, blinking rapidly in the light.
Oxygen floods her lungs and the Verbena sets her hand on the ground, content for a moment it would seem, just to breathe.
Book of MythsWhen Kiara breaks the surface, the wolves move to get out of her way, allowing her space to rest - to breath. Then there is a hand on her shoulder and it feels warm.
"You're okay, you're okay.." It's Leah, kneeling down to wrap her arms around Kiara's shoulders - holding her tightly for a moment as though to reassure herself that the other Verbena is really alive. There's a sudden breath and then "Thank you." Her flames feel soft where they lick at Kiara's skin. They melt the snow remaining there, leaving her dry. Then she's gone a moment later, rising to help Elijah and the wolves dig Henry free. If he was even still alive.
Elijah follows the wolves, pressing his ear to the snow in a frantic attempt to hear... something. Anything. But there's nothing to hear. Are they digging in the wrong place, or is Henry unconscious? Or worse.
"It's okay," Leah says, softly, as she comes rushing over. "We'll get him out." The wolves are digging fast, dislodging great piles of snow with their powerful legs, but it isn't fast enough and Leah sets her hands on the snow and says something in a voice that doesn't wholly sound like her own and isn't in any language Elijah or Kiara will understand (because no one has spoken it for thousands of years) and her eyes glow.
Book of Myths[Aaand melting the snow. Same as before.]
Dice: 4 d10 TN4 (2, 4, 5, 6) ( success x 4 ) [Doubling Tens] [WP]
Book of MythsAnd then the snow sizzles and melts and rises into the air in clouds of steam. When it finishes, there is Henry's form curled into a ball in the crevice, unconscious but alive.
Red drops the thing he was carrying and races down to look at him. When he presses his nose to Henry's face, he utters a plaintive whine.
Then Henry inhales in a gasp and opens his eyes.
ElijahIt doesn't dawn on him to hide the fact that he is terrified of the prospect of losing his mentor. That this would be it for him, he didn't want to study with anyone else, he didn't want to be around anyone else, he wanted to study with Henry. He wanted to share stories and incorporate the old man into his life and introduce him to Jenn and give him a freaking house key and build this person as a fact of his current existence.
And he might be dead. He might be unconscious, what if they were in the wrong place and Elijah couldn't reach any further than he had. Leah tells him it's okay, and he's looking at her like he desperately wants this to be true, like she has to know something he doesn't- because that wasn't hard. He was, by far, the least experienced person here. Took a lot of things for granted.
The snow is gone and he looked relieved for a brief moment, which then was kicked aside by the silence. Red pokes him, Elijah bridges the gap, should probably give Henry a chance to breathe, but he hugs him anyway.
"Je craignais tu es mort," because he wasn't taking the precious seconds it took to translate.
Kiara"I'm okay." Kiara echoes after a moment, her voice raspy.
She's tentative as she pushes herself to her feet, the strength she'd channeled, pulled out of the ground itself still thrumming through her veins. She feels - surprisingly energized considering what had just happened and for a moment, all the brunette can do is stand there and stare at the point where the cave was, where (had it only been minutes? It felt like hours) there had been a towering dragon.
Now, there's nothing but the snow and the sounds of desperate digging, followed by the sizzling sound of Leah's working melting it down. By the time Kiara's moved to stand beside the others, Henry's been uncovered and Elijah has all but thrown himself down over the older man, saying something in French the Verbena doesn't understand, but - comprehends the meaning behind.
Gratitude. Relief.
She catches sight of the glinting object Red had dropped and moves to stand over it, staring down at it with a complicated expression twisting her features; her supple mouth into a frown. "You found it," she offers simply and doesn't move to pick it up but glances instead across at the other Verbena. Studying Leah's face with no tiny amount of consideration.
"Are you alright?"
Book of Myths[Leah is going to heal this 1 dot of agg]
Dice: 4 d10 TN5 (5, 8, 9, 10) ( success x 4 )
Book of Myths[well that was overkill]
Book of Myths[Leah's dice are appropriate tonight]
Book of MythsThere's a note of quiet panic in Leah's eyes when she sees Henry's motionless body, but it relaxes when he opens his eyes. There's a moment where she looks at him with this complicated expression. Then she turns and walks a few paces away. She stops beside where Red dropped the crown, her eyes drawn to it. But when she looks at it, there's no sense of relief or joy - no gratitude at being reunited with this lost relic.
This crown that had once been hers.
She just looks... sad.
"Red found it," she answers Kiara quietly. When she looks up, there are tears glistening in her eyes. "Physically, yes. A little frostbitten." She holds out her hands, and Kiara will see that there are places where the cold left the skin blackened. There's a patch of it on her cheek too. She takes a breath and closes her eyes. Murmurs another word in that ancient tongue and the wounds heal like nothing ever happened. She bends down to touch the crown, and there is this.. arrested heartbeat. Almost, she can't make herself do it. But then she wraps her fingers around it and lifts it from the snow.
The crown: truthfully, it's more of a circlet than a proper crown. Surprisingly simple for something so valuable. Just a silver band inlaid with a few simple, elegant designs (they look a bit like bird feathers) and notched with settings for nine stones.
But whatever used to be set there... the stones are gone now.
Still, the crown hums with mythic resonance. If they're quiet, they can hear it. The way it pitches higher when Leah touches it. (Like it's coming home.)
"The stones are gone," she says, her voice cold. Exhausted. Embittered. "It's useless without them. We did all this for a trinket."
Back in the crevice, Elijah is clutching Henry, holding him, uttering his desperate relief. And Henry is smiling and laughing and wrapping his arms around his apprentice like he'd be just as happy to stay there with him all day. "Non, mon cher ami. Je n'aurais pas partir tu."
ElijahThe sound is one of utter relief, followed by incoherent sounds of even more relief. They could have forgotten all about the crown for all he cared, if they hadn't come back with Henry he would have been inconsolable. Even if it did have all of its pieces. Even if it was a completed relic. Somewhere at the back of his mind, he hears this, puts it together catches the bitter tones and knows...
No, doesn't know. Elijah has no ties to his past life beyond the warnings his avatar has uttered all of once- you've faltered before. Just the once, before the world went silent and dreams stopped being shitshow nightmares where Nothing reigned supreme.
He takes a minute before he finally gives Henry a chance to breathe, and a hand up to actually stand because heaven knows it can't be comfortable having a lanky twenty-something piled on top of you like an overeager puppy.
"Well," he announces, "we just found out that the quest is going to take a little longer than anticipated."
Seems, at the very least, that if the desire to search was still there, he was volunteering his services.
KiaraThe stones are gone, Leah says and Kiara's eyes drop to the glinting object in her (now fully healed) hands.
She doesn't seem as dismayed as she perhaps should considering the apparent power in the artifact but then again, for all the fact she was nearly smothered by a mountainside full of snow, the Verbena seems remarkably contained but for the way her hand trembles just a little as she seeks to slide it around Leah's body, bracketing the other woman in a brief, supportive embrace.
She watches Elijah and Henry's reunion with a tiny, half formed smile for a moment and then takes a deep, cleansing breath. There were things she wanted to ask, questions that needed answering - among them, what happened now, to the crown, to the search for the stones and whoever had taken them from this place - but Kiara doesn't seem particularly inclined to ask them, as much as her eyes speak of them when they cut across to the others, to Leah's expression.
"Not for nothing." She does say, after a while. Her eyes dropping to the circlet. "At least we know where they aren't." Then, she squeezes at Leah's side lightly; offers her hand as it falls to her side.
"Let's go home."
