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 Posted: Wed May 02, 2012 6:34 pm
"Yes... I figure there's a very lucky dune somewhere right now." Xun Jiang grinned as he capped the gourd and returned it to his own bag. He could not say he disliked the view of Glyph sans silly bed sheet, but there would be a need for him to cover himself in another way.
He had a plan for that. Somewhat.
The Dragon King accepted his lover's hand and worked himself back on his feet, wobbling a bit but using Glyph's arm to steady himself. The bag was carefully slung back on his shoulder after he felt solid enough on his own two feet.
Cosine's wish actually got a little knowing smirk out of Xun Jiang, but no explanation followed that. Really, if they were going to stay at those ruins for a while...
And there was the matter of replacing the water that had been lost or used up, as well.
"Better to just pace ourselves." He nodded at Tien's time estimation. Last thing they needed was to make the damage even worse. "The sand storm changed the layout of the desert nearly completely. It will take me some time to get a rough sense of direction again." And yes, he perfectly intended to play dumb if someone tried to push forward before they were well enough to do so.
Infinity's call was a relief, even if it was less visible on his end than on Cosine's. He had expected that the crow had quickly flown away, but to have confirmation that she was alright was very welcome. He paused as Cosine went for Glyph's bag, ready to take over should it be too heavy, and he squeezed her free hand lightly before sliding his own into her's.
It was obvious that he was just glad that she was more or less unharmed.
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Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 12:30 am
 She grinned, hearing Glyph's compliment. This one had plenty of practice outrunning things that were very keen on catching her, not the least of which was a certain three headed dog. So yes, while running usually counted as a minor skill it was one of her more useful ones, besides shapeshifting of course.
"I can help carry things too. It might be a little easier if we split it between us." Though, she had a feeling Ankou would probably take over for Cosine if need be; that was assuming he was considerate of course. At the very least it was obvious he was practical, if nothing else. Still, it couldn't hurt to offer.
She shouldered her pack again, having left it behind when she went to scout. "Shall we, since everyone is up on their feet now?"
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Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 12:24 pm
 Glyph had turned to acknowledge Cosine's help so he missed Xun's knowing grin and inhaled deeply then wrinkled his nose. It was too dry, too scorched and barren for his tastes... even the air seemed to suck the moisture from his tissues. It was a land for barbarians and starved travelers, certainly.
"I haven't sensed a gem or a god-influence at all... has anyone else?" He asked as they started off, gingerly making his way up the embankment. They'd traveled for a few days now and while he hadn't expected results so soon... it was still frustrating that nothing had come of their search yet.
"Which way?" Glyph asked of Tien as he paused towards the top, scanning the horizon with interest. The dune had shifted, altered by the whipping winds of the sandstorm... even the narrow gully that had been a stream bed was mostly filled in by sand now, their resting spot turned cover now a bump to begin another dune.
He made a rude noise and frowned, "I don't like deserts."
Once Tien had shown the way, he followed, pacing himself and taking the time to be thoughtful in each of his steps. The feel of vitality and life about him was much duller, using his strength reserves to hike and move without becoming distracted by the dormant and the dead.
When they finally arrived at the ruins, some fifteen minutes away though it had felt much longer, Glyph's steps picked up and he hobbled into the building. It was caved in on once side and buried by the sand from most of the walls, but it had been deep enough in the dune that it was markedly cooler then the surrounding sands. The holes in the wall allowed air to sweep through, preventing it from becoming an oven.
The outside had been sheared clean of colour and texture, but the inside... the inside was vibrant still. Rich blues and golds and indigos were constrasted with lovely terra cotta pottery, bright white fabrics, and bronze trinkets. Woven baskets sat, full of dessicated and crumbling vegetables, near what appeared to be a hearth and the furniture was a rich, beautifully patterned wood.
And it was to the table that Glyph made a beeline. He was far too tall and large to sit on the narrow, high backed chairs so he opted to thump down on the table surface - oddly clear. Perhaps this place had been abandoned outright one day before whatever cataclysm that had hit the world had claimed its occupants' lives. In the relative cool, Glyph gave a sigh of relief.
