2019-02-21: To Shine Light Upon It
- Log: To Shine Light Upon It
- Cast: Riesenlied, Noeline, Avril Vent Fleur, Elvis
- Where: Fereshte
- Date: 21st February 2019
- Summary: Avril and Elvis return from their investigation of the lost village Fereshte, and find Riesenlied and Noeline in practice...
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
The sun is setting on New Petra, illuminating the horizon with the remarkable clarity of Ignas' twilight hours. The draconic silhouette of the Fereshte is most remarkable at this hour, its majestic Dragonshead-shaped figurehead casting an impressive shadow as it seats itself beside the small, bustling town winding down towards cheer and celebration at Val's tavern as always.
Riesenlied is doing an evening exercise is rote for her at this hour -- standing exercises, so that she can continue to build muscle and adjust to her digitigrade, Draconic legs that she's still deeply faltering on.
But today, she's added something to the mix. The Crystal sword she recovered from the village of the Fereshte is in her hands as she closes her eyes, using it as focus as the Medium within her shines with the faint ambience of the Ley.
"Ah--"
She crosses an unpleasant threshold once more, the same bright blue flame erupting around her as she rattles, breathes unsteadily and she drops to her wheelchair. She's gasping erratically, nervously... then looks apologetically at Noeline, nodding to reassure her that she must be getting better.
But she pauses as she turns towards the newcomers, as they return from their sojourn. She hasn't heard of Avril's secret itinerary, only that she went away; but Elvis' presence is a slight surprise (but not a total one).
"Welcome back, the both of you..." she expresses with a gentle smile.
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
Noeline has let her hair down, so to speak. It's late enough in the day that the activity of New Petra is beginning to slowly wind down; as if to mirror that, the Crimson Notble has decided to try setting her flamboyancy to one side for the time being. Rather than stride around larger than life, she's sat on a step nearby, legs curled up under her as she cradles a dog-eared book - and the dozing orphan she was reading to - in her lap.
She's also literally let her hair down, and the Fereshte-ish robe she's snaffled from Riese's wardrobe, though darker and primped up just a little, is enough of a difference that it might be hard to recognize her at first. Still, the brilliant red eyes and the bright grin are certainly still the same, and she lifts a hand in a wave.
"... you went longer today," she reassures Riese with a confident smile. "Bit by bit, yes?" she encourages as she reaches for Riesenlied, beckoning her forward to her side. "But I think that's enough for today. You already spent half of it touring around and checking up on everyone, after all." It's not really a tease, not when she's smiling genuinely - but there's a lilt in her voice she can't resist adding.
<Pose Tracker> Avril Vent Fleur has posed.
The journey was long and, perhaps, was not as immediately illuminating as she would have preferred.
Of the Medium itself, she has learned little. But of Fereshte and the affliction gripping the villagers -- whatever may remain of them -- she has learned rather unfortunately more.
Her expression has been pensive much of the way back, and now, a she sights Riese -- aflame for a moment with the power of the Ley -- her face grows drawn. One glance trends between her and Elvis.
"Riesenlied."
She approaches the Hyadean woman with care, looking once Noeline's way.
Was it a difference in the Mediums themselves? Or, perhaps, Riesenlied's nature...?
"I was not expecting to see you so soon. Is now a good moment to speak?"
She pause, looking again in Elvis' direction.
"We traveled to Fereshte. The village, that is."
<Pose Tracker> Elvis has posed.
It sure is difficult to go unnoticed once people have a bead on Elvis.
It is almost as if you can hear his arrival!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQWbEOaHAE0
The first thing noticeable is that the burly man's clothes look a little roughed up. He himself seems fine, as Veruni regeneration has mostly repaired his ails from a brutal but short lived exchange. And what wasn't cured, potent draughts and medicines covered.$E$ESeveral satchels of adventuring supply, and an ironbound tome is in hand, though one corner looks... dented? Elvis furrows his brow out of concern, seeing some sort of magical effect emanate from Riesenlied. He is unsure what power that was at first glance, though it appeared taxing for certain. "Hm... she pushing herself a little quicky for such cantrips, don't you think?" he asks Avril before arrival.
