A Writing Squid

Hi, I'm Caspian! Some of you may have once known me as wehavedragonsonberk, but now I am aroleplayingcephalopod! This blog is still a work in progress, but I'll have links to character pages and such ready ASAP.

[tree-the-cat]

Idle Hands

Liam could barely hear Verdandi as she raced behind him. He pulled his scarf up to stifle the smoke out of his breath but it was still intense, and difficult to keep up his current pace. He grabbed several rebels as he passed by, demanding Nala’s location, and he managed to narrow it down to the north end of the island. Nothing short of pure, rage-driven adrenaline was shooting through him the entire time he moved.

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

Verdandi coughs against the smoke, her eyes stinging and her lungs burning. Still, she refuses to let Liam out of her sight. If Rhenco’s gotten control over Nala… Rhenco almost killed Liam once. She’s not going to let him make it a reality now. Or ever.

She leaps over a fallen tree. Though she doesn’t notice it, her jump takes her farther than it should, and golden light trails behind her back, almost like phantom wings in the smoke.

[tree-the-cat]

Liam, in contrast, was using his own powers to propel him faster, leaving streaks of shadow in his wake. He clipped his shoulder on a tree and nearly fell, but managed to shove himself back into a decently balanced position to continue his sprint. He felt a few hot tears welling up as he tried over and over again to contact Nala, to no avail.

“Do you have something?” he shouted back at Verdandi. “Anything!?”

She only managed to shake her head before he thundered forward faster, keeping his eyes sharp and wary, and when he finally caught sight of a scarlet glow in the night, facing away from the chaos of Haligan, he filled his lungs and hollered, “NALA!!”

[moe-lazyeye]

Rhenco took the moment of distraction like a tidal wave taking the shore. With a tearing cry of desperation, he tore himself from Nala, the contract shattering to pieces as he atoms exploded away from hers. 

-

Ruddy brown ichor exploded from Nala’s porcelain cracks, and pooled on the ground around it. Red, cracking electricity snapped around the pool as it grew and spread over the ground. It collected in and around itself, and finally began to take form. Staggering to his feet as he slowly formed, Rhenco’s form took shape as the electricity continued to crackle. It was very unlike the quiet, flame-less burn and freezing that typically took place. 

Craning his neck up as gasping as he solidified, Rhenco took in a ragged breath. He stood in silence, and slowly placed a hand on his heart. He turned around, and saw Nala, free of his influence, and the figures of Liam and Verdandi bearing down on him. Just as it had been when it all started. He felt the severance, the disconnect. 

My…red card…my ward of protection…my self transmutation….  

“Gone…” He breathed in disbelief. “Gone?!” Rhenco then let out a piercing yell as he spread his hands, red electricity flaring around his arms. I had plenty that I held back to maintain that recipe! So if I’m going to die, I will die using what little she left me with!

He turned to Nala, his face contorted. “Fuck you demon!” He screamed. “COME ON!”

[tree-the-cat]

The Warden was already moving past him to protect Liam, but as Rhenco threw out his arms and energy arced off of him, her body suddenly seized and contorted, and she tripped to her knees and briefly thrashed on the ground, the same arcs of bright red flashing between her joints and behind her mask. Her mind constricted as their essences burned and snapped against each other; she’d taken too much of him on. She was paralyzed.

The show of lights threw ghastly shadows across Liam’s horrified face, and he sprinted forward, a wordless cry in his throat. As Rhenco turned in reflex, the lightning thrashed across Liam’s chest and shoulder like a whip, striking his new scar, and he was thrown aside, hitting the ground in a spray of dark soil, and the storm thundered overhead, threatening to break at any moment.

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

As she watches Liam fly like a tossed ragdoll, horror settles in Verdandi’s chest. It’s quickly replaced by a seething mass of rage, and she lets out a wordless scream before charging at Rhenco. She draws her sword mid-stride, the steel of the blade reflecting the shimmering light streaming from her shoulder blades as the wings of gold solidify into view. In her other hand, a coil of golden chains begins to form.

[moe-lazyeye]

With a snarl Rhenco brought his hands together and transmutation circles flashed on either side of him, and rock and earth pulled itself from the ground to stop her blade.

His feet shifted across the dirt as he flicked out his knife and skirted around his barrier. The demon was weakened. He could still hurt her. Clearly both of these children had power, but he had power too, and for much longer.

“Verdandi! I owe it all to you! And now I can-!”

The end of the golden chain caught Rhenco in the side of his neck and he hit the ground like a dropped stone. Soft, hitching noises could be heard, and then Rhenco gave a low, agonized cry. He rolled over as his body stiffened with pain. Real pain. No longer laced with the sick pleasure that had always muted it before.

One hand slapped against the ground as he slowly rolled up, the eletricy sparked fiercely as his broken neck was healed and coaxed back in place. “What…the fuck!?” He gasped as staggered a step. He inhaled sharply, and touched his neck.

Not…dead?

“Not dead….” he murmured. “I’m not dead…it healed.” A ghost of a smile began to touch his lips, and then it dropped as realization dawned on him. “Wait a minute.”

[demon-in-the-dungeon]

As Verdandi’s spectral weapon coiled in the air after striking Rhenco, the chains collided with each other, ringing and creating an unearthly tone, a deep, chiming hum. A small, almost-invisible wave of force rolled outwards from her clenched fist, a note that made everyone’s lungs shake, and the ground and even the ocean itself vibrated with its tune. The pulse struck out again, only this time, in a specific lash outwards from the chain links, in the air above and behind Rhenco and Nala, who was still twitching against the soil, inwardly screaming as she was incapacitated by the remnants of his alchemy. His disgusting blood still crept through her veins, and she could only watch as the air continued to vibrate above them, shuddering harder and harder. The dark, smoking scenery around them warped like a swath of fabric, and there was suddenly an extreme, drawn-out tearing sound, like a thousand sheets of paper, like a million threads, like the fabric of the universe itself giving way to a determined pair of twisting fists.

Liam struggled to his feet, but he was suddenly blocked by the appearance of a familiar, hooded figure almost a head shorter than him. Milae was advancing with his long weapon drawn, but he was cautious, careful. Liam saw that his scars were almost blinding with golden light.

The air finally released with a thump of intense pressure and a female scream, and a cascade of rippling lights and sparks flashed and tossed across the clearing, tumbling through the grass. When it cleared, there was a figure hovering in the air, her dirty, clawed feet dangling above the Warden. She lifted her head, and her outline traced with a flash of scarlet light as she flexed her arms, which were also equipped with massive claws. Her horns caught the psychedelic lights as she turned in place, looking down at the scene below her–or she would, if she had eyes to see. Her upper face was bandaged and bloodied, her face twisted with black markings as her incredibly long, dark auburn hair whipped around her in the storm’s wind. 

She noticed Nala. She noticed Rhenco. And she lifted her arm in a contorted position, her fingers crooked and clawed. A light sparked in her claws, and she lowered her arm to point a single finger down at Nalaagura, hunched and shivering in the night.

NALAAGURA EP’HA.

Liam gasped. Milae almost jerked forward, his jaw dropping. The Warden immediately straightened and arched her back while on her knees, her eyes wide and shining, and for a moment, everyone in the area feared for their life. The unknown demon grinned with shining fangs.

PURGE HIM.

In an instant, every last bit of magic, essence and suppression that Nala felt was expunged, and it all flooded out of her in several streaks of crimson and black and cobalt; they struck Rhenco with a force several times that of gravity and threw him back against the trees, immediately bloodied and almost hanging by his tendons in several areas across his body. The new demon lifted her hand and Nala slowly rose to her feet, but as soon as she did so, the control was released, and the Warden sagged a bit in place before coming to and realizing what was happening. She twisted around in utter disbelief at the demon, and the floating figure grinned wider, giving her an almost mocking salute while sitting with her legs crossed in the air, like she had a front-row seat to the most enthralling stageplay. Their minds locked in sudden understanding.

