32 - Blow Your Top

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone!
What: A volcano eruption threatens the Western District
When: Jan 14 - 16
Where: The Western District of the Heavens
Summary: The Western District volcano is erupting again, endangering nearby temples and sending ash sprinkling down across the Heavens. Is it natural, or another attack? Those who dare climb the volcano can find out.






Earthquake Warning

On the morning of the 14th, an earthquake rattles windows throughout the Heavens. It's not strong enough to knock down buildings -- unless they're about to fall down anyway, like some of the older abandoned temples -- but it's strong enough to knock things off shelves and startle any late sleepers out of bed.

After the earthquake, strange sights abound around the Heavens. The poetic koi are swimming in organized schools in all of the canals, heading upstream towards the east. Springs of pure water burst out in some areas, and in others, normal springs or fountains have gone temporarily dry. Blue and green lights bob and weave across the landscape.

Falling Rock

The volcano begins erupting with a roar and a bright scarlet glow on the horizon. Ash and bits of rock fall across the Western district, and may even reach into the Southwest, Northwest and southern Central districts. Volcanic glass fibers that look like golden hair collect on trees, fences and buildings.

Trails and fountains of lava are also erupting from freshly opened fissures and wending down the sides of the volcano. Gods and shinki who live in the Western District are going to need some help clearing ash and glass from their roofs, trying to re-route lava flows (the good news is, if you cool one side down enough, you can turn them! the bad news is, that takes a lot of work) or just offering them a spare room to stay until things calm down.

Swamp Gas

It's not just lava and springwater erupting from mysterious new crevasses -- and it's not just mundane volcanic gases, either. Divine volcanic vents are blowing mind-altering fumes all over the Heavens. Anywhere across the Far Shore, but especially as characters get closer to the volcano, they may experience one or more of the following effects:

• Confusion
• Intense emotions
• Anger and irritability
• Impulsive behavior, loss of emotional control
• Hallucinations
• Unusually clear insight into other people and situations
• Coughing, eye and throat irritation, difficulty breathing
• Irresistible impulses to speak in poetry

Most symptoms will clear up after a few hours in fresh air, and all of them will be gone within 48 hours of the last volcano gas exposure.

Mountain Climbing

Natural disasters don't just happen like this in the Heavens... do they? Amaterasu's white-robed shinki are convinced that something is wrong, and they're organizing into search parties to go up the mountain and seek out the cause of this eruption. New and old gods and shinki are welcome to join them, or form their own groups. All of the hazards -- tremors, lava, ash, and volcanic gas -- will get worse as characters ascend the volcano. Strange little spirit flames, in shades of red and blue, dance on the rocks, dazzling, confusing and threatening to singe interlopers.

And there's someone up here, too. A mysterious figure with glowing red eyes is keeping watch on the intruders and vanishing behind boulders whenever someone turns his way. He won't let anyone traveling with one of the white-robed shinki get too close, but solitary gods or shinki might manage to lure him into conversation, if they try....

OOC: Please comment to the 'NPC REQUEST' thread below in order to talk to the mysterious figure on the volcano.

Those climbing the volcano will have a chance to battle the mysterious figure should their characters choose to do so. If you're interested in a fight, please comment to the 'NPC FIGHT' thread below before the top-level is posted. A top-level for the fight will go up on IC Jan 16/OOC Sept 4.

In Summary:

• Don't get rattled
• Help out the Western District with their volcano problem
• Watch out for volcanic gases
• Find out who's behind the eruption
• Have fun~

Comments

[boneofsword]

[Archer keeps his hand on Caster's cheek, thumb gently caressing the skin. He's not best with offering comfort, but he tries.]

It has been once. [he'snot sure what to say, though. It is a very personal memory; if Caster tells him off he'd do so.]

[futhark]

[ Well, here it comes, swimming majestically. The Awkward Turtle is here. It's right here, because truth to be told Caster doesn't know either what to say. ]

Long time ago. [ How long exactly no one knows. After two thousand years, what matters another decade or so. Not having a detailed calendar can be a blessing, you can't keep count of years, and everything just becomes a blur of time.

He understands the intent behind Archer's gesture - comfort and offer at understanding. He's not sure if he should take it- but he doesn't want to move away and instead leans into the hand. ]

[boneofsword]

[They are so similar yet so different; while Archer internalizes and overthinks his issues Caster pretends to not have any. Sometimes it works, more often than not each of them calls the other out on his bullshit.]