Then again, that could be the OVERBEARING FATHER FIGURE coming out in him.
"Salutations!" The large fellow calls out as they close distance. "We have went on an adventure like the drifter!" Uh, okay. Sure. "Was quite the event! We bring news regarding it. But furst... what was that you just did?" The color seemed different to what he has seen from her as of late, that much was notable. It wasn't that auroral pattern. Was that something new?
A look ever so slightly to the side, and a massive hand is waved toward Noeline. "Hello there! Helping the children I see!"
He hasn't forgotten being given an armful of childen and left high and dry last meeting at this location. He will get them all back one day...!
A glance toward Avril. Enlightenment was the reasoning behind the trip. "Perhaps what we found can help somehow." The man produces the ironclad tome. "I documented everything we cam across in excrusiating detail. Mayhap something we found can grant insight?"
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied has slightly flushed cheeks in deference to Noeline's change of fashion; rather evidently, her choice to wear her hair down has a large effect on her as well, perhaps a style she rather finds attractive in her partner. "The garment suits you well," Riesenlied bashfully adds as she holds her hand as she looks to the two.
She does nod as Noeline calls it for her tonight; she certainly feels spent already, and she looks to Avril as she calls her name and asks her for a moment.
"Ah...."
A pause, as she hesitates as she thinks about the village for a moment. "I wanted to... ask you about something too, so, certainly."
Elvis asks what she did, however... and she bobs her head as she expresses, "I was... practicing, with the Medium. Channeling the power of the Ley through it... but--"
She gestures to where it's still embedded at the base of her neck.
"It still has a rejective nature to it... is outside okay, or should we go inside?"
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
Noeline returns Avril's glance with a nod of respect and greeting - and then offers a chuckle in Elvis' direction for good measure. "I am not entirely certain you could call it 'helping', so much as being a convenient pillow. Still, I'm happy enough to do either, I suppose," she huffs pleasantly to herself with an amused shake of her head. Her eyebrows raise a little afterwards in surprise, as she takes in their state. "You've gone some significant distance, if it's straight from Fereshte."
Carefully, she maneuvers the orphan on her lap into to one side, making sure the girl remains curled up on the blanket the pair had been using as a place to sit. With that done she's quick to stand and brush herself off, before finding her partner's hand to offer it a comfortable squeeze. "I'm glad. Even after everything that's happened, it feels perhaps a little presumptuous to think of myself as a shaman - but at least I can carry off the look," she hums with a warm and playful smile.
Talk of the Fereshte Village turns her more solemn, of course; she nods her head slowly as she moves to take the handlebars of Riesenlied's wheelchair. "We have seen the place as well - but at this point any extra information is welcome, I dare say. I admit, I didn't exactly think to take notes myself, but-- well, I was rather busy chasing after a certain someone at the time," she makes a show of grumbling good-naturedly over Riese for a moment.
<Pose Tracker> Avril Vent Fleur has posed.
"She has been making progress," she comments to Elvis.
Only to hesitate, her gaze for the moment skyward. "However, whether or not she is strong enough yet..."
That, she cannot answer.
Only receive a hint to its answer when Riesenlied mentions that she has been practicing.
"Yes," Avril answers, as sober as she can be at times. "It was a rather long journey." But one she felt was important enough to risk. Before, as Elvis had pointed out, the Veruni became involved and all hope of further investigation was altogether lost.
"Inside would be fine." A pause follows. "So you are still struggling with it, in spite of your connection now..." Her gaze turns distant, as if she were contemplating something far away. Or internal to herself.
"I remember. We had been rather more involved in following Riesenlied," Avril answers as she follows after the two Hyadeans, coupling her comment with a nod. "However... that is one reason why I thought it important to return and look for myself." A pause. "Ourselves. I had mentioned the situation to Elvis, as he has an interest in the Mediums."