Have fun, O Warden Mine.

Nalaagura slowly turned in place and locked her eyes on Rhenco, and without much more warning, she drew her swords from her ribcage, their blades already heated orange and red, and began stalking towards him, one porcelain foot at a time.

[moe-lazyeye]

Rhenco’s screech was piercing as his body twisted and fell from the trees, his tendons snapping before sparking with electricity to fuse back into his body. He pressed a hand to the tree behind him, one of his intestines flopping out of his cut before rapidly pulling itself back up into him, and the wound sealing shut.

He threw up blood, and through the gagging, his eyes met the Warden’s, and at the sight of her scorching blades, he remembered a distant memory. One which had been lost to him for years. A memory of being cut down by those very blades in the first battle of Ragnarok.

“shit…..”

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

The storm breaks overhead, sheets of rain cascading down and drumming into the earth. In moments, everyone is soaked through, though it doesn’t slow the Warden down.

Verdandi, rushing past Nala, doesn’t slow down either. “Enough of this,” she growls. “You are not hurting anyone else!” she screams at Rhenco. Mid-step, her eyes blaze gold, the light filling them as the torrential rain freezes in place.

“I will not allow you to hurt another soul. Not even one belonging to a demon.” Her voice thrums with power, enough to match the new demon’s. She lashes out with the golden chain, the magic moving as though it’s an extension of herself. The chain wraps around Rhenco’s ankle, and as it does, it seems to burn right through him.

Her power unfurls, and in the silence left behind the storm, a strange rushing sound travels up the chain and into Verthandi’s hand as she manipulates the seidr into pulling Rhenco’s essence from every timeline but this one -- until the only life he has left is the one where Nalaagura Ep’ha is ready to tear him to pieces.

[tree-the-cat]

Idle Hands

Liam could barely hear Verdandi as she raced behind him. He pulled his scarf up to stifle the smoke out of his breath but it was still intense, and difficult to keep up his current pace. He grabbed several rebels as he passed by, demanding Nala’s location, and he managed to narrow it down to the north end of the island. Nothing short of pure, rage-driven adrenaline was shooting through him the entire time he moved.

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

Verdandi coughs against the smoke, her eyes stinging and her lungs burning. Still, she refuses to let Liam out of her sight. If Rhenco’s gotten control over Nala… Rhenco almost killed Liam once. She’s not going to let him make it a reality now. Or ever.

She leaps over a fallen tree. Though she doesn’t notice it, her jump takes her farther than it should, and golden light trails behind her back, almost like phantom wings in the smoke.

[tree-the-cat]

Liam, in contrast, was using his own powers to propel him faster, leaving streaks of shadow in his wake. He clipped his shoulder on a tree and nearly fell, but managed to shove himself back into a decently balanced position to continue his sprint. He felt a few hot tears welling up as he tried over and over again to contact Nala, to no avail.

“Do you have something?” he shouted back at Verdandi. “Anything!?”

She only managed to shake her head before he thundered forward faster, keeping his eyes sharp and wary, and when he finally caught sight of a scarlet glow in the night, facing away from the chaos of Haligan, he filled his lungs and hollered, “NALA!!”

[moe-lazyeye]

Rhenco took the moment of distraction like a tidal wave taking the shore. With a tearing cry of desperation, he tore himself from Nala, the contract shattering to pieces as he atoms exploded away from hers. 

-

Ruddy brown ichor exploded from Nala’s porcelain cracks, and pooled on the ground around it. Red, cracking electricity snapped around the pool as it grew and spread over the ground. It collected in and around itself, and finally began to take form. Staggering to his feet as he slowly formed, Rhenco’s form took shape as the electricity continued to crackle. It was very unlike the quiet, flame-less burn and freezing that typically took place. 

Craning his neck up as gasping as he solidified, Rhenco took in a ragged breath. He stood in silence, and slowly placed a hand on his heart. He turned around, and saw Nala, free of his influence, and the figures of Liam and Verdandi bearing down on him. Just as it had been when it all started. He felt the severance, the disconnect. 

My…red card…my ward of protection…my self transmutation….  

“Gone…” He breathed in disbelief. “Gone?!” Rhenco then let out a piercing yell as he spread his hands, red electricity flaring around his arms. I had plenty that I held back to maintain that recipe! So if I’m going to die, I will die using what little she left me with!

He turned to Nala, his face contorted. “Fuck you demon!” He screamed. “COME ON!”

[tree-the-cat]

The Warden was already moving past him to protect Liam, but as Rhenco threw out his arms and energy arced off of him, her body suddenly seized and contorted, and she tripped to her knees and briefly thrashed on the ground, the same arcs of bright red flashing between her joints and behind her mask. Her mind constricted as their essences burned and snapped against each other; she’d taken too much of him on. She was paralyzed.

The show of lights threw ghastly shadows across Liam’s horrified face, and he sprinted forward, a wordless cry in his throat. As Rhenco turned in reflex, the lightning thrashed across Liam’s chest and shoulder like a whip, striking his new scar, and he was thrown aside, hitting the ground in a spray of dark soil, and the storm thundered overhead, threatening to break at any moment.

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

As she watches Liam fly like a tossed ragdoll, horror settles in Verdandi’s chest. It’s quickly replaced by a seething mass of rage, and she lets out a wordless scream before charging at Rhenco. She draws her sword mid-stride, the steel of the blade reflecting the shimmering light streaming from her shoulder blades as the wings of gold solidify into view. In her other hand, a coil of golden chains begins to form.

[tree-the-cat]

Idle Hands

Liam could barely hear Verdandi as she raced behind him. He pulled his scarf up to stifle the smoke out of his breath but it was still intense, and difficult to keep up his current pace. He grabbed several rebels as he passed by, demanding Nala's location, and he managed to narrow it down to the north end of the island. Nothing short of pure, rage-driven adrenaline was shooting through him the entire time he moved.

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

Verdandi coughs against the smoke, her eyes stinging and her lungs burning. Still, she refuses to let Liam out of her sight. If Rhenco’s gotten control over Nala... Rhenco almost killed Liam once. She’s not going to let him make it a reality now. Or ever.

She leaps over a fallen tree. Though she doesn’t notice it, her jump takes her farther than it should, and golden light trails behind her back, almost like phantom wings in the smoke.

[tree-the-cat]

Seraphim Salvator

The house next to Kendra and Dario exploded with dust and plasma, and it dribbled across the ground in steaming violet heaps as the villagers began to holler and chose to either run to the other end of the island or stand and fight. The two of them were thrown to the ground, and as the dust settled, Dario saw Kendra was completely limp and unconscious, with a gash on her forehead starting to leak blood.

Two other figures raced forward against the crowd, both carrying bows and readying to fight against the Night Furies wheeling through the air, plunging and diving and screaming against the darkening sky. Before they could, the young man spotted Kendra, and he raced forward and threw himself to his knees, partially lifting her off the ground and looking up at Dario wildly.

“What the fuck happ–never mind, are you okay? Are you hurt?”

[dario-the-deer]

Watching Liam and an accompanying woman approach in the seconds after having his senses overloaded seemed almost like a fever dream. With the exception of superficial wounds and aching head, Dario was lucky to be in one piece. He noticed Kendra in Liam’s arms; the gash not seeming to let up in the slightest.

“I’m- what in the absolute Hel- I’m fine. I’m fine, I’m fine.” He scrambled on his hands and feet to where the siblings were positioned, moving some stray hairs from the would on Kendra’s head. She wasn’t responsive.

