“Right?!” Willow emphatically agreed and turned to look at Eryl. “For being super smart he can be a bit of a melt.”
Turning back to Noble, Willow serioused up again.
“I know this is a big ask; probably one of the biggest asks, but I can’t in good conscience leave the spriggans alone. I… I might… I just want to make sure as many of us get through this as possible.”
Reaching out, Willow gently tapped Curie’s head with her index finger.
[The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
"Kya!" yipped Curie as her whole form erupted at the contact. The tip of Willow's finger bounced, repulsed by the forces that manifested the small sprite. Disrupted, Curie undulated and quivered before her rippling body returned to her pixie form.
A ghostly, electric tingle was working through Willow as another tremor shook her; a gauntlet slapping the side of her arm. Noble gave a hearty laugh.
"The smallkin call me the Captain," announced the Artisan of Order, stepping through the yews to make himself known to the forest gods. Many of them were still gathered, discussing the harrowing events to come, "my peers named me leader, and the hero of this realm calls me friend. You all shall henceforth call me Commander."
A commotion rose in the treeline, and the Horn God bristled at the newcomer. Willow's goodwill and brimstone was one thing, but another stranger barging into their lives was too much. Then, they all withered as Noble spread his wings, his voice resonating with true godhood.
"For a hundred years, I have orchestrated the defense of the lands beyond your forest. For decades, I have campaigned against the growing shadow. Today, I come as a herald of victory, for tonight is the last night Vengeance sleeps soundly."
The air of skepticism among the forest gods was drowned in a wave of cheers among the spriggans that left their sides. Suddenly, and in a moment, differences of tribe disappeared, and a throng of boughs and bark surrounded Noble.
"I can feel the fear among you, and that is to be expected, but have cheer! For tonight, you will not be alone. Within the hour, my true form shall arrive to muster the defenses and in my wake shall be a regiment of my finest lances. Behind them shall be the eyes of the Sage. As the night goes on, more of my allies will march on our position, bolstering our numbers."
Noble threw his arms out, his helm glittering in his hand, "Tonight, we will stand as one and extinguish the darkness, once and for all!"
The spriggans shook the treetops with their cheers, much to the amazement of their own gods. Leaves trickled down like streamers in the wind, and Noble looked to Willow. He slammed his helmet on his head and pounded his gauntlet to his brow in a salute to her.
And then, he was gone in a blink, a wisp of divine plumage billowing where he had stood.
"Noble is only so so at secrets," Willow heard in her own voice, "but I'm impressed."
The small harpy on her shoulder had taken her form, but smaller, and with avian wings and legs. Her little double looked like an odinkine version of herself. It smiles and as a wash of light smoothed out the avian parts into human limbs and it say there, smiling Creative's smile with Willow's face.
"I think," it whispered, conspiratorially, "he handled himself admirably when baba pressed him about the Patron, no?"
A rock struck her little double in the head, and Creative's miniature form burst forth in a cloud of smoke. Clever stood at Willow's feet, holding another rock in her hand, her brow furrowed at Creative.
A ghostly, electric tingle was working through Willow as another tremor shook her; a gauntlet slapping the side of her arm. Noble gave a hearty laugh.
"The smallkin call me the Captain," announced the Artisan of Order, stepping through the yews to make himself known to the forest gods. Many of them were still gathered, discussing the harrowing events to come, "my peers named me leader, and the hero of this realm calls me friend. You all shall henceforth call me Commander."
A commotion rose in the treeline, and the Horn God bristled at the newcomer. Willow's goodwill and brimstone was one thing, but another stranger barging into their lives was too much. Then, they all withered as Noble spread his wings, his voice resonating with true godhood.
"For a hundred years, I have orchestrated the defense of the lands beyond your forest. For decades, I have campaigned against the growing shadow. Today, I come as a herald of victory, for tonight is the last night Vengeance sleeps soundly."
The air of skepticism among the forest gods was drowned in a wave of cheers among the spriggans that left their sides. Suddenly, and in a moment, differences of tribe disappeared, and a throng of boughs and bark surrounded Noble.
"I can feel the fear among you, and that is to be expected, but have cheer! For tonight, you will not be alone. Within the hour, my true form shall arrive to muster the defenses and in my wake shall be a regiment of my finest lances. Behind them shall be the eyes of the Sage. As the night goes on, more of my allies will march on our position, bolstering our numbers."
Noble threw his arms out, his helm glittering in his hand, "Tonight, we will stand as one and extinguish the darkness, once and for all!"
The spriggans shook the treetops with their cheers, much to the amazement of their own gods. Leaves trickled down like streamers in the wind, and Noble looked to Willow. He slammed his helmet on his head and pounded his gauntlet to his brow in a salute to her.
And then, he was gone in a blink, a wisp of divine plumage billowing where he had stood.
