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Entry tags:
- !event,
- arknights: gavial,
- baroque: koriel xii (dextera),
- bastard!!: dark schneider,
- boy's abyss: gen minegishi,
- expanse (the): amos burton,
- fire emblem: byleth eisner,
- fire emblem: claude von riegan,
- fire emblem: dimitri a. blaiddyd,
- fire emblem: yuri leclerc,
- granblue fantasy: eustace,
- jinba: hayame,
- legend of zelda (the): midna,
- locked tomb (the): john gaius,
- oc: liem talbott,
- star wars: cassian andor,
- star wars: jyn erso,
- vampire hunter d: d
Toxic Love: The Exalt Oracle
NOTHING GOES OFF WITHOUT A HITCH
You feel it, the moment that the Exalt oracle opens its eyes, like something that rips through your body from head to toe, something that feel like fire, wild. It sears into your veins, like acid and fire, something that triggers something that makes you want to run, or perhaps turn and face something head on. Before you can find what sets you off – if you could find it. Bearers know what this sensation is, it is different but the same at its core. The emotions, the feelings it sparks are different – but in the end, you know it for what it is: An Oracle.
Kenos groans from the awakening, like a part of a whole sparks to life, and though you do not know what it is that they want yet, you understand and know their existence down to your core. That feeling to attack or defend, perhaps even flee, does not leave you, but instead it fills your veins, you feel it thrumming, pulsing, like the beat of a heart – if one has one. With the sense of awakening, bearers know the shape of what comes next, they will be asked to act, to do. You do not know how it will happen, or what the Exalt will ask of you, but the knowledge that it will happen is borne from experience, not from the Oracle itself.
As you begin to move, to… look, you are not long for this day, it clouds your mind, a hazy, drowsy feeling takes over, the encroaching dark that threatens to swarm, crowding from the sides, taking over your vision – until… it fully takes over, and Bearers are put into a deep slumber.
When bearers awaken, it’s difficult to make sense of what your sleepy eyes see. Structures begin to swim into view, and they like tall figures looking down upon you. It’s difficult to tell what they are at first, but as you wake up, you begin to see, they are not people, or creatures, but long spore-like stalks. Some have ribbed overgrowths that you can see, and some end in growths that ripple and hang over, but have no “cap”. They tower over the bearers, like towering spires and buildings, on all sides, as if they were trapped in a ring of them. As bearers look around them they will notice tall green spires around them as well, and it takes a moment for things to really settle in. Mushrooms. Blades of grass. The springy moss about them is almost as tall as they are, low to the ground. There are pebbles that appear as boulders, and the thunderous steps nearby indicate an insect or arachnid walking by, far larger than you. There is a stillness to this space, like a held breath, and as the bearers awake, and regard one another, and then to the center of the circle is – a small effigy in the center.
It is here, the Exalt Oracle, and you feel compelled to regard it, before you are given a pang down to your core. It compels you – pleads, asks, begs, and demands, all in one – for what it wishes for. Precious mementos and precious items that they are missing. They have been lost, and they are somewhere within the Liosachán. It beseeches the bearers to return its items, and begs they be returned here to the circle. There are no words, but there is a pleading sensation, a feeling that these items are treasured by this Oracle.
You feel at your sides, your pockets, and find one item on your person, a weapon, a companion, whatever it is you would bring with you to the conflict, shrunk down to a tiny size with you.
Stay steadfast, bearers, and capture theflag Oracle!
Kenos groans from the awakening, like a part of a whole sparks to life, and though you do not know what it is that they want yet, you understand and know their existence down to your core. That feeling to attack or defend, perhaps even flee, does not leave you, but instead it fills your veins, you feel it thrumming, pulsing, like the beat of a heart – if one has one. With the sense of awakening, bearers know the shape of what comes next, they will be asked to act, to do. You do not know how it will happen, or what the Exalt will ask of you, but the knowledge that it will happen is borne from experience, not from the Oracle itself.
As you begin to move, to… look, you are not long for this day, it clouds your mind, a hazy, drowsy feeling takes over, the encroaching dark that threatens to swarm, crowding from the sides, taking over your vision – until… it fully takes over, and Bearers are put into a deep slumber.