“Fuck, Liam. We have to go.” He wiped her blood from his hands onto the floor beneath him. “We were just talking… just talking, seconds ago.”

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

Verdandi kneels next to Liam and focuses her attention on Kendra, still limp in his arms. Reaching for her power comes as easily as breathing, and as she passes her hand over Kendra’s forehead, a golden glow trails from her fingers. When she lowers her hand again, the wound is gone, with only a faint scar to suggest that it was ever there. Almost as an afterthought, she makes an effort to wipe the blood away with the edge of her sleeve.

[tree-the-cat]

“Thank you,” Liam said breathlessly, giving her a brief kiss before hoisting his sister into his arms. “Dario, please take her, we have to help Grey and Lila.” His eyes were wet, but other than that, he was hard and focused. “I’m trusting you.”

[dario-the-deer]

So many things were happening in such a short span of time; this woman could do what he could do. Who was she?…

“Okay, of course. Please Liam, be safe.” He’d never seen the boy in rarer form. There was an aura of maturity he hadn’t noticed in his eyes before. Turning to the woman, he offered a thankful grin. “My name is Dario. I wish we could have met under better circumstances, but thank you for helping Kendra. You two watch each others backs – I promise to keep Kendra guarded.”

[tree-the-cat]

Liam carefully arranged Kendra in Dario’s arms before grabbing Verdandi’s hand. “C’mon, let’s go, Vee.”

Before they could move, a short, hooded figure suddenly exploded out of the escaping crowd and almost ran directly into Dario, and with a breathy gasp of relief, he grabbed Dario’s elbows in a vicelike grip.

“Dario, we have to go.” Milae’s voice, as intense it had ever been, almost didn’t rise above the chaos around them. But he looked up at the deer balefully; if he could have been pale, he would have looked like a ghost. “We have to go now.” Liam gestured at the goat in shocked annoyance behind his back.

“Let him take care of my goddamn sister first.” He took a menacing step towards Milae.

[dario-the-deer]

Way too much happening here.

As relieved as he was to see Milae, he knew Liam was right. Kendra was his priority at this point.

“Milae, hey.” He readjusted his arms to hold Kendra with slightly more comfort. “If we’re leaving, Kendra has to go with us. I can’t just leave her here.”

[tree-the-cat]

“You won’t,” Liam spat harshly. Milae withdrew his bladed weapon and stretched it in front of Liam, almost whacking him in the middle with its speed and strength.

“We take Kendra to the others, and then we leave.”

“What’s the big rush, anyway?” Liam demanded, shoving Milae’s weapon away. The shorter half-breed looked at him over his shoulder.

“The Warden has fallen. Rhenco has dominated her will. She will be here within minutes to destroy us.”

“Wh…no…”

All of the air left Liam’s lungs, and he automatically reached out for Nala to prove Milae wrong and rub it in his stupid snout.

Nothing. 

This isn’t happening…

The bristling half-cat, that had been full of vigor and determination moments before, seemed to have his courage wicked from him in an instant, like a drop of water in the blazing summer sun. His shoulders started trembling. His face felt numb and cold. He looked first at Milae, then at Dario, then at Verdandi, and then he let go of his girlfriend’s hand and began sprinting back into the village, his paws painfully pounding the stone beneath him.

Chest heaving, Milae looked back at Dario. His eyes were shining with a rarely-seen fear. “We leave Kendra with the other rebels under cover. Then we go.”

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

“Liam, wait!” Verdandi calls. She looks between Milae and Dario for a moment. “Take care of her,” she says, gesturing to Kendra. Then she’s on her feet, racing after Liam as fast as her legs can carry her.

You are not allowed to get yourself killed, Liam! she thinks.

[tree-the-cat]

Seraphim Salvator

The house next to Kendra and Dario exploded with dust and plasma, and it dribbled across the ground in steaming violet heaps as the villagers began to holler and chose to either run to the other end of the island or stand and fight. The two of them were thrown to the ground, and as the dust settled, Dario saw Kendra was completely limp and unconscious, with a gash on her forehead starting to leak blood.

Two other figures raced forward against the crowd, both carrying bows and readying to fight against the Night Furies wheeling through the air, plunging and diving and screaming against the darkening sky. Before they could, the young man spotted Kendra, and he raced forward and threw himself to his knees, partially lifting her off the ground and looking up at Dario wildly.

“What the fuck happ–never mind, are you okay? Are you hurt?”

[dario-the-deer]

Watching Liam and an accompanying woman approach in the seconds after having his senses overloaded seemed almost like a fever dream. With the exception of superficial wounds and aching head, Dario was lucky to be in one piece. He noticed Kendra in Liam’s arms; the gash not seeming to let up in the slightest.

“I’m- what in the absolute Hel- I’m fine. I’m fine, I’m fine.” He scrambled on his hands and feet to where the siblings were positioned, moving some stray hairs from the would on Kendra’s head. She wasn’t responsive.

“Fuck, Liam. We have to go.” He wiped her blood from his hands onto the floor beneath him. “We were just talking… just talking, seconds ago.”

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

Verdandi kneels next to Liam and focuses her attention on Kendra, still limp in his arms. Reaching for her power comes as easily as breathing, and as she passes her hand over Kendra’s forehead, a golden glow trails from her fingers. When she lowers her hand again, the wound is gone, with only a faint scar to suggest that it was ever there. Almost as an afterthought, she makes an effort to wipe the blood away with the edge of her sleeve.

[foresight-botgd]

This Here Is Not Singing, I'm Just Screaming in Tune [pt 2]

[x]

"That," Milae said, straightening, "is apparently your friendly local valkyrie that has awakened inside you. I would prefer you were not so entwined, however, as that makes your relationship with her, and her duties, difficult..."

"No shit." Liam's face was straight, and quite serious.

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

“What duties?” Verdandi asks, gripping Liam’s arms more tightly.

[foresight-botgd]

“Well,” Milae said, patiently, if a little pedantic, “a Norn has several jurisdictions and responsibilities, not to mention familial relationships that need mending, and she may be hindered if she is tied to a mortal. I do not enjoy the situation any more than you do, but we must make the most of it.”

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

Verdandi bristles with indignation. “After all of -- the nightmares, the visions -- after all of that, and the m-magic I can do,” why is it still so hard to say the word ‘magic’? “you expect me to just... drop my entire life to help do things I don’t even understand?”

[foresight-botgd]

“Listen--” Liam bristled, but Milae was already running over him.

“Good gods, no. I would prefer the two of you are separate.”

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

“And how would we do that?” Verdandi bites out. With every word he says, storming off and ignoring him for the rest of eternity looks more and more tempting.

[foresight-botgd]

“Verdandi.” Milae was now scowling, as best as a goat could. “I am trying to help you. If you would rather I not bother with your troubles, I can certainly do that. But this will only get worse without an experienced hand.”

“It’s not that fucking hard, is it?” Liam blurted. “She’s got some kind of contract, and now we can talk with the thing that made it. I’ve got the exact same thing, just with a demon. What are the terms we need to check off?”

“This isn’t the same thing, Liam,” Milae said, still cross.

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

Verdandi throws her hands up in the air in frustration. “Then how is it different? If you’d stop being so cryptic and just speak plainly for once, maybe this would be easier!”

[foresight-botgd]

“You had no consent in this binding,” Milae said a bit louder to match her tone, also frustrated. “I do not know what this is, but it does not seem to have an ending, as demon contracts do. There are no guidelines, you simply exist together. You can ignore this, and ignore me, or we can work through it together, and I can restore my patronage, while you regain your humanity.” He placed his staff firmly down by his side. “If you don’t want my help...”

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

She stiffens at his words. “’Regain my humanity’?” she repeats. An angry blush rises on her cheeks. “I don’t -- I don’t even know what to say to you. Does having this... bond make me less of a person than if I didn’t have it?”