"Noble is only so so at secrets," Willow heard in her own voice, "but I'm impressed."
The small harpy on her shoulder had taken her form, but smaller, and with avian wings and legs. Her little double looked like an odinkine version of herself. It smiles and as a wash of light smoothed out the avian parts into human limbs and it say there, smiling Creative's smile with Willow's face.
"I think," it whispered, conspiratorially, "he handled himself admirably when baba pressed him about the Patron, no?"
A rock struck her little double in the head, and Creative's miniature form burst forth in a cloud of smoke. Clever stood at Willow's feet, holding another rock in her hand, her brow furrowed at Creative.
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Willow couldn’t help but give some light yet appreciative applause following Noble’s display. Just a moment prior she had been ready to lay into the spriggans once more, but Noble understood the assignment and showed them what he was worth. So, she politely clapped. Looking to her shoulder following the Commander’s departure, she idly inspected Creative as he now spoke. She was retaining what he was saying, of course, but she also couldn’t help but think back to her first day at Safeholme when that Riley lass had imitated Mister Flynn; it was an odd feeling to be mimicked like that, it seemed. That aside, she scowled a bit at Creative’s words, and while she did, admittedly, jump a bit at the sudden flight of a rock and burst of smoke,she maintained her gaze.
“How do you mean?” asked Willow as she knelt down and picked up Clever like she was a fussy kid and held her opposite of Creative. “My brain might still be strung out from Moot Mode, but it almost sounds like you remember Per… the Patron.”
“How do you mean?” asked Willow as she knelt down and picked up Clever like she was a fussy kid and held her opposite of Creative. “My brain might still be strung out from Moot Mode, but it almost sounds like you remember Per… the Patron.”
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
A small smirk spread on Creative's face, and his lips moved to speak. The words, like Smart, failed to produce, and so his odinkine form melted away into that of the Patron. A diminutive form of Mr. Caxton looked back up at her with those dull, green eyes.
"It is a weakness in the Patron's power," spoke Creative in Percival's voice, "when the Patron wanes, Vengeance waxes; so tell my dreams and nightmares."
A rock whizzed by his head, Clever wriggled furiously in Willow's grip.
"Willow," said the little Caxton, "from the beginning, I begged you to leave, to finish your task and go on with your life. Now, there is no turning back."
Eryl stamped her staff and a bubble washed over the small Caxton.
"You always have a choice," asserted Eryl.
Creative burst from his form and folded through the barrier to assume another shape. He was in the shape of Manon, which the clown found immensely delightful. Yet, the petite Manon never broke their gaze once, not even in the shapeshifting.
"Willow", begged the little Manon, "I have always called him the Patron, but he's my father too. He taught me to love my art. He helped me cultivate my little stars. When my nightmares gave me doubt, he was always there."
Creative pompfed out Manon's form, tears atreaming from his eyes. He struggled into one last form to speak; Eryl.
"Please, Willow," entreated Creative in a small Eryl body, "strike now before its too late. The Slumberer waits under the Tree of Vengeance. She sleeps, and Vengeance is her waking nightmare. So long as she dreams that nightmare, Vengeance will exist."
"It is a weakness in the Patron's power," spoke Creative in Percival's voice, "when the Patron wanes, Vengeance waxes; so tell my dreams and nightmares."
A rock whizzed by his head, Clever wriggled furiously in Willow's grip.
"Willow," said the little Caxton, "from the beginning, I begged you to leave, to finish your task and go on with your life. Now, there is no turning back."
Eryl stamped her staff and a bubble washed over the small Caxton.
"You always have a choice," asserted Eryl.
Creative burst from his form and folded through the barrier to assume another shape. He was in the shape of Manon, which the clown found immensely delightful. Yet, the petite Manon never broke their gaze once, not even in the shapeshifting.
"Willow", begged the little Manon, "I have always called him the Patron, but he's my father too. He taught me to love my art. He helped me cultivate my little stars. When my nightmares gave me doubt, he was always there."
Creative pompfed out Manon's form, tears atreaming from his eyes. He struggled into one last form to speak; Eryl.
"Please, Willow," entreated Creative in a small Eryl body, "strike now before its too late. The Slumberer waits under the Tree of Vengeance. She sleeps, and Vengeance is her waking nightmare. So long as she dreams that nightmare, Vengeance will exist."
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
“Yup, that’s the plan. I am, as the kids say, locked in. It’d be kind of a bummer to come all this way just to say Nah, on second thought, I’ll pass, later bruv,” Willow gave a cheeky smile to Creative, Clever, and Eryl in turn. Within the expression familiar to the Brit’s face and tone was a distinct change from before; her eyes had a maturity and weight to them that wasn’t there at the start of this adventure. Willow, internalizing the nature of her metallic powers, had become galvanized. If ever she were going to be ready to do this, shy of waiting until she was a proper adult at Miss Smith’s age, it was now.
