OTTERS.

[morthwyl]

[Let's backtrack a little. Maybe in the earlier timeline, a decade or two before Hadrian decided to just wander off with a smol child. See, Eiriol Maxwell was never a spirit. These days, it'd be hard to call her a demihuman or human or any kind of mortal, either. Maxwell is, in essence, a living anti-spirit weapon, impervious to most kinds of magic, able to grasp fire and lightning in her bare hands, with an even greater lung capacity than you'd expect from an average otter.

Of course, the Worldburner cell that experimented on her is very, very dead. And Eiriol, well...Eiriol vanished from where they were keeping her while they decided what to do with her.

She is currently halfway up a mountain several miles away, that seemed interesting to her. And given her body is covered with wards and she is honestly a giant beacon of magic, she's...probably standing out to anyone here, too.]

Comments

[thefightisall]

[This is the problem with dealing with something as old in soul as him. Hadrian Gates -- now the acting minister, still referred to as Hadrian the Relentless from his time in both wars, now, or Haruandanath by the spirits still old enough to remember before they took on more human names -- likes his peace and quiet. It makes assisting the other spirits under his auspices much easier. And because of that, he is imperceptible on this mountain. At least, to most. Eiriol may get the impression she's being watched.]

[morthwyl]

...Ah?

[She's aware, from the tingling of her wards if nothing else, but she can't place it. Still, despite being obviously a little startled by the sense, it doesn't seem to slow her exploration. It's as if she doesn't really register fear at all.]

[thefightisall]

Curious... Are you alone? Are you lost?

[Its a voice that seems to come from somewhere and everywhere at once.]

[morthwyl]

[She winces a little--she doesn't have total control over all the shit they put on her yet, and that means a couple flare up at a perceived threat before settling down.]

Alone...apparently not as much as I thought I was. But I came here on purpose, if that's what you meant...I could feel the mountain humming even in town.

[Sure, let's talk to the weird disembodied voice. Why the hell not.]

[thefightisall]

You are deep in sovereign territory. Most beings of flesh wouldn't dare to head into the lands of spirits outside of cities; you make for our heartland. Do you think your demi-human nature protects you?

[It seems like it's circling closer...]

[morthwyl]

It's not because I was...am demi-human, I can tell you that much.

[She pauses, briefly, because her lumpy terrible sweater is catching on branches and she has to untangle it.]

Look, if it's all the same to you, I'm not super interested in going back and being put in a box because they can't figure out what to do with me just yet, could I get a rain check on the gloom and doom, here? I'm sure they'll go through whatever red tape they need to to catch up to me in a week or two and I'll be out of your metaphysical hair.

[...Eiriol. Eiriol you just sassed an obviously incredibly powerful spirit. Eiriol.]

[thefightisall]

Hah... That is the most curious method I've ever heard someone ask for asylum by. You mentioned you are running. What from? Whatever could drive you this far, so ill-prepared?

[It seems to be coming from nearly on top of her now.]

[morthwyl]

Ow--!

[She's putting a hand to her ear because seriously, that fucking hurts.]

They didn't really explain much to me. And I wasn't anything special before I was...taken. The Worldburners what made me are dead, and now the coalition government and Oathbound get to argue over what to do with me, and I apparently don't get a say in this? I'm not feeling cooperative.

Now would you fucking stop that? I can barely hear my own voice, my ears are ringing so hard.

[thefightisall]

Very well.

[TIME TO STRESS TEST THOSE WARDS because one of the oldest active spirits just manifested in front of her and geeze in his actual manifested form like this he is kind of just a pure wall of energy.]

Your luck has not yet run out, it seems.

[morthwyl]

[Yeah she just lit up like a pinball machine and had to collapse down to her knees because holy shit ow???

So she's just kind of staring at him, in obviously stolen lumpy sweater and sweatpants. Oh, Eiriol...]

...Aren't you...?

[This...is kind of surreal.]

[thefightisall]

[He laughs for a moment.]

Oh dear, sensitive, aren't you? Let me see if I can suppress this down some...