[foresight-botgd]

There was a terse silence, and Milae’s fist tightened around his staff as he stared at Verdandi. Then he turned aside and looked at the ocean, his nostrils flaring briefly as he drew in a deep breath.

“Clearly,” he said quietly, “this isn’t going well.”

“Yeah, I was just about to ask you to leave, actually,” Liam said loudly, in contrast. “Go bother someone else while we figure this out, timelord.”

Milae looked back at Verdandi, and she saw a rare emotion in his eyes. Regret.

“Please let me know if something goes wrong.” Then he was gone, and Liam snorted in his direction.

“Asshole.” 

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

Verdandi lets out a harsh breath. “Agreed.” The brand remains glowing for a few moments longer before -- almost sullenly -- it fades back to normal.

“So much for our peaceful break.”

[tree-the-cat]

“Gods, no kidding. You okay?” He cradled her forearms and checked her over, even though she didn’t seem outwardly hurt.

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

She manages a half-hearted smile. “I... guess. I don’t know what to think. I thought all the valkyries died during Ragnarok. Even the Norns. Being a host for one is... strange.”

[tree-the-cat]

“It’s just kinda fucked?” Liam cupped her face to look at her eyes again. “Demons still have rules, even though they’re wild. Valkyries are...” He shook his head slightly. “I’ve never dealt with them. I’ve met three different demons but not one valkyrie. I don’t know what game they have to play by.” His soft look soured. “And I don’t wanna have to go through goat dick to figure out what that is.”

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

Verdandi lets out a helpless giggle. “I don’t either,” she admits. “Maybe we can just figure it out on our own. She hasn’t tried to hurt me, I don’t think.”

[tree-the-cat]

The pads of his fingers caught on her skin as he pulled his hand away, and he hissed in pain and pulled his paws into his body, trying to play it off. “Yeah, for--for sure. Um, I just think that, maybe...”

He uncurled his hand, and Verdandi saw several raw blisters and burns across the rough pads of Liam’s palm. He had refused to let go of her arm while she had been inhabited by the valkyrie, and he had paid the price. “We should...be careful,” he finished lamely, avoiding her eyes. “Cause of demon and Valhalla things, I think.”

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

She flinches at the sight of Liam’s hand. “Gods, Liam, I’m sorry,” she whispers. “I didn’t realize that she would... do that.” Verdandi reaches out, gently taking Liam’s hand in hers. She closes her eyes, concentrating, and his hand begins to heal over. “I won’t let her do that, if she’s going to be sharing my body.”

[tree-the-cat]

“Shit,” Liam breathed quietly, grabbing her other arm and squeezing as the pain increased tenfold before it started to ebb away. He pressed his forehead to the top of her head as she healed him, and he didn’t move away when it was over. “Like I said, I don’t know if it was her fault. I think we’re just interacting really weirdly.” A shadow passed over his claws and dripped away to exemplify what he meant.

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

Verdandi frowns thoughtfully. “We’ll make it work,” she says, looking up at Liam.

[tree-the-cat]

“We’d better,” he murmured into her curls. “I’m not leaving you because of some stupid angel.”

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

“She’s not allowed to ruin this,” Verdandi agrees. She wraps her arms around Liam’s waist and rests her head against his chest. Everything else can wait. At least for a little while.

[foresight-botgd]

This Here Is Not Singing, I'm Just Screaming in Tune [pt 2]

[x]

"That," Milae said, straightening, "is apparently your friendly local valkyrie that has awakened inside you. I would prefer you were not so entwined, however, as that makes your relationship with her, and her duties, difficult..."

"No shit." Liam's face was straight, and quite serious.

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

“What duties?” Verdandi asks, gripping Liam’s arms more tightly.

[foresight-botgd]

“Well,” Milae said, patiently, if a little pedantic, “a Norn has several jurisdictions and responsibilities, not to mention familial relationships that need mending, and she may be hindered if she is tied to a mortal. I do not enjoy the situation any more than you do, but we must make the most of it.”

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

Verdandi bristles with indignation. “After all of -- the nightmares, the visions -- after all of that, and the m-magic I can do,” why is it still so hard to say the word ‘magic’? “you expect me to just... drop my entire life to help do things I don’t even understand?”

[foresight-botgd]

“Listen--” Liam bristled, but Milae was already running over him.

“Good gods, no. I would prefer the two of you are separate.”

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

“And how would we do that?” Verdandi bites out. With every word he says, storming off and ignoring him for the rest of eternity looks more and more tempting.

[foresight-botgd]

“Verdandi.” Milae was now scowling, as best as a goat could. “I am trying to help you. If you would rather I not bother with your troubles, I can certainly do that. But this will only get worse without an experienced hand.”

“It’s not that fucking hard, is it?” Liam blurted. “She’s got some kind of contract, and now we can talk with the thing that made it. I’ve got the exact same thing, just with a demon. What are the terms we need to check off?”

“This isn’t the same thing, Liam,” Milae said, still cross.

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

Verdandi throws her hands up in the air in frustration. “Then how is it different? If you’d stop being so cryptic and just speak plainly for once, maybe this would be easier!”

[foresight-botgd]

“You had no consent in this binding,” Milae said a bit louder to match her tone, also frustrated. “I do not know what this is, but it does not seem to have an ending, as demon contracts do. There are no guidelines, you simply exist together. You can ignore this, and ignore me, or we can work through it together, and I can restore my patronage, while you regain your humanity.” He placed his staff firmly down by his side. “If you don’t want my help...”

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

She stiffens at his words. “’Regain my humanity’?” she repeats. An angry blush rises on her cheeks. “I don’t -- I don’t even know what to say to you. Does having this... bond make me less of a person than if I didn’t have it?”

[foresight-botgd]

There was a terse silence, and Milae’s fist tightened around his staff as he stared at Verdandi. Then he turned aside and looked at the ocean, his nostrils flaring briefly as he drew in a deep breath.

“Clearly,” he said quietly, “this isn’t going well.”

“Yeah, I was just about to ask you to leave, actually,” Liam said loudly, in contrast. “Go bother someone else while we figure this out, timelord.”

Milae looked back at Verdandi, and she saw a rare emotion in his eyes. Regret.

“Please let me know if something goes wrong.” Then he was gone, and Liam snorted in his direction.

“Asshole.” 

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

Verdandi lets out a harsh breath. “Agreed.” The brand remains glowing for a few moments longer before -- almost sullenly -- it fades back to normal.

“So much for our peaceful break.”

[tree-the-cat]

“Gods, no kidding. You okay?” He cradled her forearms and checked her over, even though she didn’t seem outwardly hurt.

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

She manages a half-hearted smile. “I... guess. I don’t know what to think. I thought all the valkyries died during Ragnarok. Even the Norns. Being a host for one is... strange.”

[tree-the-cat]

“It’s just kinda fucked?” Liam cupped her face to look at her eyes again. “Demons still have rules, even though they’re wild. Valkyries are...” He shook his head slightly. “I’ve never dealt with them. I’ve met three different demons but not one valkyrie. I don’t know what game they have to play by.” His soft look soured. “And I don’t wanna have to go through goat dick to figure out what that is.”

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

Verdandi lets out a helpless giggle. “I don’t either,” she admits. “Maybe we can just figure it out on our own. She hasn’t tried to hurt me, I don’t think.”

[tree-the-cat]

The pads of his fingers caught on her skin as he pulled his hand away, and he hissed in pain and pulled his paws into his body, trying to play it off. “Yeah, for--for sure. Um, I just think that, maybe...”