When bearers awaken, it’s difficult to make sense of what your sleepy eyes see. Structures begin to swim into view, and they like tall figures looking down upon you. It’s difficult to tell what they are at first, but as you wake up, you begin to see, they are not people, or creatures, but long spore-like stalks. Some have ribbed overgrowths that you can see, and some end in growths that ripple and hang over, but have no “cap”. They tower over the bearers, like towering spires and buildings, on all sides, as if they were trapped in a ring of them. As bearers look around them they will notice tall green spires around them as well, and it takes a moment for things to really settle in. Mushrooms. Blades of grass. The springy moss about them is almost as tall as they are, low to the ground. There are pebbles that appear as boulders, and the thunderous steps nearby indicate an insect or arachnid walking by, far larger than you. There is a stillness to this space, like a held breath, and as the bearers awake, and regard one another, and then to the center of the circle is – a small effigy in the center.
It is here, the Exalt Oracle, and you feel compelled to regard it, before you are given a pang down to your core. It compels you – pleads, asks, begs, and demands, all in one – for what it wishes for. Precious mementos and precious items that they are missing. They have been lost, and they are somewhere within the Liosachán. It beseeches the bearers to return its items, and begs they be returned here to the circle. There are no words, but there is a pleading sensation, a feeling that these items are treasured by this Oracle.
You feel at your sides, your pockets, and find one item on your person, a weapon, a companion, whatever it is you would bring with you to the conflict, shrunk down to a tiny size with you.
Stay steadfast, bearers, and capture the
SURVIVAL OF THE SMALLEST ( DAYS 1 - 5 )
Unlike the still, stale apocalypse that had been the setting of the Iconoclast Oracle, the greenhouse is lush and vibrant with activity.
The Effigy present within yearns to be reunited with what belongs to it, fixated upon the five items lost within the greenhouse. The swell of its longing fills all Shardbearers, urging them to take action, claim the items and present all five to it to attain victory for that Faction.
Over a period of ten days, Shardbearers of both factions will have to navigate environmental dangers, and the normal procession of time, as the greenhouse is going about its daily routine. Workers plod around like towering goliaths, weeding and watering and pruning the greenhouse's contents. The Liosachán's native population of fae begin to take notice of the newcomers in their midst, emerging from grassy mounds hidden in the natural landscape to spy and pry about the newness surrounding them.
For Shardbearers demonstrating particular selflessness, favoring the protection and defense of another, the Effigy responds warmly from the third day onward — rewarding them with a sign of their dutiful nature towards others in the form of fairy wings, the form of which are unique to the Shardbearer themselves.
DAY FOUR. The sudden thunderous sound of a storm begins. No, not a storm, the tumble and crash of water pouring down upon the greenhouse — the workers of the Liosachán perform their routines faithfully, after all. In watering the garden, the danger of the environment threatens to overtake Shardbearers and their work alike. Drops of water fall, their size equal or larger than even the tallest of characters, and trickles of water muddy the ground in the form of raging rapids.
The security of Meridian and Zenith's camps is even called into question, because as simple as the act of watering a garden is, it is a nightmarish situation for such itty bitty Bearers to be in!
DAY FIVE. By day five, the fae of the Liosachán no longer lurk and linger in the corner of one's eye. They make themselves known, having prepared a banquet below one of the mushrooms, within sight of the Effigy. A table draped in spider-silk lace awaits any Bearer who comes near enough, the sagging piece of driftwood polished to a gleam with golden sap, leaving it waterproofed and pretty to behold. A handful of corks serve as seating, with most of the fae draping themselves across scraps of cotton as though they are simply at a picnic.
They invitingly wave to Shardbearers, chattering brightly in their foreign, lilting tongue, waving tiny sandwiches and little clay pots full of jams and honeys, brandishing sugared berries that they bite into with gusto, staining their arms and faces in swathes of blue and red. They clearly are welcoming to whomever comes upon them, urging them to avail themselves to the bounty they have prepared. Perhaps some characters know better than to eat the food of the fae, recalling legends and lore about the mystical properties and implicit bargains made in becoming a guest. Perhaps some have no idea, and are simply hungry enough to dig in!
The Effigy present within yearns to be reunited with what belongs to it, fixated upon the five items lost within the greenhouse. The swell of its longing fills all Shardbearers, urging them to take action, claim the items and present all five to it to attain victory for that Faction.