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Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 2:22 pm
 Cosine was glad when they began to move. In the wake of the storm the sun seemed harsher. She squeezed Ankou's hand back as he slipped it into her's and smiled up at him. She'd try her best to keep up with him and the rest of them.
At Glyph's question she shook her head, the essence of the god within the stone would be feint. Perhaps once they drew closer, though in a world so empty and barren direction was not an easy thing to get a grasp on. Perhaps she would consult the numbers once they had stopped.
The ruins were a welcome sight, the closest they had come to a true shelter. At least that was the impression she got as she followed Glyph inside. It was cool, and the relative darkness was welcome. Very welcome. The whole interior seemed inviting, real furniture, beautifully decorated walls.
It was sad to think that it had once been a family home, whose inhabitants were most likely dead. Unless they managed to leave the planet somehow.
Cosine watched Glyph take up a seat on the table and lifted his pack off.
"Well, at least some good came from that storm." She remarked, setting Glyph's pack down on the floor near his feet. It seemed like a good place to recover.
Curious she walked to a door at the back of the room, the wood was rotten and crumbled at her touch as she pushed it open.
"It looks like there are a couple more rooms." Of course there was about an inch of sand on the floor, but it was cooler back there and dark where it was still embedded in the dune. Cosine dusted the wood dust from her hands and glanced around the main room, taking it all in.
"I wonder if there is anything we can use for light."
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Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 8:26 pm
"I have not felt anything." Not that he had expected to, really. He had never really felt a gem before, not even as much as held one, so he literally had no idea what to look for.
As much as Glyph was aiding him, Xun Jiang was doing his best to aid his lover in turn - long eyebrows creased in obvious worry. His current condition and his mortality seemed like a two-faced coin, a gift and a curse. He was not as resilient overall as he might have been, but yet that mortality - that lack of complete connection - seemed to help him be less affected by the harsh terrain than Glyph was.
Of course he might be wrong with that guess - it might just have been the extreme difference in domains. There was one thing he was certain of, through - he did not like seeing Glyph like this, at all. His instinct was to try to protect, nuture, and make it better, and yet there was little he could truly do.
It was rather frustrating, to say the least.
The outside of the ruined house was pale and drab as everything had been so far - but stepping inside revealed a much different story. His eyes adjusted quickly to the darker area, and the colors seemed to hit him first - the blends of deep, rich colors drew him in instantaneously, made him wonder who had lived there, what had their culture been like.
Sadly... It was too late to know, now.
When Glyph was finally settled in the table, the Dragon King finally settled in turn, turning one of the chairs around so that the back actually was the front. One look had been enough to tell him that the backing would not agree with his tail at all. The chair creaked a little dangerously, but held his weight once he had settled. Carefully, he settled his bag on the table and started to sort though it - the broken vessels would need to be discarded or re-purposed somehow, or at the very least sorted into a pocket so that he did not accidentally cut himself.
At least drying the bag would not be a problem.
One leather gourd was pulled out and slid toward Glyph, and as he fished out other whole vessels he handed one to Cosine and Tien. It seemed that the dragon king had noticed Ankou's lack of drinking anything so far and adapted accordingly. He would need to trust that the pale god would speak up if he needed anything. The shards were carefully pulled into the front pocket, glass vessels that were cracked and leaking transferred into empty gourds. He needed to do this while he still had hands, and also he needed to be sure the wound was closed before he tried to shift, less he just tear the cut open again.
Once there were scales over it, through, there would be no need to worry. "Tien, could you hold this for a second, please ?" He held out another leather gourd toward Trickery, hoping to free his hands again.
Ankou frowned at Glyph's question, as if suddenly remembering something he had forgotten. Which... was actually the case. The spiritual trail was so faint to begin with... Once he had not only the dead to worry about, but the sandstorm and the safety of his companions... Well, that faint trail was too easily lost.
"I lost the trail." He admitted, clearly unhappy about the fact. "I will need to follow it with the mirror again..." Now that he knew what he was looking for, it would not take as long... Hopefully.