He uncurled his hand, and Verdandi saw several raw blisters and burns across the rough pads of Liam’s palm. He had refused to let go of her arm while she had been inhabited by the valkyrie, and he had paid the price. “We should...be careful,” he finished lamely, avoiding her eyes. “Cause of demon and Valhalla things, I think.”

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

She flinches at the sight of Liam’s hand. “Gods, Liam, I’m sorry,” she whispers. “I didn’t realize that she would... do that.” Verdandi reaches out, gently taking Liam’s hand in hers. She closes her eyes, concentrating, and his hand begins to heal over. “I won’t let her do that, if she’s going to be sharing my body.”

[tree-the-cat]

“Shit,” Liam breathed quietly, grabbing her other arm and squeezing as the pain increased tenfold before it started to ebb away. He pressed his forehead to the top of her head as she healed him, and he didn’t move away when it was over. “Like I said, I don’t know if it was her fault. I think we’re just interacting really weirdly.” A shadow passed over his claws and dripped away to exemplify what he meant.

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

Verdandi frowns thoughtfully. “We’ll make it work,” she says, looking up at Liam.

[foresight-botgd]

This Here Is Not Singing, I'm Just Screaming in Tune [pt 2]

[x]

"That," Milae said, straightening, "is apparently your friendly local valkyrie that has awakened inside you. I would prefer you were not so entwined, however, as that makes your relationship with her, and her duties, difficult..."

"No shit." Liam's face was straight, and quite serious.

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

“What duties?” Verdandi asks, gripping Liam’s arms more tightly.

[foresight-botgd]

“Well,” Milae said, patiently, if a little pedantic, “a Norn has several jurisdictions and responsibilities, not to mention familial relationships that need mending, and she may be hindered if she is tied to a mortal. I do not enjoy the situation any more than you do, but we must make the most of it.”

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

Verdandi bristles with indignation. “After all of -- the nightmares, the visions -- after all of that, and the m-magic I can do,” why is it still so hard to say the word ‘magic’? “you expect me to just... drop my entire life to help do things I don’t even understand?”

[foresight-botgd]

“Listen--” Liam bristled, but Milae was already running over him.

“Good gods, no. I would prefer the two of you are separate.”

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

“And how would we do that?” Verdandi bites out. With every word he says, storming off and ignoring him for the rest of eternity looks more and more tempting.

[foresight-botgd]

“Verdandi.” Milae was now scowling, as best as a goat could. “I am trying to help you. If you would rather I not bother with your troubles, I can certainly do that. But this will only get worse without an experienced hand.”

“It’s not that fucking hard, is it?” Liam blurted. “She’s got some kind of contract, and now we can talk with the thing that made it. I’ve got the exact same thing, just with a demon. What are the terms we need to check off?”

“This isn’t the same thing, Liam,” Milae said, still cross.

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

Verdandi throws her hands up in the air in frustration. “Then how is it different? If you’d stop being so cryptic and just speak plainly for once, maybe this would be easier!”

[foresight-botgd]

“You had no consent in this binding,” Milae said a bit louder to match her tone, also frustrated. “I do not know what this is, but it does not seem to have an ending, as demon contracts do. There are no guidelines, you simply exist together. You can ignore this, and ignore me, or we can work through it together, and I can restore my patronage, while you regain your humanity.” He placed his staff firmly down by his side. “If you don’t want my help...”

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

She stiffens at his words. “’Regain my humanity’?” she repeats. An angry blush rises on her cheeks. “I don’t -- I don’t even know what to say to you. Does having this... bond make me less of a person than if I didn’t have it?”

[foresight-botgd]

There was a terse silence, and Milae’s fist tightened around his staff as he stared at Verdandi. Then he turned aside and looked at the ocean, his nostrils flaring briefly as he drew in a deep breath.

“Clearly,” he said quietly, “this isn’t going well.”

“Yeah, I was just about to ask you to leave, actually,” Liam said loudly, in contrast. “Go bother someone else while we figure this out, timelord.”

Milae looked back at Verdandi, and she saw a rare emotion in his eyes. Regret.

“Please let me know if something goes wrong.” Then he was gone, and Liam snorted in his direction.

“Asshole.” 

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

Verdandi lets out a harsh breath. “Agreed.” The brand remains glowing for a few moments longer before -- almost sullenly -- it fades back to normal.

“So much for our peaceful break.”

[tree-the-cat]

“Gods, no kidding. You okay?” He cradled her forearms and checked her over, even though she didn’t seem outwardly hurt.

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

She manages a half-hearted smile. “I... guess. I don’t know what to think. I thought all the valkyries died during Ragnarok. Even the Norns. Being a host for one is... strange.”

[tree-the-cat]

“It’s just kinda fucked?” Liam cupped her face to look at her eyes again. “Demons still have rules, even though they’re wild. Valkyries are...” He shook his head slightly. “I’ve never dealt with them. I’ve met three different demons but not one valkyrie. I don’t know what game they have to play by.” His soft look soured. “And I don’t wanna have to go through goat dick to figure out what that is.”

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

Verdandi lets out a helpless giggle. “I don’t either,” she admits. “Maybe we can just figure it out on our own. She hasn’t tried to hurt me, I don’t think.”

[tree-the-cat]

The pads of his fingers caught on her skin as he pulled his hand away, and he hissed in pain and pulled his paws into his body, trying to play it off. “Yeah, for--for sure. Um, I just think that, maybe...”

He uncurled his hand, and Verdandi saw several raw blisters and burns across the rough pads of Liam’s palm. He had refused to let go of her arm while she had been inhabited by the valkyrie, and he had paid the price. “We should...be careful,” he finished lamely, avoiding her eyes. “Cause of demon and Valhalla things, I think.”

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

She flinches at the sight of Liam’s hand. “Gods, Liam, I’m sorry,” she whispers. “I didn’t realize that she would... do that.” Verdandi reaches out, gently taking Liam’s hand in hers. She closes her eyes, concentrating, and his hand begins to heal over. “I won’t let her do that, if she’s going to be sharing my body.”

[foresight-botgd]

This Here Is Not Singing, I'm Just Screaming in Tune [pt 2]

[x]

"That," Milae said, straightening, "is apparently your friendly local valkyrie that has awakened inside you. I would prefer you were not so entwined, however, as that makes your relationship with her, and her duties, difficult..."

"No shit." Liam's face was straight, and quite serious.

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

“What duties?” Verdandi asks, gripping Liam’s arms more tightly.

[foresight-botgd]

“Well,” Milae said, patiently, if a little pedantic, “a Norn has several jurisdictions and responsibilities, not to mention familial relationships that need mending, and she may be hindered if she is tied to a mortal. I do not enjoy the situation any more than you do, but we must make the most of it.”

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

Verdandi bristles with indignation. “After all of -- the nightmares, the visions -- after all of that, and the m-magic I can do,” why is it still so hard to say the word ‘magic’? “you expect me to just... drop my entire life to help do things I don’t even understand?”

[foresight-botgd]

“Listen--” Liam bristled, but Milae was already running over him.

“Good gods, no. I would prefer the two of you are separate.”

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

“And how would we do that?” Verdandi bites out. With every word he says, storming off and ignoring him for the rest of eternity looks more and more tempting.

[foresight-botgd]

“Verdandi.” Milae was now scowling, as best as a goat could. “I am trying to help you. If you would rather I not bother with your troubles, I can certainly do that. But this will only get worse without an experienced hand.”

“It’s not that fucking hard, is it?” Liam blurted. “She’s got some kind of contract, and now we can talk with the thing that made it. I’ve got the exact same thing, just with a demon. What are the terms we need to check off?”

“This isn’t the same thing, Liam,” Milae said, still cross.

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

Verdandi throws her hands up in the air in frustration. “Then how is it different? If you’d stop being so cryptic and just speak plainly for once, maybe this would be easier!”

