With each step over the lush landscape of his new kingdom, Eliot Waugh grew more and more wary of Fillory. He’d expected some innocent whimsy and careless fun along the way, but this land had turned out to be far more nuanced and unapologetically dangerous. The Old Gods seemed to have a devious sense of humor. And now here he was, the man who gave new meaning to the title of High King, traipsing through the muddy forests in his good shoes on some vague quest bestowed by a giant fucking peacock. What a strange trip this had already been. He didn’t even know what he was looking for. “Excuse me, Mr. Great Cock? Sir?” he added hesitantly. At least he thought it was a sir. “Can you give me a sign?!” he shouted to nowhere in particular.
A rustle of leaves startled him, stopping Eliot in his tracks, and his eyes met the form of a grey wolf whose coat was peppered with white. It was writhing, ensnared by some insane-looking Fillorian version of a bear trap. He pulled a shard of amber glass from his breast pocket, peering through it as he surveyed the scene. “Well, hit me baby one more time,” he muttered to himself. This was no ordinary wolf -- there was magic rolling off of it. Was this part of the quest, he wondered? Or simply a detour? There was no way to be sure, and either way, he couldn’t leave this creature in such a state.
The young king’s fingers began to twist and twirl around one another as he dismantled the binding enchantments that had enhanced the trap’s hold. It took a few moments of calculation and concentration but finally, he’d rendered it useless. By comparison, the telekinetic flick of his wrist that broke the metal and set the wolf free was child’s play. It was, after all, his discipline. That same hand then came down to cautiously rest on the wolf’s side. One of its back legs was in pretty bad shape and healing magic was not Eliot’s forte. “If you can understand me, don’t worry...” The fur was soft under his touch, leading him to believe that this was not a wolf of the wild. “I know someone who can help.” @midnightsnackx