Over a period of ten days, Shardbearers of both factions will have to navigate environmental dangers, and the normal procession of time, as the greenhouse is going about its daily routine. Workers plod around like towering goliaths, weeding and watering and pruning the greenhouse's contents. The Liosachán's native population of fae begin to take notice of the newcomers in their midst, emerging from grassy mounds hidden in the natural landscape to spy and pry about the newness surrounding them.
Naturally curious, and equally dangerous, the fae of the Liosachán are Highstorm natives. They range in cool coloration, from soft violet-greys to deep stormy blues, and wear clothes fashioned from of goods pilfered from the pockets of workers, dropped on the ground or handcrafted from the environment itself. Wielding bits of copper tightly wound into blades and spears, they are a ferocious and cunning little people who seek to trick, trap and toy with Shardbearers. Direct violence is anathema to them, but violence that happens as a result of falling to one of their ploys is a badge of honor.DAY ONE - THREE. The Effigy initially urges Shardbearers to build bases of operation for defense and practicality, as surviving ten days without supporting one another is a surefire way to meet a grisly, tiny little end. Resources must be gathered: gather food and water, prepare shelter, establish unity and organization and prepare to set off into the wilds soon.
For Shardbearers demonstrating particular selflessness, favoring the protection and defense of another, the Effigy responds warmly from the third day onward — rewarding them with a sign of their dutiful nature towards others in the form of fairy wings, the form of which are unique to the Shardbearer themselves.
DAY FOUR. The sudden thunderous sound of a storm begins. No, not a storm, the tumble and crash of water pouring down upon the greenhouse — the workers of the Liosachán perform their routines faithfully, after all. In watering the garden, the danger of the environment threatens to overtake Shardbearers and their work alike. Drops of water fall, their size equal or larger than even the tallest of characters, and trickles of water muddy the ground in the form of raging rapids.
The security of Meridian and Zenith's camps is even called into question, because as simple as the act of watering a garden is, it is a nightmarish situation for such itty bitty Bearers to be in!
DAY FIVE. By day five, the fae of the Liosachán no longer lurk and linger in the corner of one's eye. They make themselves known, having prepared a banquet below one of the mushrooms, within sight of the Effigy. A table draped in spider-silk lace awaits any Bearer who comes near enough, the sagging piece of driftwood polished to a gleam with golden sap, leaving it waterproofed and pretty to behold. A handful of corks serve as seating, with most of the fae draping themselves across scraps of cotton as though they are simply at a picnic.
They invitingly wave to Shardbearers, chattering brightly in their foreign, lilting tongue, waving tiny sandwiches and little clay pots full of jams and honeys, brandishing sugared berries that they bite into with gusto, staining their arms and faces in swathes of blue and red. They clearly are welcoming to whomever comes upon them, urging them to avail themselves to the bounty they have prepared. Perhaps some characters know better than to eat the food of the fae, recalling legends and lore about the mystical properties and implicit bargains made in becoming a guest. Perhaps some have no idea, and are simply hungry enough to dig in!
UNWILLING TEN-ANTS ( DAYS SIX - EIGHT )
The scuttling, scrabbling feet of ants crawling over surfaces, winding their way through this grassy playground, has become normal. Their feet thunder as they go about their business, and it seems to be a normal cadence to life here in the underbrush, in the greenhouse. It is normal, and it is has become nothing to really concern oneself with. They are ants, after all, what do they do, but work? Endlessly, continuously.
That is, until the heavy, loud sounds of their feet draw closer to whatever place that the bearers have found to camp in. Whether solitary or as a group, these workers are no longer content to simply ignore the bearers, but they are a curiosity, perhaps even a bother. You have disrupted their lifestyle. The sleepy pattern of obtain food, return ot the hive, and back out again now has obstacles. Now there are not simply the fairies, who live their own lives and existences, a part of the ecosystem, but now there are these tiny bearers. Fighting, working together, arguing and disagreeing.
You are disruptive to their way of life.
The ants have come to collect on this due, and some bearers that are vulnerable, or perhaps merely caught, are taken away, your weight so light compared to the rest of their burdens that they carry. The strength of these ants is overwhelming, incredible at this size, and try as you might, if you are caught in their strong mandibles, you cannot escape. An ant, after all, carries 1000 times their weight with those powerful jaws. You, bearer, are nothing to them.
They squirrel away the bearers within their hill, a complicated network of tunnels, junctions, and large spaces. Down within, where the air becomes stifling, and stale. The ants guard their pray, and you get the distinct sense that they see you not as people, not even as enemies, but as prey. You will be food – perhaps to the eggs that are gathered within this room, where you can see the stirring of new life, just beneath the surface. You may not have very long to live, if these little larvae get their mouths on you.