He kept in pace with Cosine all the way to the ruins, caring little if they were out-sped or not. He finally let go of her hand when she wandered off to explore the surroundings, where he simply leaned against the wall. The vibrant colors seemed to surprise Xun Jiang, but it was not the care for him - he knew much about the world and it's population through the spirits, who had been eager to talk - about their rites, about their cultures, about... everything, really. At first he had listened mostly because it kept them busy, but the more he did listen, the more fascinating he found it all to be.
Why had he never bothered before... ? Still, he knew little about those who had once occupied this house - none of the nearby souls reacted to their presence, so the previous owners were likely far away - either they had evacuated while still alive... or left after their passing.
At first, Cosine's question remained unanswered, and Ankou closed his eyes, seemingly just zoning out again. This was not completely inaccurate, but he was looking for something. Calling, softly, lips barely moving as he whispered, soft words that sounded almost like a lullaby.
It was not long before they came - only one, at first, then another. And another. The first few, the daring and the bold, trickled in, dancing merrily through whatever mean they fancied - broken windows, the doors, from the holes and cracks in the wall... through the walls, even. Tiny little multi-colored lights.
Will of the wisps. The smallest souls, the children. The less daring ones seemed to cling to Ankou, making the pale god seeming aglow in their nearness. Cosine was a different kind of familiar, and she seemed to attract her fair share - they flitted about, danced near her. One of them started reciting numbers and it made Ankou smile, through he was uncertain if his lover would be able to hear it or not.
The most daring ones were drawn to Glyph and Xun Jiang almost like magnets - through this was far from the sensation the two would have felt upon arrival - this was neither assult nor extreme cold.
The arrival of the little lights made Xun Jiang pause. What... What were these ? He had seen a few flash by every now and then, especially at night, but he had never seen so many of them. One drew close to him and he hesitated.
"They will not harm you." Ankou said, through he had never opened his eyes to see the dragon's reaction. The wisps told him everything he needed to know. "They'll want to play, at worst. Or think your mane would make a nice bed." That... would indeed be amusing.
As if on cue, one flitted to try to boop Tien on the nose, lingering long enough that the goddess might be able to retaliate if she was swift enough.
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Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 9:14 pm
When Tien had found the place she had only ventured inside far enough to see that it was safe, sturdy and would offer enough protection against the wind. It surprised her that the interior had survived so well given the condition of everything else they had seen. She set her pack down to give her shoulders a rest and to put away the intact gourd Xun had offered her. She would better rearrange the contents later once they were more settled.
After that she set started working her way around the room studying the decor, curious about its origins, until Xun's question caught her attention. "Sure." She took the gourd from him and held it carefully. Xun was not the only one who hesitated when the wisps began to appear. She had seen brief glimpses of them at night, no doubt drawn in by Ankou. They did not feel like the others and from the way they seemed to flit about they were curious more than anything else.
She giggled and grinned, amused by the wisp's mischievous attitude. "These are, were, children?" She knew little of spirits so this trip had been educational in that respect.
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Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 11:21 pm
"More rooms?" He tilted his head, gingerly leaning back to look in Cosine's direction, "Anything interesting? A library? Scrolls? Storeroom?" An idea struck the god as he spoke and he smiled, "Perhaps while we recover, you can record something of these people? Rites, maybe, so we can offer a memorial to show the Gods will remember them." It was obvious Glyph considered that fact worth something.
When a leather gourd was slid towards him, he rumbled his appreciation and drank deeply of the water, sucking the gourd dry in the course of heartbeats. "Thank-you Love." He set the gourd down then reached out to trail fingers over Xun's cheek and brush away a stray bang. Xun's request of Tien made him frown, however, and he looked at Xun sideways.
The question that had been forming on his lips, however, went unspoken as the souls drifted in. Immediately Glyph perked. He'd seen them, felt them, countless times in his travels. Their youth and innocence and their curious laughter made him smile despite the ache of this back. "Sprouts..." Glyph murmured, "Young souls." There was a quiet wonder and respect in his voice as he held out a hand and laughed as one nestled in amongst the leaves of his hair.