[foresight-botgd]

“You had no consent in this binding,” Milae said a bit louder to match her tone, also frustrated. “I do not know what this is, but it does not seem to have an ending, as demon contracts do. There are no guidelines, you simply exist together. You can ignore this, and ignore me, or we can work through it together, and I can restore my patronage, while you regain your humanity.” He placed his staff firmly down by his side. “If you don’t want my help...”

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

She stiffens at his words. “’Regain my humanity’?” she repeats. An angry blush rises on her cheeks. “I don’t -- I don’t even know what to say to you. Does having this... bond make me less of a person than if I didn’t have it?”

[foresight-botgd]

There was a terse silence, and Milae’s fist tightened around his staff as he stared at Verdandi. Then he turned aside and looked at the ocean, his nostrils flaring briefly as he drew in a deep breath.

“Clearly,” he said quietly, “this isn’t going well.”

“Yeah, I was just about to ask you to leave, actually,” Liam said loudly, in contrast. “Go bother someone else while we figure this out, timelord.”

Milae looked back at Verdandi, and she saw a rare emotion in his eyes. Regret.

“Please let me know if something goes wrong.” Then he was gone, and Liam snorted in his direction.

“Asshole.” 

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

Verdandi lets out a harsh breath. “Agreed.” The brand remains glowing for a few moments longer before -- almost sullenly -- it fades back to normal.

“So much for our peaceful break.”

[tree-the-cat]

“Gods, no kidding. You okay?” He cradled her forearms and checked her over, even though she didn’t seem outwardly hurt.

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

She manages a half-hearted smile. “I... guess. I don’t know what to think. I thought all the valkyries died during Ragnarok. Even the Norns. Being a host for one is... strange.”

[tree-the-cat]

“It’s just kinda fucked?” Liam cupped her face to look at her eyes again. “Demons still have rules, even though they’re wild. Valkyries are...” He shook his head slightly. “I’ve never dealt with them. I’ve met three different demons but not one valkyrie. I don’t know what game they have to play by.” His soft look soured. “And I don’t wanna have to go through goat dick to figure out what that is.”

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

Verdandi lets out a helpless giggle. “I don’t either,” she admits. “Maybe we can just figure it out on our own. She hasn’t tried to hurt me, I don’t think.”

[hubwalker1]

Cheat the System

One day in early November the came a knock on Clover's door. It was odd as she expected no visitors today, but nevertheless one was here.

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

Clover shuffles to the door, clutching a mug of tea as though it’s a lifeline. She stifles a yawn before she pulls the door open. “Yes?”

[hubwalker1]

There stood a fiery, curly haired maiden in a dark tunic and pants, a bright red scarf wrapped aroun her neck at her door. "Hi Clover." She with a smile. "Oh roight we haven't really met yet... Not en this lifetime, damn, sorry. Um ah'm Deoiridh." She holds out a hand for her to shake.

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

She blinks a couple times before reaching out to shake Deoiridh’s hand. “’In this lifetime’?” Clover tips her head to the side, observing the woman before her. “Er, do you want to come in?”

[hubwalker1]

She smiles as she grips the strap on her satchel. "That'd be great." She says stepping inside. "How's Will and Melira?" She asks.

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

Clover shuts the door again. Her tail lashes back and forth, a sign of her growing agitation. “I haven’t heard from Melira in some time, but I’ll assume that no news is good news, from her. And William’s doing wonderfully, thank you.”

[hubwalker1]

Shen nods and smiles oblivious to the half-breeds agitation. "Good, good. Now the reason ah came out here was ah needed a favor if that'd be alright with ye."

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

Another lash of her tail. “That,” she says slowly, “very much depends on what the favor is.”

Best not to agree to favors from someone she doesn’t recognize before hearing what they are, after all.

[hubwalker1]

She reaches into her satchel and pulls out a book. "Ah need ye teh archive meh journal. Ah wouldn't trust it wit' anyone but our resident librarian."

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

"I can do that,” Clover agrees. “But if you don’t mind my asking, why?”

[hubwalker1]

She frowns a bit. "Ah tits, ahmma have teh explain et all ain't I? Mk well fer one ah'm Greg's next reincarnation... Well ah say next, ah dunno if 'e 'ad any previous ones. But anyways, Hel is allowin' us rebels teh keep memories from our lives that were a part o' the rebellion if we choose teh reincarnate, but only those lives. This is my way teh sorta cheat the system. When ah die, ah'll get reincarnated again, probably, and if tha's the case ah'll get drawn teh Haligan. Too damn curious fer meh own good ah suppose." She laughs a bit at that. "Anyways I've set up stuff that'll lead me back 'ere and ah need ye, or whoever ye hand off the library to, teh give this new me the journals, teh fill in the gaps."

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

Clover lets out a laugh of her own. “That makes more sense, now. I’ll keep them safe for you,” she promises.

[hubwalker1]

She smiles. "Thanks, my friend. Ah'll try teh stop by every few months or so whenever I fill up a journal until... Well ah guess untill ah don't." She chuckles. "How have you been meh dear? It's been lifetimes since we talked." She jokes.

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

“I’ve been... alright,” she settles on. “A lot has happened.” Clover sighs softly. “What about you?”

[hubwalker1]

She shrugs. "Ah'm alive. Tryin' teh get ahold o' bein' me if that makes sense. If you need or want teh talk about stuff though ah can lend an ear."

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

She smiles softly. “Thank you.” She looks down at the cup of tea in her hand. “Do you want some tea?” she offers.

[foresight-botgd]

This Here Is Not Singing, I'm Just Screaming in Tune [pt 2]

[x]

"That," Milae said, straightening, "is apparently your friendly local valkyrie that has awakened inside you. I would prefer you were not so entwined, however, as that makes your relationship with her, and her duties, difficult..."

"No shit." Liam's face was straight, and quite serious.

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

“What duties?” Verdandi asks, gripping Liam’s arms more tightly.

[foresight-botgd]

“Well,” Milae said, patiently, if a little pedantic, “a Norn has several jurisdictions and responsibilities, not to mention familial relationships that need mending, and she may be hindered if she is tied to a mortal. I do not enjoy the situation any more than you do, but we must make the most of it.”

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

Verdandi bristles with indignation. “After all of -- the nightmares, the visions -- after all of that, and the m-magic I can do,” why is it still so hard to say the word ‘magic’? “you expect me to just... drop my entire life to help do things I don’t even understand?”

[foresight-botgd]

“Listen--” Liam bristled, but Milae was already running over him.

“Good gods, no. I would prefer the two of you are separate.”

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

“And how would we do that?” Verdandi bites out. With every word he says, storming off and ignoring him for the rest of eternity looks more and more tempting.

[foresight-botgd]

“Verdandi.” Milae was now scowling, as best as a goat could. “I am trying to help you. If you would rather I not bother with your troubles, I can certainly do that. But this will only get worse without an experienced hand.”

“It’s not that fucking hard, is it?” Liam blurted. “She’s got some kind of contract, and now we can talk with the thing that made it. I’ve got the exact same thing, just with a demon. What are the terms we need to check off?”

“This isn’t the same thing, Liam,” Milae said, still cross.

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

Verdandi throws her hands up in the air in frustration. “Then how is it different? If you’d stop being so cryptic and just speak plainly for once, maybe this would be easier!”

[foresight-botgd]

“You had no consent in this binding,” Milae said a bit louder to match her tone, also frustrated. “I do not know what this is, but it does not seem to have an ending, as demon contracts do. There are no guidelines, you simply exist together. You can ignore this, and ignore me, or we can work through it together, and I can restore my patronage, while you regain your humanity.” He placed his staff firmly down by his side. “If you don’t want my help...”