Or perhaps, your friends will save you? Once it is discovered that bearers are missing, the trail of ant prints on the ground is apparent – they are not stealthy creatures – and the feet lead from the locations of several kidnapped bearers toward the grainy ant hill that lies not far away. The hill itself swarms with life, with worker ants all over the surface, scuttling about, looking for the next meal for te colony. Or perhaps for more bearers to bring back for their young.
It will be dangerous, bearers, to save your friends. Should you choose to do so, you will be kicking the anthill, and the ants will protect what is theirs. Even if they just took it. Those bearers belong to them, now! Rescuers will find not only your average worker ant, ready to defend, but winged male ants will attack from above, and deeper, within the nest, near where the bearers are kept, lies the strongest ant in the colony: The Queen. Staggeringly large, strong, and vicious, when her subjects begin dying. She will do everything in her power to protect her colony, and that includes killing bearers, if need be. Or trying, at least.
Good luck rescuing your friends, bearers!
That is, until the heavy, loud sounds of their feet draw closer to whatever place that the bearers have found to camp in. Whether solitary or as a group, these workers are no longer content to simply ignore the bearers, but they are a curiosity, perhaps even a bother. You have disrupted their lifestyle. The sleepy pattern of obtain food, return ot the hive, and back out again now has obstacles. Now there are not simply the fairies, who live their own lives and existences, a part of the ecosystem, but now there are these tiny bearers. Fighting, working together, arguing and disagreeing.
You are disruptive to their way of life.
The ants have come to collect on this due, and some bearers that are vulnerable, or perhaps merely caught, are taken away, your weight so light compared to the rest of their burdens that they carry. The strength of these ants is overwhelming, incredible at this size, and try as you might, if you are caught in their strong mandibles, you cannot escape. An ant, after all, carries 1000 times their weight with those powerful jaws. You, bearer, are nothing to them.
They squirrel away the bearers within their hill, a complicated network of tunnels, junctions, and large spaces. Down within, where the air becomes stifling, and stale. The ants guard their pray, and you get the distinct sense that they see you not as people, not even as enemies, but as prey. You will be food – perhaps to the eggs that are gathered within this room, where you can see the stirring of new life, just beneath the surface. You may not have very long to live, if these little larvae get their mouths on you.
Or perhaps, your friends will save you? Once it is discovered that bearers are missing, the trail of ant prints on the ground is apparent – they are not stealthy creatures – and the feet lead from the locations of several kidnapped bearers toward the grainy ant hill that lies not far away. The hill itself swarms with life, with worker ants all over the surface, scuttling about, looking for the next meal for te colony. Or perhaps for more bearers to bring back for their young.
It will be dangerous, bearers, to save your friends. Should you choose to do so, you will be kicking the anthill, and the ants will protect what is theirs. Even if they just took it. Those bearers belong to them, now! Rescuers will find not only your average worker ant, ready to defend, but winged male ants will attack from above, and deeper, within the nest, near where the bearers are kept, lies the strongest ant in the colony: The Queen. Staggeringly large, strong, and vicious, when her subjects begin dying. She will do everything in her power to protect her colony, and that includes killing bearers, if need be. Or trying, at least.
Good luck rescuing your friends, bearers!
IN SMALL PACKAGES ( DAYS NINE - TEN )
The day after the ant-pocalypse brings with it the brush of recognition — the Effigy has foreseen the likely victors, and calls to them to approach it once they have suitably recovered. It judges them the ones whom are most devoted to what binds them, loyal to memory and remembrance, and begins to clamor for them to restore to it what belongs rightfully. Thus begins a full day of resting, locating last-minute items, shoring up defenses and preparing for the sprint to the finish line.
Certainly your rivals will not allow you to simply walk to the Effigy unassailed and unchallenged.
Eat, rest, ensure your fellows are close and bolstered, for tomorrow begins the final rally.
On the morning of the tenth day, Meridian Shardbearers approach the Effigy with its five items in hand. In the midst of the mushroom ring, the Effigy stands as it had in the beginning — arms outstretched and back bowed skyward, gnarled fingers seeking contact with that which has been lost to it. It awaits, it strains, and even as it does, it requires one last test of ability. From the shadows of the towering mushrooms, the rasp of scale and soft hiss of a great beast descends upon the fae ring.