And also is Veruni, and at least for now willing to let his wayward queen wander.
Once they are within does Avril speak.
"I had hoped to learn more of the circumstances of the Medium, or, for that matter, Fereshte," she says, glancing again at Riesenlied, towards the woman's throat. "It is much unchanged from when we had last visited, as if the village itself were locked in time." She pauses, but a moment. "...There is something you must know. I had seen several people and animals alike within the village, all bearing the brand of the butterfly wing." Her gaze averts, if only briefly; courtesy she may have but this is news she could not hope to soften. "It is akin to Odoryuk's own. Those afflicted seemed to be awash in life energy, at times nearly too much for them to handle."
Elvis' notes may be able to detail more of what was seen.
<Pose Tracker> Elvis has posed.
A nod. "Good to hear. Here is hoping time is al lthat is needed."
"Ah. As if it hasn't accepted you yet? Or perchance some kind of anomaly from your recent perils?" Elvis inquires. Now that eh thinks of it, he can relay what he has found about her makeup. Little information as it is, maybe it can help.
"I am fine with either, though Avril has it best-- away from possibly prying ears. And general privacy." The man follows the ladies inside. "A well picked outfit rarely goes wrong!" he comments toward Noeline in fashion. The man would know, he always has a rather dapper look about him.
"I was able to recall it perfectly upon our journey to here! My mind is my most powerful ally! Hah hah!" he states proudly. offering up the book. Then.. thinking about it, sets it down somewhere safe instead. The ironclad nature of it makes it weigh about twenty pounds. No sense in dropping that weight into someones arms unexpectedly!
The man does flip to a page as Avril speaks. There are sketches of infantrymen and horses in the book, and a detailed image of the wing symbol. He is no artist, but the simplistic angular renderings definitely get the abnormalities across accurately.
"Considering the colorations of the energy located, part of me suspected it was related to your incident; an overflow of energy coursed back to where the Medium was bound to during your being used as a conduit. But... There are multiple pieces to this puzzle. Most curiously the presence of Veruni machinery."
"Not to mention whatever that mirror was."
The man cradles his chin in his hand. "What did you see when you were there last time, if I may ask?"
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied does spend just a bit of time to reach for the girl Noeline was cradling, to stroke her hair and smile gently as she lets her have her nap on the porch as a lot of the children on the Fereshte (the airship) are wont to do. They'll fetch her shortly.
"... I am scared to think so too, myself," Riesenlied admits of the talk of shaman, perhaps the term Heritor having a slightly different connotation to her. "But... we are who we are, labels or otherwise."
They settle, inside the abovedeck cabin which Riesenlied and Noeline have been using as a command centre for the operations the Outreach have been conducting. It'd be highly sensitive if they were at all doing anything military, but mostly it's just full of children's crayon drawings and a tip jar for 'Milka's New Dollie' and other kinds of cute things.
Avril relays the story, about how they met people and animals who have borne the brand of the butterfly wing. She looks at Elvis' depiction, shivering just for a moment as she sees the horses, the infantrymen. It's nostalgic, perhaps.
And the wing... it's a very familiar sign to her.
"What... does it mean about Odoryuk, or the village?" Riesenlied doesn't sound like she quite knows for certain. "I..." A pause. "I also bear this mark, when I am transformed. Into the Dragon..." she looks to Noeline, as if for confirmation.
She lowers her head as she closes her eyes, hearing Noeline talk about the village. About Elvis' comments on what they gathered, and having him talk about the mirror and what they observed last time.
"I'm... sorry. After the village drew me in... I was not especially awake or aware," she admits, looking to Avril with a nod as she shares her account of the first time we went there. "I feel almost as if the village wanted to... punish me, but I am not certain if it is that or... my own guilt that it played on."
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
With a quiet laugh, the Hyadean tilts her head, her touch seeking to quell Riesenlied's worries. "You have always been more in touch with the spiritual side of things than I," she notes without judgement, and with a warm smile on her face. "I think that we can both agree on. ... still, we have proven ourselves, and hopefully will again."