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

She stiffens at his words. “’Regain my humanity’?” she repeats. An angry blush rises on her cheeks. “I don’t -- I don’t even know what to say to you. Does having this... bond make me less of a person than if I didn’t have it?”

[foresight-botgd]

There was a terse silence, and Milae’s fist tightened around his staff as he stared at Verdandi. Then he turned aside and looked at the ocean, his nostrils flaring briefly as he drew in a deep breath.

“Clearly,” he said quietly, “this isn’t going well.”

“Yeah, I was just about to ask you to leave, actually,” Liam said loudly, in contrast. “Go bother someone else while we figure this out, timelord.”

Milae looked back at Verdandi, and she saw a rare emotion in his eyes. Regret.

“Please let me know if something goes wrong.” Then he was gone, and Liam snorted in his direction.

“Asshole.” 

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

Verdandi lets out a harsh breath. “Agreed.” The brand remains glowing for a few moments longer before -- almost sullenly -- it fades back to normal.

“So much for our peaceful break.”

[tree-the-cat]

“Gods, no kidding. You okay?” He cradled her forearms and checked her over, even though she didn’t seem outwardly hurt.

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

She manages a half-hearted smile. “I... guess. I don’t know what to think. I thought all the valkyries died during Ragnarok. Even the Norns. Being a host for one is... strange.”

[hubwalker1]

Cheat the System

One day in early November the came a knock on Clover's door. It was odd as she expected no visitors today, but nevertheless one was here.

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

Clover shuffles to the door, clutching a mug of tea as though it’s a lifeline. She stifles a yawn before she pulls the door open. “Yes?”

[hubwalker1]

There stood a fiery, curly haired maiden in a dark tunic and pants, a bright red scarf wrapped aroun her neck at her door. "Hi Clover." She with a smile. "Oh roight we haven't really met yet... Not en this lifetime, damn, sorry. Um ah'm Deoiridh." She holds out a hand for her to shake.

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

She blinks a couple times before reaching out to shake Deoiridh’s hand. “’In this lifetime’?” Clover tips her head to the side, observing the woman before her. “Er, do you want to come in?”

[hubwalker1]

She smiles as she grips the strap on her satchel. "That'd be great." She says stepping inside. "How's Will and Melira?" She asks.

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

Clover shuts the door again. Her tail lashes back and forth, a sign of her growing agitation. “I haven’t heard from Melira in some time, but I’ll assume that no news is good news, from her. And William’s doing wonderfully, thank you.”

[hubwalker1]

Shen nods and smiles oblivious to the half-breeds agitation. "Good, good. Now the reason ah came out here was ah needed a favor if that'd be alright with ye."

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

Another lash of her tail. “That,” she says slowly, “very much depends on what the favor is.”

Best not to agree to favors from someone she doesn’t recognize before hearing what they are, after all.

[hubwalker1]

She reaches into her satchel and pulls out a book. "Ah need ye teh archive meh journal. Ah wouldn't trust it wit' anyone but our resident librarian."

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

"I can do that,” Clover agrees. “But if you don’t mind my asking, why?”

[hubwalker1]

She frowns a bit. "Ah tits, ahmma have teh explain et all ain't I? Mk well fer one ah'm Greg's next reincarnation... Well ah say next, ah dunno if 'e 'ad any previous ones. But anyways, Hel is allowin' us rebels teh keep memories from our lives that were a part o' the rebellion if we choose teh reincarnate, but only those lives. This is my way teh sorta cheat the system. When ah die, ah'll get reincarnated again, probably, and if tha's the case ah'll get drawn teh Haligan. Too damn curious fer meh own good ah suppose." She laughs a bit at that. "Anyways I've set up stuff that'll lead me back 'ere and ah need ye, or whoever ye hand off the library to, teh give this new me the journals, teh fill in the gaps."

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

Clover lets out a laugh of her own. “That makes more sense, now. I’ll keep them safe for you,” she promises.

[hubwalker1]

She smiles. "Thanks, my friend. Ah'll try teh stop by every few months or so whenever I fill up a journal until... Well ah guess untill ah don't." She chuckles. "How have you been meh dear? It's been lifetimes since we talked." She jokes.

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

“I’ve been... alright,” she settles on. “A lot has happened.” Clover sighs softly. “What about you?”

[foresight-botgd]

This Here Is Not Singing, I'm Just Screaming in Tune [pt 2]

[x]

"That," Milae said, straightening, "is apparently your friendly local valkyrie that has awakened inside you. I would prefer you were not so entwined, however, as that makes your relationship with her, and her duties, difficult..."

"No shit." Liam's face was straight, and quite serious.

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

“What duties?” Verdandi asks, gripping Liam’s arms more tightly.

[foresight-botgd]

“Well,” Milae said, patiently, if a little pedantic, “a Norn has several jurisdictions and responsibilities, not to mention familial relationships that need mending, and she may be hindered if she is tied to a mortal. I do not enjoy the situation any more than you do, but we must make the most of it.”

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

Verdandi bristles with indignation. “After all of -- the nightmares, the visions -- after all of that, and the m-magic I can do,” why is it still so hard to say the word ‘magic’? “you expect me to just... drop my entire life to help do things I don’t even understand?”

[foresight-botgd]

“Listen--” Liam bristled, but Milae was already running over him.

“Good gods, no. I would prefer the two of you are separate.”

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

“And how would we do that?” Verdandi bites out. With every word he says, storming off and ignoring him for the rest of eternity looks more and more tempting.

[foresight-botgd]

“Verdandi.” Milae was now scowling, as best as a goat could. “I am trying to help you. If you would rather I not bother with your troubles, I can certainly do that. But this will only get worse without an experienced hand.”

“It’s not that fucking hard, is it?” Liam blurted. “She’s got some kind of contract, and now we can talk with the thing that made it. I’ve got the exact same thing, just with a demon. What are the terms we need to check off?”

“This isn’t the same thing, Liam,” Milae said, still cross.

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

Verdandi throws her hands up in the air in frustration. “Then how is it different? If you’d stop being so cryptic and just speak plainly for once, maybe this would be easier!”

[foresight-botgd]

“You had no consent in this binding,” Milae said a bit louder to match her tone, also frustrated. “I do not know what this is, but it does not seem to have an ending, as demon contracts do. There are no guidelines, you simply exist together. You can ignore this, and ignore me, or we can work through it together, and I can restore my patronage, while you regain your humanity.” He placed his staff firmly down by his side. “If you don’t want my help...”

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

She stiffens at his words. “’Regain my humanity’?” she repeats. An angry blush rises on her cheeks. “I don’t -- I don’t even know what to say to you. Does having this... bond make me less of a person than if I didn’t have it?”

[foresight-botgd]

There was a terse silence, and Milae’s fist tightened around his staff as he stared at Verdandi. Then he turned aside and looked at the ocean, his nostrils flaring briefly as he drew in a deep breath.

“Clearly,” he said quietly, “this isn’t going well.”

“Yeah, I was just about to ask you to leave, actually,” Liam said loudly, in contrast. “Go bother someone else while we figure this out, timelord.”

Milae looked back at Verdandi, and she saw a rare emotion in his eyes. Regret.

“Please let me know if something goes wrong.” Then he was gone, and Liam snorted in his direction.

“Asshole.” 

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

Verdandi lets out a harsh breath. “Agreed.” The brand remains glowing for a few moments longer before -- almost sullenly -- it fades back to normal.

“So much for our peaceful break.”

[foresight-botgd]

This Here Is Not Singing, I'm Just Screaming in Tune [pt 2]

[x]

"That," Milae said, straightening, "is apparently your friendly local valkyrie that has awakened inside you. I would prefer you were not so entwined, however, as that makes your relationship with her, and her duties, difficult..."

"No shit." Liam's face was straight, and quite serious.