A gleaming garden snake, with glossy black and green stripes, blocks the way between approaching Shardbearers and the Effigy.
Between its bright eyes, pressed upon its brow is a scattering of brighter scales that appear to be in the shape of a delicate, three-leafed plant with spiraling patterns for leaves. It braces itself against the approach, and there is no doubt that to claim victory, the serpent must be subdued. Though Meridian approaches with victory in hand, they have not yet attained it — their rival faction and this beast remain in their way.
Certainly your rivals will not allow you to simply walk to the Effigy unassailed and unchallenged.
Eat, rest, ensure your fellows are close and bolstered, for tomorrow begins the final rally.
On the morning of the tenth day, Meridian Shardbearers approach the Effigy with its five items in hand. In the midst of the mushroom ring, the Effigy stands as it had in the beginning — arms outstretched and back bowed skyward, gnarled fingers seeking contact with that which has been lost to it. It awaits, it strains, and even as it does, it requires one last test of ability. From the shadows of the towering mushrooms, the rasp of scale and soft hiss of a great beast descends upon the fae ring.
A gleaming garden snake, with glossy black and green stripes, blocks the way between approaching Shardbearers and the Effigy.
Between its bright eyes, pressed upon its brow is a scattering of brighter scales that appear to be in the shape of a delicate, three-leafed plant with spiraling patterns for leaves. It braces itself against the approach, and there is no doubt that to claim victory, the serpent must be subdued. Though Meridian approaches with victory in hand, they have not yet attained it — their rival faction and this beast remain in their way.
MISSING LINKS ( THROUGHOUT )
As the Effigy desires to be reunited with what belongs to it, the swell of its longing stirs something more within all present Shardbearers.
With that foreign longing arrives knowledge: beyond the five items prized by the Effigy itself, there are other lost things within the greenhouse. Like a compass, each Shardbearer's mind points them in direction after direction, urging them to seek and explore. Implicitly, the thrum of comprehension fills your mind: these are things that do not belong to you, per se, but seek to have your hands ferry them home.
Amidst tangled brush, hidden under doffed acorn cap, tucked away in the belly of a fae's glittering den, lost in the depths of a puddle of spilled water that seems an insurmountable lake now, folded secretly into the petals of a towering, skyscraper-like flower, there are three additional items hidden within the tumultuous landscape that each Shardbearer feels a draw towards. Things that belong to someone else, eager to be reunited with them, but subject to whim.
Upon locating and retrieving one, the Shardbearer is filled with a sense of information — they know who this item belongs to, and they will know that they have a choice. Bonds are fragile things after all, and they exist to be enforced or abused, in order to advance a goal or to deepen a connection. How will you treat someone's precious bond? How will they treat yours?
With that foreign longing arrives knowledge: beyond the five items prized by the Effigy itself, there are other lost things within the greenhouse. Like a compass, each Shardbearer's mind points them in direction after direction, urging them to seek and explore. Implicitly, the thrum of comprehension fills your mind: these are things that do not belong to you, per se, but seek to have your hands ferry them home.
Amidst tangled brush, hidden under doffed acorn cap, tucked away in the belly of a fae's glittering den, lost in the depths of a puddle of spilled water that seems an insurmountable lake now, folded secretly into the petals of a towering, skyscraper-like flower, there are three additional items hidden within the tumultuous landscape that each Shardbearer feels a draw towards. Things that belong to someone else, eager to be reunited with them, but subject to whim.
Upon locating and retrieving one, the Shardbearer is filled with a sense of information — they know who this item belongs to, and they will know that they have a choice. Bonds are fragile things after all, and they exist to be enforced or abused, in order to advance a goal or to deepen a connection. How will you treat someone's precious bond? How will they treat yours?
NOTES
Here are some prompts to set the scene and foundation of the Exalt Oracle!
— The theme of this Oracle is a loose edition of capture the flag, where the Effigy's items can pass through multiple hands within the ten day allotment.
— For additional ideas and fun, it is known that several Shardbearers have concluded their efforts to fulfill the Greenwood Yards' sidequest request.
— All details of the Exalt Oracle can be found here, and questions for the mods can be submitted here.
— For additional ideas and fun, it is known that several Shardbearers have concluded their efforts to fulfill the Greenwood Yards' sidequest request.