With the one doing so without trouble, several more followed suit and soon his hair was alive with spirits, echoing the images of haunted woods and enchanted groves. Their touch, so light and interested, tickled across his mana and left him giggling, eyes bright. He loved children and they could sense his benign temper.
"Here... it must have been a while since they felt life...." Sliding off the edge of the table, he meandered over to the center of the room and removed a single seed from his pouch. "Oak, for protection, knowledge, purifcation little ones... see?" Even tired as he was, Glyph seemed to have the energy to offer this little miracle to the youthful souls.
Burying the seed in the dirt and sand, he covered it with both hands and stayed crouched for some time. Invisibly, however, his mana was flexed and flowing, pouring life and growth and vitality into the seed. At first it was just a sprout, tiny and frail, but his continued attention saw it grow into a healthy and sturdy sapling nearly five feet tall with a spray of branches for the spirits to play on. He fell back after that, to catch his breath, "Do they understand me?"
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Posted: Sat May 05, 2012 1:27 am
>> got a bit carried away ... if I need to edit please say!!The gourd was welcomed by Cosine. She had been refusing them mostly until she really needed it, and now, after getting a mouthful of sand she certainly did.
"That's a good idea Glyph, I'll make a separate record of what we find."
She stared into the darkness of the hallway beyond the door for a moment as she sipped the refreshing water. Her question went unanswered, though she did not mind as Ankou's song filled the room.
It was different from the other songs he had sung on the journey, this one was softer somehow, gentle. Cosine sipped her water again, smiling as she listened. The tiny lights came as a surprise. They flooded in, lighting up the dim room with their colourful glow. She knew instantly that they were not the distressed spirits of their arrival. The atmosphere was warm and playful. Her green eyes followed them as they flitted about, she could almost hear the echos of childhood laughter, chants and rhymes. The numbers she really could hear, loud and clear of course. Once one had come close to show off their knowledge others joined in. Cosine laughed and looked over to Ankou where some still clung, watching the brave ones as they played with the party of gods.
"You don't need to be afraid of us either." She said to them holding her hand out. A couple of the ones that clung to her danced around her outstretched hand challenging thier friends to join them.
"One two, buckle my shoe, three four knock at the door, five six pick up sticks ..."
"Here... it must have been a while since they felt life...."Something in Glyph's words made her pause in her playground song. Life. It was easy to think that they were just playful whisps, spots of light. Once, though, they had been alive. They had walked, ran, played. They had had parents and family who cared for them. Now that had all gone. Their desire to play suddenly did nto seem quite so enjoyable. She could feel it deep inside her, Sorrow. It made her chest tight, stung her eyes. They would not play again for a long time, they would not be held by their parents. She thought of Jessica and the others she had met who had lost children so young. Sorrow grew, the spirits around her hand stopped, their glow flickering.
Cosine knew she had to leave the room. Sorrow was one emotion she certainly did not want to share with her companions, not when the presence of the spirits had cheered them up so much.
"I'm going to see what's in these rooms." She managed, turning to step through the door and into the darkness. It was cooler within, a few of the whisps followed her, the brave ones, they nestled in her hair, whispering in her ear. It was not a huge house. There was a bathroom, a spare room that might have been a study, though shelves were broken and books crumbled to dust. A couple of bedrooms on the other side of the hall. Like the kitchen they seemed to have been abandoned, beds were made, ornaments remained on shelves. Cosine stopped in one of these rooms and took a deep breath of the cool air, her spirit companions danced around the room, lighting the decor up with their colourful glow.
Of course they would feel at home there, it was a children's room. Bright colours decorated the wall, the furnishings were floral, though tattered. Cosine placed her hand on her chest and sat down slowly on the bed. It creaked with her weight. The spirits glowed brighter here, though it had not been their room it had things they enjoyed, colours, and on the floor some toys, they wove their way around them. The Sorrow within grew greater, as they could not play. Like Joy it was consuming when it took over. Cosine watched the happy spirits and began to cry. Not a function she had experienced properly since her rebirth. The tears poured from her, for the innocent lives of the spirits, for the devastation that surrounded them and also for Forge, who was somewhere, abandoned and alone.