Noeline often likes to call herself a watcher of people. As she is now, she'd readily admit that as of late she's been finding it a lot more pleasant to join in with them instead - but she falls back to old habits now as she watches Avril chew over the situation, studying the Veruni with a crimson gaze. The comment about Riesenlied's strength doesn't go amiss, nor the way in which Avril trails off shortly after suggesting they go inside.
She breaks out of it to nod to herself in agreement, at least, and begins to turn Riesenlied towards one of the ramps up towards the body of the Fereshte - the ship, this time, rather than its namesake. Once they're inside, she makes sure that Riesenlied is comfortable, then lets out a rather ragged breath. Going over the memories of her mad dash through the Fereshte Village is not exactly a pleasant prospect, but...
"Your findings match my own memories of the place. Throughout, it felt as if I had to concentrate on my own Medium just to even be able to see properly - Odoryuk's power positively suffused the place, and to excess. It was as if the priority was to keep the village 'alive', and all other concerns - memory, health, comfort, understanding - were purely secondary." There is no reproach or malice in the way she says it. She knows well enough by now that the Guardian's perspective is one rather removed from their own.
A nod of confirmation accompanies her reaching for Riesenlied's hand for more in the way of support - but then she frowns. "Veruni machinery? I do not remember seeing anything of the sort, but... was it new? Or was it something from the village's past?-- perhaps it would be better to call it an everlasting present," she grumbles.
<Pose Tracker> Avril Vent Fleur has posed.
Elvis, thankfully, has taken down sketches of some what they had seen. The oddly animated soldiers. The horses. The mirror, in the heart of it all.
The oddity of the Veruni machinery.
It was the symbol that had troubled her most of all. She had recognized it at once. She has seen after all what the Life Guardian looks like.
'...when I am transformed. Into the Dragon...'
And that is the other place she's seen it. On Riesenlied.
"Yes. That is my feeling as well," Avril answers, when Noeline speaks that even just /concentrating/ on her Medium had proven difficult. "The sense of the ley is strong. While I did not seem to experience the same difficulty you had with your Medium, my connection is hardly as intimate." She is yet unable to summon with the Sea Medium, as compared to the stone Ice Medium she discovered. "Still... its presence is inescapable."
She lapses into a brief silence, as if to mull the situation over.
"...Yes. The preservation of life at the cost of all else. Then there is the presence of that barrier, as if the Guardian, or the Medium, had sought to protect and sustain the village in that state forever. ...I know not what has happened in Fereshte, Riesenlied." She draws herself up, before continuing.
"Is it not possible, though, that what you are experiencing with the Medium and what is happening in the village are one and the same?"
Elvis had seen it before she had.
"Either because the Medium is powering still the situation in the village... or..."
Or, perhaps, that is the nature of the Guardian. Or, worse, perhaps the nature of the Guardian when combined with Riesenlied's rather unique condition.
<Pose Tracker> Elvis has posed.
"The only other thing I can guess is that," Elvis begins as he crosses his massive arms and closes his eyes to gather his thoughts as he speaks. "...Despite not having much control or mind of yourself, a tiny part of you subconsciously enacted this-- The mind does strange things on the edge of a conscious state, and the wishes may have been made manifst, albeit not in the slightest hwo you wanted. You bore great power, a simple clouded thought may have this result."
Whether or not this is correct is unknown to Elvis-- he is merely a man who speaks his theories. I was an old excavation model-- a type of Golem not seen since our return. It being there was of interest as it didn't fit," he says toward Noeline, as he watches her tend to Riesenlied.
The man listens to Avril speak on the group's behalf. When she finishes, his eyes open, as he thinks of something that could be a part of this.
"Tell me, Riesenlied. While Mother persisted, she muted all the Guardians. As she has departed, hav you... have you communed with this Odoryuk or heard anything from them?"
He has another theory, about the Medium itself.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied lets Noeline speak, because she like Avril have a better recollection of the time when they all first went than she does. She notices her ragged breath, since it wasn't exactly a pleasant time for them...