— All details of the Exalt Oracle can be found here, and questions for the mods can be submitted here.
no subject
By this point twilight was truly edging into dusk, the shadows not only long but dark, and Byleth could feel his now instinctive fear spike at the sight of it. Stoically, he shoved it aside, reminding himself that Yuri was nearby, and he could see relatively well in the dark! There was nothing to be afraid of, silly boy.
(It made him feel better, to imagine that in Sothis's voice)]
Alright, I'm ready.
no subject
It wasn't as though Byleth was fragile by any means, but it was difficult not to worry when they had been rendered so small. He didn't unpack the thought beyond that, instead moving into position himself.
This involved stepping into place under the web, pausing, adjusting, and doing so again. He needed to compensate for various small factors that only mattered when aim needed to be true — and he had to be spot on if he was to free the whistle without damaging it.
And it was precious to Byleth, so damage was not an acceptable outcome. ]
On my count then. Three.
[ He curled his fingers into a fist, concentrating his energy. ]
Two.
[ Wind magic sprang to life, quickly building in strength. ]
One.
[ Yuri thrust his hand upward, throwing the spell up at the web. The spell sliced its way through the air and struck the web just above the whistle, severing gossamer threads. ]
no subject
-and realised the force of the spell transferred some of its kinetic energy into the web itself, causing the whistle to fall at an angle away from them. Byleth, of course......... jumped off the flower stem after it.
The fall was quite high, but he wasn't blindly leaping forwards and risking a broken leg. A broad leaf sprouting from the base of the stem broke his fall, the leaf bending slightly from his sudden weight, letting him slide down harmlessly onto the ground and trot over to where the whistle fell.]
Somewhere... around here...? Ah, found it.
[Byleth spotted it quickly - lucky! - and headed over to it, bending down to scoop the whistle up from the floor. Huh. That went suspiciously well-]
[Not far behind him, something big, black, and multi-legged landed. A simple garden spider, now a towering goliath that would put a demonic beast to shame! And it looked kind of agitated, its front legs lifted in a threatening display.]
no subject
Byleth—
[ Doubtless, Byleth had heard it land. Might've felt it, at that range. From his position, he might not have time to react, so Yuri did for him. He couldn't risk hitting Byleth with wind magic, opting instead to try something hastily creative. He flung a minor healing spell at the spider's eyes, hoping the burst of shimmering light would disorient it enough to allow Byleth to get out of its reach. ]
no subject
He hurriedly snatched up the whistle and stuffed it into one of his pouches hooked onto his armoured corset, just as Yuri immediately tried to blind the spider with a light-aspected spell. The spider reeled, legs flailing, and Byleth bolted in a random direction to put some considerable space between it and him.
Though the spider in reality likely wasn't that big, to them of only one centimetre, its legs were like tree trunks and just as destructive. The legs slammed against the leafy detritus, and when the spider scuttled around, it swallowed up the ground at breakneck speed. And blinded as it was, it could still sense movement. So, in short, when Byleth bolted, the spider wasn't far behind, albeit it was a little clumsy in its movements.]
The one thing I didn't want us to fight...!
[Byleth spared some breath to grouch that, and with a sweep of his hand, sent a weak fire spell at his own heels. The bright and weak sparks caught the very dry leaves at least, and the flash of heat and smoke was enough to have the spider stop its pursuit and lift its legs threateningly, briefly spooked by the unexpected embers.]
no subject
[ Yuri muttered it more for his own benefit than anything else, unwilling to distract Byleth from evading the spider. The damned thing closed distance too quickly for them to simply outrun it, which meant they needed to deter its pursuit one way or another. His mind raced, sizing up the threat with the limited options at their disposal.
The spider obviously couldn't see Byleth, yet it honed in on his direction and broke distance swiftly. It responded to the weak fire spell — doubtless Byleth's effort not to set their surroundings aflame — but it didn't retreat. Perhaps if they proved more trouble than the potential meal was worth...
Not for the first time in his life, Yuri wished he could size up the problem without being in the midst of it. But they only needed to be too troublesome to be worth the effort...
Before the embers flickered away, Yuri threw a middling wind spell the spider's way, aiming for its back legs. It stumbled, flailing, only to topple over and scrabble to pick itself back up again. So then, at this size, such a spell was enough to knock it off balance, if even only for a few moments. ]
Run next time it drops!