Sorrow shouldn't affect anyone else in this case as she's left the room.
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Posted: Sat May 05, 2012 9:42 am
"Yes." He answered Tien's question with a nod. "The smallest souls." Some of them did not even realize they were dead, really, were not even old to understand.
"Perhaps not the word themselves, but they'll understand your intentions, I think." This world had a language of it's own, one he had only started to learn and understand, to assimilate it as the spirits taught it to him.
Of course, there would be one in this room that Cosine would have an hard time fooling. One golden eye, bright and shining in the darkness thanks to his massive use of his mana, opened just as the goddess turned and left toward the back. That particular feeling was one he knew well... Never applied to her, yes, but he knew it well.
At least Glyph, Xun Jiang, and Tien seemed to be enjoying themselves, through he had no idea what had Cosine react so strongly. She'd never reacted like this to any spirit, before...
A few clicks of the tongue made the little ones that still hovered around him disperse and slowly mingle their way to the others. It looked like the other three were distracted enough so that he might be able to make a clear getaway, and that was exactly what he tried to do - he slid away, steps entirely silent, toward the back rooms in turn.
It still took him a minute or so to finally find Cosine, and when he did he paused. First reflex was to assume that whatever it was was his fault, and that maybe he'd only make things worse, but...
Well. He tried not to be so negative, and stepped inside the room, careful not to disturb any of the toys. Sorrow clung heavy in the air, tight, suffocating perhaps - but not for him. This was something he knew. Every barren, dead worlds he had seen, on his lonesome or not. His domain was heavy steeped in sorrow, but... not always. The little dancing wisps were proof of it.
The Spirit Guide figured he would feel rather differently if he was ever directly targetted with it, but... Well, he hoped that would never happen.
He said nothing at first - all to aware of how easily he could blow it - but he made his way to her, knelt, and raised one pale hand to gently dry away her tears, before wrapping his arms around her.
"It goes both ways, you know." He said, simply. He would never need to be alone, never need to be lonely and suffer in silence.
The same went for her, too.
"Children... ?" It had not occurred to him, and the Dragon King seemed a little taken back even as some wisps playfully decided to nest in his mane, just as Ankou has teased about. But then... It made sense. Children could and did die just as much as adults, and the gehenna waves in perticular had been relentless.
One wisp curled around his fingers and he wriggled them a bit. That did tickle ! It really did seem like they were only curious, only wanting to play with the strange being they had to be for then.
Of course, it was not long before he caught wind of what Glyph was up to and he had to bite back his sigh. And he had been the one lectured about not overexerting himself ! Still, through... he could understand.
Would not stop him for carrying out his planned intervention, but he could understand, which was why he got up and moved to support his lover rather than go immediately into rant mode. At first it did not seem like it would be needed, but when Glyph fell back he was able to catch him. "Careful." He whispered, clearly more worried with his lover's current condition than angry with the way he kept pushing himself.
He reached back at the table for the cracked vessel he had left there when the spirits had first showed up, pouring the water within to the sapling.
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Posted: Sat May 05, 2012 12:19 pm
Tien had been sufficiently distracted that she not realize Cosine was gone until Ankou went to join her and more of the little spirits wandered her way. She would mention where he and Cosine had gone if asked but she would not disturb them. They probably wanted time alone anyway.
"Hello little ones." She held out her hand and a few of her new companions danced around it. Some ended up darting away to investigate the new tree that Glyph had grown. It almost looked as if they were playing hide and seek among the leaves and branches. It is a shame their lives were cut short. Though at least in this brief space of time they seemed happy- having new playmates and places to explore. She moved and settled herself into a chair, still followed by a few of the spirits. The one that had been the first to come visit her flitted around her still open hand.
She glanced in the direction of Glyph and Xun, in time to see the dragon king have to catch his lover. "He going to be alright?"