"About... a century ago -- no, a bit more than that..." Riesenlied adds quietly, looking to Elvis. "It was the first time I saw the descent of the Veruni. Before their Golems and troops laid claim to what we know of as the Control Zone now."
A pause.
"I could not... prevent the village's fate of decimation," she just quietly admits outright, withering a little as she looks to Elvis. "As such, if there is Veruni machinery, that may be why -- because of the war efforts back then... such as the old model you found, Mister Elvis."
She sucks in a breath, finding it difficult to speak.
"There was not... much left of the village. Which-- is why I was so shocked," she looks up towards Avril and Noeline, "When I saw the village restored."
She doesn't quite know what to make of Elvis' theory. Not having much control... that certainly does sound true of how she felt at the time -- of Alhazred's cloud of control over her.
Elvis asks about Odoryuk, though... and then she says, "I have... not heard their voice since then. But I think it is important -- at the border to Krosse, I became embroiled in a battle with a large Hellion Reaper with others."
She closes her eyes as she says, "It took great pain and effort, but I was able to... Materialise Odoryuk then, inexpert and clumsy as my control is. But I am not certain if I hear their voice..."
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
As ever, Noeline firms up her expression as she chooses to act as support for Riesenlied; she has the other Hyadean's hand back in hers in an instant, her expression drawn as she listens to the others speak and as Riesenlied recounts her own sensations and feelings on the matter.
"... I should note that the barrier was up before we even entered, and I believe that included Riesenlied in her trance," she muses to herself quietly, choosing her words carefully as she gently squeezes her partner's shoulder once more. "At least, as far as I am aware. But-- I will admit, I have wondered along those lines myself."
She falls silent for a beat, not quite certain how to explain the feeling. In the end, there is a sympathetic note in her voice that is echoed by the sensation of the piece of the Tear she wears as she continues: "A heartelt plea in the hopes that things would remain as they are - that nothing would change."
--and just as suddenly it's gone, and she's huffing softly and ruefully to herself. "But that would mean that Odoryuk thought that highly of Riese, even so long ago. Or perhaps that is projecting a little. It may not be a terribly fair thing for me to call out, of all people - Filgaia knows I've thought along those lines myself plenty of times before."
There's a quiet sigh as she tilts her head, but it's tinged with pride as Riesenlied recounts the tale of the battle at Krosse. "I would like to think that bit by bit, you are recovering your connection with Odoryuk. You both have a great deal of history - that is not something forgotten so quickly on either side. So long as you both keep reaching out..." she trails off, and huffs. "Well, Riese is the last person I need to tell to keep doing that, I suppose."
<Pose Tracker> Avril Vent Fleur has posed.
"A hundred years ago..."
Almost certainly, Avril had nothing at all to do with what happened that day -- or days -- when the village was destroyed. Save for the fact, that is, that she is their queen. It's enough reason for her gaze to track away from Riesenlied, for her to briefly entwine her hands, almost anxiously. "..."
So that is why the Golem model they found was so old...
"It was destroyed... and then restored. As they thought it was, or thought it should be?" That's the real question. The Guardian, awoken and out of obligation to those who worshipped it? Or...
She shakes her head. "No, I think what is happening predates our visit. I do not think this is entirely recent."
Or, at least, it hasn't been going on for months alone.
Has anything happened in the last couple of years that would have started this? Or the last decade, or ten? Perhaps this would be a question better asked of anyone except the local amnesiac.
In the end, they just have mystery upon mystery, don't they.
"Yes. What was will continue to be -- you must not press yourself on the account of the village's condition." It will, after all, continue unchanging... "Perhaps if the Guardian could shine light into whether there is a connection with the Medium... or if the ley energy is a side effect of something else..."
Something nags at her memory, but when she turns to chase after it, metaphorically, it slips away like a shadow. There and gone under the ice sheet.
"I am sorry if what I have said is but ill-tidings. Nevertheless, it would do no good to keep this from you."