[ Yuri flung another wind spell at the spider just as it steadied itself, whirling torrents of air sweeping its back legs out from under it once again. It only bought them brief repsite each time, but it was a start. ]
no subject
This way!
[He shouted that as he reached Yuri - only to pass him by to head in a direction with purpose. There was no point in heading towards camp, there was no way he was leading the spider to their doorstep, but he had taken the time to scout their surroundings by climbing tall things, so had something like a rough mental map memorised in his brain. Not too far from here there was a thick, flowering bush. They may be able to lose the spider in there if they were quick!]
no subject
It couldn't be helped that running produced noise it could track — the moment they stopped, they'd face another skirmish. Yuri kept pace behind Byleth, sparing a moment to hurl another wind spell back at their pursuer and stagger its progress behind them.
As for their course, Yuri eyed the flowering bush as they approached it speculatively. Not returning to camp was for the best, of course, but... ]
Going for that bush?
no subject
[Though such areas were likely a spider's domain, he and Yuri were far craftier and agile than the beetles the flies that the spider likely feasted on. Also, he had a trick up his sleeve.
The moment he and Yuri ran into the bush, with its tightly woven twigs and leaves, Byleth turned and cast an ice spell - not aimed at the floor, no, but at the little opening they had ran through, sealing it up with a thin sheet of ice, where the dark shadow of the spider grew larger.
Because of how small they were, and how Kenos in general weakened his magic, the ice really wasn't that strong - in fact, it was already melting. The spider could probably charge through it with little to no issue: but it'd give the creature pause, time that he and Yuri could use to run deeper into the bush and find a hiding spot to hunker down in.]
no subject
He turned his attention back to Byleth and the path ahead, the bush's branches growing denser as they advanced, then glanced upward.
Actually, with how very small they were...
Yuri jerked a thumb up toward the flowers jutting out from the branches overhead. ]
How about one of those?
[ Tiny as they were, and relatively large as those flowers were, the both of them could fit in one. Their petals were already closed up with darkness having settled in, so it could be secure. Besides, their scent would be masked from predators, their spider friend included. Already, their pursuer was groping along the path from whence they'd come. ]
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[Not elaborating on that sudden bit of trivia, Byleth immediately started to climb with the expectation that Yuri would be close to follow - probably even overtake him, as as nimble as Byleth was, he was more of a methodical climber than a swift one.
Either way, they reached the flower, and... well, it was going to be a bit of a snug fit, but beggars can't be choosers when a giant spider was hot on their trail. Byleth went in there without hesitation!]
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Focusing his energy, Yuri gathered up one more wind spell as the spider came groping along the path they'd taken. He tossed the spell off in another direction and it rattled its way through other branches, kicking up soil in its wake.
The spider paused. Hesitated.
At last it pivoted, following the course the spell had taken with curious, inspecting limbs. Yuri eyed it, trying best to gauge when enough distance had been achieved, before he finally climbed up to the flower. His ascent was slow and cautious, as he paused frequently to see whether the spider was rounding back or not, but he eventually reached the flower.
Not a moment too soon, as the spider had turned back to resume its original course. Yuri hesitated upon seeing how confined the flower would actually be, but there wasn't the time. The longer he lingered, the more likely he was to draw the spider's attention, so he carefully joined Byleth in their little shelter without further delay. ]
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It was a tight squeeze - Byleth would be lying if he said he wasn't uncomfortable, especially when in the tight confines had the heel of Yuri's boot accidentally wedging into the edge of his groin - but he said nothing and made no indication of his discomfort as he felt the twig the flower was attached to quiver slightly when the spider passed underneath. Even considering its size (relative to them), the spider was dangerously quiet, with only the faintest 'tpt tpt tpt' signalling its movements.
It was when the sound of those pitter pattering feet faded, the spider moving on, that Byleth dared to whisper:]
Yuri... your heel is digging into my groin.
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If it came to it, he was prepared to fight, but it was a relief when those footfalls receded, numerous as they were. He huffed out a tense sigh of relief when the world grew still again.
Then, of course, Byleth's words dragged his focus away from what lay outside. Yuri tensed, briefly floundering for how to maneuver, dark as it was. His reply was an equally hushed— ]
Sorry...
[ Byleth was more disciplined than most, putting up with that. Yuri raised a cupped hand slightly, palm down, conjuring a weak healing spell for some illumination. In the confined space, it was a little difficult to maneuver — harder still if he didn't want to send their hiding place bobbing conspicuously, but he drew his boot away from Byleth with an awkward shuffle against the petals at his back. ]
Tighter fit than I expected.