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Posted: Sat May 05, 2012 8:38 pm
"Mm... children. Not just of people, either. Can you feel them? Young souls, all souls..." He felt the spirits of creatures as well as people, intermingled and all on an even playing field. The wilder ones huddled around the tree, their glow and presence imbuing the sapling with an ethereal quality.
Xun's murmured words in his ear made him nod but he didn't not choose to get up. Instead, he curled up his legs and closed his eyes, "Thank-you." Tien's question made him laugh and shake his head, "I'll be fine. I'm just tired, give me the night and I'll be good as new on the morrow." Nevermind the fact he had a tendency to work himself into exhaustion then keep going besides. He'd collapsed more then once with the Night Elves of Teldrassil, he could very well wear himself out now as well.... even if his power was much greater.
As the water was poured, Glyph leaned forward and cupped a hand to catch some of it, sipping it with a grateful expression. He was very thirsty, come to think of it, "Do you have another flask?"
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Posted: Sun May 06, 2012 2:36 am
Sorrow was a dangerous emotion. It was like a thick swamp, the deeper you went the harder it became to see the light. She looked up at the cool touch from Ankou's fingers and sniffed. A few more sprites had entered the room now, casting a golden, comforting glow across the space.
"Rebirth you mean?" She asked, leaning into him and closing her eyes. "But what about before then? Who takes care of them from death to rebirth? I know Nergal made a place for them in the Underworld, but they're still alone."
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Posted: Sun May 06, 2012 7:12 pm
It was so strange to see her like this. Cosine was so often calm and logical that it was almost too easy to forget that sometimes it was not the case - sometimes she did lose her inner balance, and had to find it again.
She was worried about the wisps ? That was what it was ? It had never occurred to him to be worried about them. Those in this world, at least, were certainly as safe as spirits could be in the mortal planes, and even these little wisps had their own means to defend themselves. And the older ones were not kind to those preying on the younger, no matter which species one was talking about.
But no... No, that still was not it, was it not ? Nergal took care of them in the Underworld, and he took care of them before that. But that was not what Cosine was asking, not really.
Thankfully, he knew exactly what to answer her, having seen it with his own eyes.
"They are not alone." He said, voice soft, pulling her a little closer so that she was resting her weight against him properly. "They have each other, and... There are others spirits, too. Mothers and fathers, that died as well. They do not always have their own children with them... The bigger spirits take care of the smaller ones." Cold fingers traced her cheek, careful to avoid the cuts. "And when those get sent on for rebirth... More come to take the place of those who left. The circle never ends... And they never linger too long." He moved then to dry the new tears away.
"And for now, those little ones have us, as well. All of us."
He did not want to spin her some kind of fairy tale to make her feel better, and he refused to do that, no matter what. So he could only hope that this would be comforting enough for her. Once they entered the Underworld, there was little he could do for the spirits. His influence did not extend this far.
Xun Jiang's expression would be quite telling to Tien as to how he felt about Glyph's answer to the question she had just asked him. It was that telltale set of the jaw that was so very Illisia and basically screamed DANGER DANGER DANGER.
The Dragon King looked like he was wavering in between wrapping Glyph in bubble wrap and carrying him on his back of the rest of the trip, and trying to slap the stubbornness out of him. Or maybe even doing both. Whatever worked, really.
And to think, if there had not been one half tempering the other, Illisia's tendency toward though love would have surfaced a long time ago.
"Oh, he will be." Uh oh. That was the I Am A Dragon And I Mean Business voice. "He just need a little love and care, before he passes out, or something like it." Hopefully that reminded Glyph of something. He was not keen on turning this into a dragon and tree soap opera, with poor Tien stuck in the middle of it.
Small blessings, there - Illisia certainly would not have cared who was watching.
Once Glyph seemed stable enough, he let go, and rummaged his own bag for the last two leather gourds. No matter, really. He would just have to make sure someone with opposed thumbs could handle the filling. He felt bad about asking so much of Trickery, but hopefully she would not mind aiding him a bit. It seemed all too obvious what he might be up to when he slid off his shirt, and gently wrapped it around Glyph's head. The meaning was clear - Keep your head covered, at least..