He has been someone very precious to you. [and others used it to twist the mutual feeling into tainted, unrecognizable version.]

[futhark]

[ Aaaaand a sniper-shot to the issue. Archer style. Damn it. Caster tenses and in a moment stands up. It's a shame warm hand, he will miss you- ]

Stay here. [ There's a command in his voice, as he leaves to the bar section under the stairs. "Very precious to you" is such a strange word for someone use towards his relation with Ferdiad, and also not wrong... completely not wrong. How much time did they spend in the Land of Shadows? One winter? Two? Or was it three? When was the moment they become inseparable rivals? Hard to tell. It started with fights and arguing, and boasting who is better- and ended them swearing a bond of blood brothers.

Everything had to be put aside later in that one fight. Everything else important, but laid down and sacrificed for a more important thing.

A testament to how much he doesn't want to think about it, is that when he returns to Archer, he does so empty-handed. In the end, no alcohol will provide solace. He sits on the floor next to the couch, back of his head on the level with Archer's face. ]

Yeah, he was.

[ Such an eloquent and late reply. ]

[boneofsword]

[It's also an answer, and reaction, that Archer can understand. Not wishing to show his feelings, not wishing to face what became of the tangled and twisted mess afterwards. All what has been buried a whole eternity ago suddenly coming to life once again, raw and painful.

He shifts slightly to reach to Caster, stroking accidentaly blue strands, as his fingers brush Caster cheek and cover his eyes.]

He still is.

[futhark]

[ The only sounds he makes is a sharp intake of breath, but no words. He leans into the touch, unable to let that eternity go. Lost loves and friends are pain that is all to easy to fall into if you're not careful. No matter how much time has passed, no matter how well you hide it. One day something might bring it all back.

Maybe he should say something? But anything would just felt and sounded trivial. The world lost a good man that day. Like it does every day, and doesn't care.

But people remember, people keep telling each other about them each generation. Isn't that what Heroic Spirit is? A legend, a story told over and over again, never forgotten. What all them dumb kids wanted back in a day. What some other dumb kids still want these days surely. ]

Such things don't change with time. [ Finally he speaks. Not sure how much to delve into a subject, since shinki don't remember who they left behind, don't remember who they lost. ]

[boneofsword]

[The silence is heavy with the weight of loss. Archer wonders, not for the first time, if Cu had ever time to grieve for his fallen comrade, friend, lover. Was he allowed to mourn or was there another war, another accident that demanded the famed hero. Had he put on a brave face and never dealt with the loss.]

They never do. [sudenly Archer knows what to say.] Do you wish to put a memorial for him on the temple grounds?

[futhark]

[ Move on, fast enough, there is always something happening, someone needing you- there is not always time to stay and mourn. There is not always will to do so, because it acknowledges the loss.

It is strange to do it so many years later. The hand over his eyes radiates warmth, and an uncommon kindness. Is it too much to accept this understanding? ]

Maybe that's why there are so many trees. [ The forest resembles a druid grove, he always assumed it to be related to his appearance in the class he landed, his heritage from grandfather that never got to be used- but maybe it's different. Maybe it's a tree for every person left behind. Yeah, that would make it a ton of trees. ] That's not an answer to your question, eh?

[ Sorry about that ]

[boneofsword]

[There has been too many losses and too many people left behind. Friends, lovers, family, companions. Fate rarely is kind to those it curses with eternal servitude. Archer won't say anything even if he'll feel Caster's tears. He's staring up above, not really seeing the darkened wood.]

Who knows. Perhaps it's the kind memories you left behind, perhaps it's the tears and sorrow. [that's not for them to know, another question left unanswered.] I think it's an answer enough.

[futhark]

[ What he left behind is another thing he'd rather not think about it. Sure, he lost his share, but there was a plenty of important people that were left to deal with his death. Got exactly what it wrote on the tin, great glory, at a cost of a short-life.

Dammit. This is just depressing. His forehead furrows under Archer's hand, and he covers the hand with his own then forces it away. He turns around, and leans over Archer, to shut him up with a kiss. It's a little forceful, a bit angry, trying to force a response, before breaking it suddenly to say ]

I will not live in a tomb. [ Their names are not forgotten. They are still spoken of, the fact how easy Archer could find all of it just digging a little into myths and stories is a proof of that. Isn't that a memorial already?