[ He'd blame all the muscle he put on in the last two years... ]
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[Byleth noticeably shifted his weight once Yuri moved his heel away, stifling a grunt of discomfort in the back of his throat. While his discipline had him stoically taking it, that didn't mean he was unaffected. Yuri's heel had been pretty wedged in there!
Ow...]
The fit is fine. I think it's because you wear such tall heels...
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[ Yuri spared his boots only a brief glance. He'd seen far taller, particularly among the nobility. If anything, he was briefly amused by the notion that they were tall. They did, though he hadn't paid it mind, bridge the gap between his height and Byleth's.
That small measure of mirth passed quickly in favor of concern as Yuri returned his attention to Byleth. ]
Did I hurt you?
[ That was a sensitive area no matter a man's fortitude, after all. ]
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[Anyway, the discomfort was easing off. Byleth shifted his weight one last time to get himself comfortable - or as comfortable as he could be - before turning to peer through the gap between the petals.]
Hm... I don't hear the spider anymore. Do you think it's safe to move on?
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The spider's likely moved on... How well do you see in the dark?
[ If he kept using his spell for light out there, it might attract something else. With that thought in mind, he flicked the healing spell at Byleth, or rather, his groin. Just in case he bruised anything.
Far be it from him to leave a man sore with no fun to show for it, but it would also allow their eyes to adjust. ]
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Mn. Well, I have adequate night vision.
[Enough to the point where the mercenaries in his father's company had commented on how strange it was. Granted, when it got too dark he lost all colour vision and just saw in shades of grey, but he could still far more than a normal human could.]
I should be asking you how well you can see... I can guide the way back to camp, if you need. I have an excellent sense of direction.
[He's like a homing pigeon... will never be lost, no matter where he is.]
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So basically the opposite of Shez in that regard.
[ Yuri distinctly recalled a few occasions when he'd been asked out to go see this or that scenery, only for a short trek to become longer due to the man's lack of direction. It didn't particularly bother him, but it was certainly memorable. ]
Abyss gets pretty dark, the deeper you go. Easy to get lost, too, if you're not mindful...so I shouldn't slow you down.
[ So long as it's not the deepest darkness, anyway. Once it was pitch black, there was no help for it. First, however, just to be safe— ]
You've got your whistle now, right?
[ They ought to be sure it remained with Byleth during all that. ]
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[Byleth delved a hand into his satchel and pulled it out. The light wasn't very good in the flower bud, it was pretty dark actually, but the whistle could just about be seen lying in his palm. It looked as rough and scratched up as it did when Shez had given it to him.]
Despite the unpleasantness with the spider, I'm glad we came out here for it. This is one of my most cherish possessions, after all.
[It was illogical, maybe, but much like how gazing at his favourite flowers made him feel better, so did having this whistle.]
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It all works out then.
[ A scuffle and needing to flee a spider were small prices to pay for something of sentimental value, so far as Yuri was concerned. Although... ]
Was it scuffed like that when you had it before?
[ He'd not had a good look at it previously, simply knew Shez had gifted it to Byleth. ]
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[Shez didn't charge his enemies so much as he launched himself at them like a rock thrown from a trebuchet. Byleth shook his head fondly and carefully stowed the whistle back into his satchel, where it'll stay safe and sound. Later, once they're back to normal size, he'll get a strong cord to have it around his neck.]
But enough reminiscing. We should return to camp while we can. Who knows what else is lurking out in the dark.
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Alright. Let's get back... I'll fix us something once we get there. Turns out my wind magic's not half bad for shelling nuts.
[ Without elaborating further, Yuri nudged his way through the petals beside him and started negotiating his way back down the branch they'd climbed before. He could always explain it later, if Byleth was curious. For the time being, there was avoiding whatever else might be active at night.
Back home he might know what to expect, but here...? Difficult to say. ]
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[As he spoke, Byleth began the arduous process of carefully and slowly climbing out of the flower's closed bud. By now darkness had well and truly fallen, the many twigs and leaves of the hedge they were in looking ominous in the greyish shades Byleth could only see in.
He stowed his anxiety, though, nimbly climbing down until he was at ground level. He quickly did a visual sweep of the area. Nothing untoward or threatening nearby. So far, so good.]
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