Then, finally, a gentle kiss on his forehead, proving that love still outranked his aggravation, somehow. And probably was a good stand in for the 'please.'
"Could I ask you to watch over him for a minute or two ? I need to go get some more water. We are almost out." It was all too easy to figure out exactly where he might get that water when the pants where next to go, and scales sprung forth the second he had ran his way outside.
Yeah, the door would have been a tight fit, and thankfully, while the bandages had come undone, the scales had sealed the wound in, just as he had expected. He sniffed the air, resisting the urge to sneeze. Ugh. Somehow the sand up his nose was worse like this !
It was hard to predict what might last past another sand storm, even if they hopefully would not be there long enough for that to happen again. Still, that wellspring would be around long after they were gone, and there was the hope that the constant stream of water might, in time, help righten this planet's ecosystem again.
Eventually, he settled on a small hill-like peak where water would flow down to hopefully, in time, create a river. He dug through the sand until he hit dry, parched earth, and sunk his fangs in. It took a minute or so before he finally pulled back, but when he did, the water started to trickle out, sweet and pure.
It just needed a few minute to build momentum, but for now Xun Jiang was content to just sit for a moment and let the dizziness clear out. That certainly should not be this hard to do, he grumbled mentally.
Hell, if someone dug out a pool, Cosine might get her hot bath ! If she was patient.
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Posted: Mon May 07, 2012 3:09 am
She grinned and somehow managed to suppress a giggle. Clearly Xun wasn't pleased with Glyph running himself ragged, that much was apparent from the tone of voice and his expression. If Forest didn't watch it he might end up on whatever counted as a couch while on this trip.
"Sure thing." Tien didn't mind helping. It was something to do, if he had not asked she probably would have ended up digging out her puzzle ring again. After Xun disappeared outside she moved to chair that was closer to where Glyph was settled.
"That was really nice, what you did for them..." She meant growing the tree for the little wisps of course.
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Posted: Mon May 07, 2012 11:11 am
Xun couldn't see it, but the quirk of Glyph's lip turned a tad amused as the dragon king's tone grew much more official, indicating he would have little choice in said recovery. It endeared Xun to him, really. The fiery attitude, the tenderness... the frustration and the arguments, he treasured it all.
His expression turned more serious, however, as the other wrapped the shirt around his head, peeking up under the fabric, that smile dancing in his eyes instead of on his lips. "And you plan on burning now, hn?" The tone was gentle but still a reminder that Xun would need the covering as much if not more then he. As Lifewater kissed his forehead, Glyph reached a hand to snag the king for a better kiss but he was already gone, intent on retrieving more water.
"Don't drain yourself!" He called after the king, well aware of what he intended to do and knew, too, just how taxing it was. The fact they planned on staying here a few days was all that kept him from arguing the point with Xun. They could and would recover... and they did need the water refills.
He felt the burst of mana and the sigh of seeds as water ran once more in the sands. It soaked much of the area before it earnestly started to flow and when it did, it cut a narrow line through the sand, turning past the house to pool in a depression before dissappearing into the sands beyond. All along its route, Glyph felt the sigh of parched seeds and lifted his head, cocked as if listening to something.
After a pause, he shook his head and seemed to inhale, breaking from his reverie with a murmured half complaint half compliment directed in Xun's direction.
At Tien's comment, he opened one amethyst eye and grinned, reaching out to toy with the leaves of the tiny oak, "It's in my nature... I adore children. They should enjoy some beauty before Ankou guides them into Nergal's embrace... they've been without for so long." He laughed, "If I weren't in such a state, I'd offer them more... You've no idea how much I've had to keep from wandering off and doing just that. I can feel the dormant seeds in the soil, sense where woodland once stood as we journey over the land. It's draining, and distracting, so far from my domain."
He gestured at the door Xun had disappeared out, the dragon's shirt held against his chest, "With the water he's called forth now, it should be easier, here at least."
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