[And then that pressure is just... gone.]

Better?

[morthwyl]

Um. Ma...ybe?

[Okay, yeah, she's gonna have to take a moment to process that. Because meeting your first spirit is always a little bit odd and when it's someone like Hadrian Fucking Gates...]

...No offense but this day just keeps getting more and more surreal.

[thefightisall]

Well, we're in for a walk. I'm scarcely more powerful than one of you flesh and blood beings, like this. I'm sure you have questions.

[He's heading back up the mountain, then.]

[morthwyl]

[Well. She'll get up and follow him, then. There comes a point where you just can't question following the spirit up the mountain side, or ask why his physical form is hot.]

I'm honestly not sure where to start...[She does huff a bit of a laugh.] I guess asking what this place really is will do? You called this a heartland, but I could have sworn I wasn't walking that long...

[thefightisall]

You think we'd label a nexus of power for you mortals to see? This has been my home since as long as I have existed. It has grown with me; I use it now to help other spirits of wind and storms learn and grow. It is a sanctuary to us.

[It's just best not to ask these things, really. Like why he went from hot dad to barely twenty-something when he suppressed his powers, that's also a good question.]

[morthwyl]

[Look, she's not sure she ages anymore herself. She can deal with hot dad being now hot single in her area.]

A sanctuary...is that why this part of the world gets thunderstorms all year?

[thefightisall]

Well, that and how badly the weather patterns were ruined when humanity had their little war with eachother, and had to find some way to fix things. My forefathers witnessed that one.

[He'll just lead her to a cliffside, leap about his height straight up, and then lean back over the ledge and offer her a hand up.]

If I may?

[morthwyl]

I'm not complaining...I like the rain. [She reaches out without thinking to grab his hand. You know, Eiriol. Girl covered in wards of old, forbidden tech and new magic designed by the fucking world-burners. We really hope this won't be too unpleasant for either of them, because she can't get up that cliff without the help.]

[thefightisall]

[Its weird, actually -- because it'd probably just fucking annihilate a weakened spirit, but for Hadrian it's just kind of an odd sensation and a bit of a thrum through her wards. Also he just hauled her up like a ragdoll, even standing up.]

Well, then. I suppose that's good, since I think you'll be here for some time.

[morthwyl]

Is that so?

[She sort of shakes her hand out, afterward...she felt something happen, but she's not sure what.]

I mean...I won't argue, but you seemed pretty keen on me leaving, before.

[thefightisall]

I was considering what you said. First, you're a Worldburner experiment -- it'd be better to keep you from population centers while trying to figure out what they did to you. Second, you mentioned both coalition forces and Oathkeepers are after you. I'd rather they not cause an incident in town, not after the bombing in Site One. It's safer here.

[He chuckles.]

And third, I assume you might enjoy some peace and quiet, if what you say is true.

[morthwyl]

...This place reminds me a little of home. [It's an answer, in a roundabout sort of way, at least.]

Honestly, I don't know...how long I was taken. The days blur together, and I haven't aged...I think everyone who knew me probably thinks I'm dead. In these circumstances, 'sprobably better they don't have reason to believe otherwise.

[Shrugging, a little.] Guess I should introduce myself, huh? I know who you are...m'name's Eiriol. Eiriol Maxwell.

[thefightisall]

Eiriol Maxwell... welcome, then.

[There's a ripple, and hey, looks like he was cloaking a whole little village as those woods on top of his mountain?]

[morthwyl]

Wha--Oh!

[She's shocked, but she's also really obviously fascinated by that.] How did you--I didn't think illusions stayed without warping under this kind of mana, and I could touch those trees, how long did it take, are there physical fasteners, does it--

[She's going to keep babbling. This might be of interest to her.]

[thefightisall]

This place has been a source of power for thousands of years, even before the terrforming and reclamation. The rules as understood by us living mean little too it.

Do explore. I will be checking on one of my students in the meantime. When you have had your fill, I will be inside.

[He hopes she takes note of which building is his.]