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

“What duties?” Verdandi asks, gripping Liam’s arms more tightly.

[foresight-botgd]

“Well,” Milae said, patiently, if a little pedantic, “a Norn has several jurisdictions and responsibilities, not to mention familial relationships that need mending, and she may be hindered if she is tied to a mortal. I do not enjoy the situation any more than you do, but we must make the most of it.”

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

Verdandi bristles with indignation. “After all of -- the nightmares, the visions -- after all of that, and the m-magic I can do,” why is it still so hard to say the word ‘magic’? “you expect me to just... drop my entire life to help do things I don’t even understand?”

[foresight-botgd]

“Listen--” Liam bristled, but Milae was already running over him.

“Good gods, no. I would prefer the two of you are separate.”

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

“And how would we do that?” Verdandi bites out. With every word he says, storming off and ignoring him for the rest of eternity looks more and more tempting.

[foresight-botgd]

“Verdandi.” Milae was now scowling, as best as a goat could. “I am trying to help you. If you would rather I not bother with your troubles, I can certainly do that. But this will only get worse without an experienced hand.”

“It’s not that fucking hard, is it?” Liam blurted. “She’s got some kind of contract, and now we can talk with the thing that made it. I’ve got the exact same thing, just with a demon. What are the terms we need to check off?”

“This isn’t the same thing, Liam,” Milae said, still cross.

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

Verdandi throws her hands up in the air in frustration. “Then how is it different? If you’d stop being so cryptic and just speak plainly for once, maybe this would be easier!”

[foresight-botgd]

“You had no consent in this binding,” Milae said a bit louder to match her tone, also frustrated. “I do not know what this is, but it does not seem to have an ending, as demon contracts do. There are no guidelines, you simply exist together. You can ignore this, and ignore me, or we can work through it together, and I can restore my patronage, while you regain your humanity.” He placed his staff firmly down by his side. “If you don’t want my help...”

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

She stiffens at his words. “’Regain my humanity’?” she repeats. An angry blush rises on her cheeks. “I don’t -- I don’t even know what to say to you. Does having this... bond make me less of a person than if I didn’t have it?”

[foresight-botgd]

This Here Is Not Singing, I'm Just Screaming in Tune [pt 2]

[x]

"That," Milae said, straightening, "is apparently your friendly local valkyrie that has awakened inside you. I would prefer you were not so entwined, however, as that makes your relationship with her, and her duties, difficult..."

"No shit." Liam's face was straight, and quite serious.

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

“What duties?” Verdandi asks, gripping Liam’s arms more tightly.

[foresight-botgd]

“Well,” Milae said, patiently, if a little pedantic, “a Norn has several jurisdictions and responsibilities, not to mention familial relationships that need mending, and she may be hindered if she is tied to a mortal. I do not enjoy the situation any more than you do, but we must make the most of it.”

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

Verdandi bristles with indignation. “After all of -- the nightmares, the visions -- after all of that, and the m-magic I can do,” why is it still so hard to say the word ‘magic’? “you expect me to just... drop my entire life to help do things I don’t even understand?”

[foresight-botgd]

“Listen--” Liam bristled, but Milae was already running over him.

“Good gods, no. I would prefer the two of you are separate.”

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

“And how would we do that?” Verdandi bites out. With every word he says, storming off and ignoring him for the rest of eternity looks more and more tempting.

[foresight-botgd]

“Verdandi.” Milae was now scowling, as best as a goat could. “I am trying to help you. If you would rather I not bother with your troubles, I can certainly do that. But this will only get worse without an experienced hand.”

“It’s not that fucking hard, is it?” Liam blurted. “She’s got some kind of contract, and now we can talk with the thing that made it. I’ve got the exact same thing, just with a demon. What are the terms we need to check off?”

“This isn’t the same thing, Liam,” Milae said, still cross.

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

Verdandi throws her hands up in the air in frustration. “Then how is it different? If you’d stop being so cryptic and just speak plainly for once, maybe this would be easier!”

[foresight-botgd]

This Here Is Not Singing, I'm Just Screaming in Tune [pt 2]

[x]

"That," Milae said, straightening, "is apparently your friendly local valkyrie that has awakened inside you. I would prefer you were not so entwined, however, as that makes your relationship with her, and her duties, difficult..."

"No shit." Liam's face was straight, and quite serious.

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

“What duties?” Verdandi asks, gripping Liam’s arms more tightly.

[foresight-botgd]

“Well,” Milae said, patiently, if a little pedantic, “a Norn has several jurisdictions and responsibilities, not to mention familial relationships that need mending, and she may be hindered if she is tied to a mortal. I do not enjoy the situation any more than you do, but we must make the most of it.”

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

Verdandi bristles with indignation. “After all of -- the nightmares, the visions -- after all of that, and the m-magic I can do,” why is it still so hard to say the word ‘magic’? “you expect me to just... drop my entire life to help do things I don’t even understand?”

[foresight-botgd]

“Listen--” Liam bristled, but Milae was already running over him.

“Good gods, no. I would prefer the two of you are separate.”

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

“And how would we do that?” Verdandi bites out. With every word he says, storming off and ignoring him for the rest of eternity looks more and more tempting.

[hubwalker1]

Cheat the System

One day in early November the came a knock on Clover's door. It was odd as she expected no visitors today, but nevertheless one was here.

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

Clover shuffles to the door, clutching a mug of tea as though it’s a lifeline. She stifles a yawn before she pulls the door open. “Yes?”

[hubwalker1]

There stood a fiery, curly haired maiden in a dark tunic and pants, a bright red scarf wrapped aroun her neck at her door. "Hi Clover." She with a smile. "Oh roight we haven't really met yet... Not en this lifetime, damn, sorry. Um ah'm Deoiridh." She holds out a hand for her to shake.

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

She blinks a couple times before reaching out to shake Deoiridh’s hand. “’In this lifetime’?” Clover tips her head to the side, observing the woman before her. “Er, do you want to come in?”

[hubwalker1]

She smiles as she grips the strap on her satchel. "That'd be great." She says stepping inside. "How's Will and Melira?" She asks.

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

Clover shuts the door again. Her tail lashes back and forth, a sign of her growing agitation. “I haven’t heard from Melira in some time, but I’ll assume that no news is good news, from her. And William’s doing wonderfully, thank you.”

[hubwalker1]

Shen nods and smiles oblivious to the half-breeds agitation. "Good, good. Now the reason ah came out here was ah needed a favor if that'd be alright with ye."

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

Another lash of her tail. “That,” she says slowly, “very much depends on what the favor is.”

Best not to agree to favors from someone she doesn’t recognize before hearing what they are, after all.

[hubwalker1]

She reaches into her satchel and pulls out a book. "Ah need ye teh archive meh journal. Ah wouldn't trust it wit' anyone but our resident librarian."

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

"I can do that,” Clover agrees. “But if you don’t mind my asking, why?”

[hubwalker1]

She frowns a bit. "Ah tits, ahmma have teh explain et all ain't I? Mk well fer one ah'm Greg's next reincarnation... Well ah say next, ah dunno if 'e 'ad any previous ones. But anyways, Hel is allowin' us rebels teh keep memories from our lives that were a part o' the rebellion if we choose teh reincarnate, but only those lives. This is my way teh sorta cheat the system. When ah die, ah'll get reincarnated again, probably, and if tha's the case ah'll get drawn teh Haligan. Too damn curious fer meh own good ah suppose." She laughs a bit at that. "Anyways I've set up stuff that'll lead me back 'ere and ah need ye, or whoever ye hand off the library to, teh give this new me the journals, teh fill in the gaps."

[aroleplayingcephalopod]

Clover lets out a laugh of her own. “That makes more sense, now. I’ll keep them safe for you,” she promises.