On the other hand, he's the only one here of them. He continues on, and that new existence is still not something he entirely figured out. Should he do something to honor the other stories of people whose lives were entwined with his? In a sense he does, willing to share a lot of stories from his past. Is it enough? Maybe he shouldn't dismiss Archer's idea so easily. ]

[boneofsword]

[Archer knows what it is about, can feel it in the tight grip on his fingers and in the forceful kiss. He looks up into narrowed red eyes as he considers his next words carefully. There is a difference between being haunted by the past and acknowledging the losses and moving on that he wants Caster to understand.]

It's about honoring those you care about. [he reminds cupping Caster's cheek.]

[futhark]

[ Caster leans into that touch even against himself. Physical closeness is something that is easy to escape into - but it is something he truly finds comforting. What he does not, though, is showing vulnerability. It was one thing to grieve, it was other to appear weak. And there never was truly any time-

Shit. There was never truly a time to grieve. And after so much time, is there truly a way to? ]

Loves long gone are way too easy to get lost in. [ He never really tried to research what happened with Emer after his death either. That's why, that's exactly why. Servants are like chapters pulled out of a book, and books have endings. ]

I don't even know how I would be supposed to do it. [ He admits a bit defeated ]

[boneofsword]

[Archer strokes Caster's cheek soothingly. Heroes have to be strong, and never have time for weakness.]

It can be something that reminds you of them. A spot in the forest they would like, flowers, a wood carving - something that makes you think of them fondly and without regrets.

[It's dangerous to think about what has been lost and gone, to acknowledge the loss and emptiness it brings.]

[futhark]

[ That oddly makes sense. Flowers maybe- but maybe a tree to plant in fact. Wood carving is also a thing that is not unknown to him, given most of his return gifts (those were return gifts not Christmas gifts! he will always say so) were made this way. ]

Hmph. [ And here he goes is so very thankful in his reaction. But this counts as one of those rare moments when he has no idea what to say- He's not opposed to the idea, he just doesn't know what it means for him, or for this place. You don't set a memorial if you're just a ghost yourself. ] Let's patch you up first.

[ Someone got ribs broken or bruised around here, that's priority ]

[boneofsword]

[It's easy to figure out what that sound means, and that his suggestion is helpful in some way. Archer smirks; he can't make too many sounds unless he wants to risk aggravating his injury. That's too bad.]

I think I'm mostly patched up. With a bow on top. [he adds with a glance at the tiny bow, courtesy of Caster.]

[futhark]

I want to try something more than just that, though. [ If he had a better medical knowledge it is possible the runes could heal Archer instantly. He's far from it, but maybe he can figure the way around it- in fact, he has gotten an idea.

And he might have learned a thing or two when taking care of Ginia. While the bulk of her injury was healed by Hakkai, he did his best to support the healing process. He puts a hand over Archer's eyes, mimicking his earlier gesture. ]

You need to rest first. [ Or rather Caster wants to have him go to sleep, as he starts writing a string of runes inducing drowsiness on Archer's forehead. Sleeping Archer is less likely to distract him with discussions about subjects he would rather not talk about. ]

[boneofsword]

[It's no surprise that Caster wants to do more than just typical first aid; Archer has seen how his god was when Ginia was injured, and how he tried to make sense of medical textbooks. He went and got anatomy and physiology book along with 3d model of human body with all internal organs for his god to study. If Caster wants to use him to test that knowledge it's all the better. He's tough.]

Your wish is my command. [his tone is light, but his words are not. He's telling Caster that he trusts him, and won't go against his wishes. It's his own fault that he got injured, after all.]

[futhark]

[ Caster doesn't even feel like bantering about this whole Servant Butler-Thing he pulls ]

You've got no idea. [ He just says and allows Archer to waits for the rune to work and Archer to fall asleep. Once he wakes up he will note that while his injuries are still there, he feels better- as if he was resting for a few days and some of the initial healing had already happened. ]

[boneofsword]

[Archer does one more thing before the sleep claims him - he rests his hand over Caster's one covering his eyes. In his own way he's trying to tell him not to worry, he is sturdy and will be fine. But it has another meaning as well.

Thank you.]