“Now,” the allomancer’s voice was warm. “Let’s get y’all back.”
Her gaze shifted back to Eryl.
“And let us get ready to hit the road.”
“Now,” the allomancer’s voice was warm. “Let’s get y’all back.”
Her gaze shifted back to Eryl.
“And let us get ready to hit the road.”
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Eryl's mouth flattened, pinning away some comment. She had seen many Hexer teams for the last time, with the same faces, and the same hope. A hand curled over her chest, hiding away another dark thought that strengthened her resolve.
"One more thing," Creative, as the little Caxton, "Bjorn is ready to return to you, but it seems your littles are becoming bound to the staff. You'll need to call him like you call--..."
And he was gone with the thought. Clever was wished away as well; a brief hushed word from Helen signalled she was gone as well. Ghyslain, Curie, and even Phyllis had disappeared with thein respective artisans. All that remained was Horst, who had remained eerily silent since he had joined them at the forest edge.
It was just Manon, Eryl and Willow now. The Forest Gods were retreating to the Center Canton, following the Leaf God. He spared a glance to Willow, and then to Horn. The Horn God stared at him, but the things she needed to say, what she wanted to say, remained unspoken.
"Just ze four of us?" Manon asked as they walked, "Izzat even a fair fight?"
"We are hardly alone," Eryl answered, wistful as she floated along in her graceful step.
"I meant for zem!" glittered the clown's smile.
They carried themselves to the border of the forest, to the line of standing torches that kept the dark out. The camps that had been made were empty, with only a few camp wardens ensuring supplies were making into the Leaf village. A few sentinels kept watch over the border that faced towards Vengeance's land.
Stopping at the treeline, Eryl tugged out one of her long knives.
"I am loathe to do this, but time is of the essence," grumbled the triclops. "I have a spell that should carry us through the woods quickly and quietly. Just tell me when you are ready, as I am sure once we are at the border of the glade, turning back will not be an option."
"Willow!" yelled the voice of the Leaf God as he ran down the path in a dead sprint, "Wait!"
He tumbled and slapped right over onto the ground. Groaning, he pressed himself up and hobbled over to Willow.
"I just... I just had a..."
Catching his breath, he pulled out a few rocks and a piece of paper and pressed them into her hand. The rocks had the heft and feel of metals, but glowed ever so slightly.
"You said you eat metals, and so I figured these might help. The pearly ones are called heavenstone, the oily one is purgusite. I haven't had much chance to really study them, but they are theoretically divine. The note is just in case you need it, you never know out here. I know it's a bit sudden, but I didn't know any other way to help."
"One more thing," Creative, as the little Caxton, "Bjorn is ready to return to you, but it seems your littles are becoming bound to the staff. You'll need to call him like you call--..."
And he was gone with the thought. Clever was wished away as well; a brief hushed word from Helen signalled she was gone as well. Ghyslain, Curie, and even Phyllis had disappeared with thein respective artisans. All that remained was Horst, who had remained eerily silent since he had joined them at the forest edge.
It was just Manon, Eryl and Willow now. The Forest Gods were retreating to the Center Canton, following the Leaf God. He spared a glance to Willow, and then to Horn. The Horn God stared at him, but the things she needed to say, what she wanted to say, remained unspoken.
"Just ze four of us?" Manon asked as they walked, "Izzat even a fair fight?"
"We are hardly alone," Eryl answered, wistful as she floated along in her graceful step.
"I meant for zem!" glittered the clown's smile.
They carried themselves to the border of the forest, to the line of standing torches that kept the dark out. The camps that had been made were empty, with only a few camp wardens ensuring supplies were making into the Leaf village. A few sentinels kept watch over the border that faced towards Vengeance's land.
Stopping at the treeline, Eryl tugged out one of her long knives.
"I am loathe to do this, but time is of the essence," grumbled the triclops. "I have a spell that should carry us through the woods quickly and quietly. Just tell me when you are ready, as I am sure once we are at the border of the glade, turning back will not be an option."
"Willow!" yelled the voice of the Leaf God as he ran down the path in a dead sprint, "Wait!"
He tumbled and slapped right over onto the ground. Groaning, he pressed himself up and hobbled over to Willow.
"I just... I just had a..."
Catching his breath, he pulled out a few rocks and a piece of paper and pressed them into her hand. The rocks had the heft and feel of metals, but glowed ever so slightly.
"You said you eat metals, and so I figured these might help. The pearly ones are called heavenstone, the oily one is purgusite. I haven't had much chance to really study them, but they are theoretically divine. The note is just in case you need it, you never know out here. I know it's a bit sudden, but I didn't know any other way to help."