The Shieldmaiden watched on with growing impatience as the pair before her conversed, almost; she failed to grasp the other woman’s obvious need to pursue his wordless questioning, filling the thick, echoey void (surely), between his roaming ears with information. Yet there was merit in the unnecessarily generous explanation she provided. The ghostly girl listened too, with a tentative mind, for Kiada spoke of places, magic - the very thing she’d misplaced since arriving - and the slavery of trivial beasts (like Khairi), which, should she be able to claim one quickly for herself, might serve rather conveniently in her ultimate quest to destroy a man like this one. A calculating smile began to spread through her beautifully chiselled features.
Less intrigued was she by the mention of the Ball of Hope, though one had trailed her path like a bothersome fly in summer for as long as she’d been travelling through the Rift; she could only guess now, that it had broken from the one following Roscorro. She was less than grateful to have it. Certainly, there had been no perceivable boost in her hope… Valkyrie had little desire to heal their sick land anyway; it was not her issue, hardly her problem - it was theirs. The only reason she remained in this hopeless pit of rejects was the wonderful abundance of penises among them. Soon she would take her trophy and return to back through the Portal to the real world. Her sloping, creamy-white shoulders straightened as she humoured the thought, and while their game of charades went on and on, the palest’s focus faded beneath in a sudden tide of nostalgia.
All of a sudden a fire ignited upon the standing mare across the way and Valkyrie leapt away, frantically blinking clear the inattentiveness which had glazed across her eyes; the man too shied backwards, and astonished blue seeks the reaction in his bottomless, expressionless black stare. She almost scoffs aloud, ignorantly misinterpreting enigma for vacantness. He is predictable… The licking flame almost took on the form of an animal - she thought - though as she realigned her unconvinced gaze to make certain, they withered and died away. Recovering proper posture, though her ears wavered with hesitation, the Daughter slithered nearer to investigate Kiada’s spine. “It’s not burnt!” She hastened to add, quickly recoiling to her previous safe distance.
golden child, lion girl — tell me what it’s like to conquer.
Kiada, honestly, hadn’t meant to surprise the other equines as much as she had. She believed she had summoned her flames to simmer along her back, though they remained as small little tufts of flame, attempting to shift into something larger. She extinguished them quickly, her glacial gaze drifting between the stallion and the mare, offering a gentle smile to show she hadn’t meant to frighten them.
She was surprised, however, as Valkyrie moved over to inspect her back. Immediately her posture straightened, uncertain to what the mare’s motives might be until her voice rang out clearly. “It doesn’t harm me, but if you stand too close it will harm you.” She offered, giving the mare a gentle smile as she moved back to her earlier place. And when she realized that Seiji and Valkyrie weren’t going to run, she allowed the flames their full strength. Her back engulfed in thick tendrils of fire, shifting into what appeared as griffons, small blobs of flame with a lion’s head and bird wings flying around her spine.
“There are many of us here with no magic. Some of us came with magic and had them change. That’s what happened to me with these flames.” She offered the two of them easily. “They used to be harmless flames, never able to be extinguished. They displayed my emotions by changing into different animals. You used to be able to read my emotions like an open book.” She laughed quietly, offering a grin in their directions. “The Rift will change things or you can trial to fix them or attain things. It’s up to you whether or not you want that presence with you.” She added, dipping her head briefly.
Then, she turned slightly from them and bobbed her head once again. “I am on my way to Halyven, however. You’re welcome to join me if you prefer, if not, I do hope our paths cross again soon.” Her voice was gentle, yet strong, as she turned from them both to head east toward Halyven.
fearless child, broken girl — tell me what it’s like to burn.
@Valkyrie @Seiji SORRY I DRAGGED IT ON ;-; Kiada's heading to Halyven! I have an open thread there currently, you're welcome to post to it if you like but no worries if you don't! It was a blast threading with you guys <3333
TROY FALLS A THOUSAND TIMES,
IN EVERY DREAM I DREAM.
(LIKE ASHES, LIKE ASHES,
LIKE A STAR BURNING OUT.)
He is watching - watching - the place where fire bloomed. One ear flicks to catch Valkyrie’s exclamation, one in agreement with his own amazement. Seiji has seen many strange things in his life, but never exactly this. It will harm you, he thinks. Almost smiles. There is such steel in this girl - he wants to know more about her. Even if it distracts from his current quest. Even if he intends to leave as soon as he can.
Seiji nods in gratitude for Kiada’s continued explanation. He feels a little like a perpetual motion machine now, his head going constantly up and down. His eyes turn toward the trees, the wilds at his back, even as his ears remain fixed in Kiada’s direction. She extends an invitation; he wants to accept. But he also wants to leave these two behind and venture on alone. There’s a danger in new places. There’s a danger in allowing someone too close to his heart too quickly. He tells himself he shouldn’t trust them as he looks at them again, both of them, the one so easy on his mind and the other such a trial.
But really, he wishes neither girl ill.
To Kiada, Seiji shakes his head maybe a little regretfully. Not now, he thinks. Not today. Maybe not ever. Maybe he leaves now with the gifts of knowledge she’s bestowed and he never sees her again. Maybe the story is easier that way. His mouth opens once more, as if to speak, but his lips flap once, in silence, and with something like a sigh, he turns and trots away.
It’s just as easy now as it was stepping away from the beach.
To Valkyrie’s surprise and relief, the better of her company, Kiada, smiled and appeared very much unscathed; still more unchanged. It was intriguing to say the least - so too that she could be burned (a warning well heeded), where the conjurer clearly could not. As the fire rose again furiously down the length of the patterned woman’s spine, the staring Shieldmaiden felt a strong sting of desire through her nerves; not only did she crave the power of telekinesis she had misplaced upon arrival in the Rift, but she wanted this too - fire - and a flood of other ideas began to amass behind her eyes.
Together with a slave like the bird perched nearby, she could be powerful.
While one blaze of well-formed animal transformed into another before her eyes, illuminating the strange neons hues around the portal, Valkyrie’s ears were set unwaveringly towards the explanation that filled the otherwise unsettlingly quiet setting. Soon she had a better understanding of the loss of her own ability - this wretched hole, it seemed, had devoured it - and she glanced towards the haze of shadow as it drifted like a calm sea beyond them, recalling quickly the moment it had spewed forth to embrace her…
For a second the twin ears behind her helm flattened irritatedly backwards.
Kiada spoke on, however, imparting advice which suggested the Daughter of Sunnmøre might still have it returned. Quietly, pensively, she nodded her fine, chiselled features and smiled graciously - for there was no ill feeling towards the fellow female. One ear swivelled to the inferior, yet still he stood by in silence, and then - prompted by the concluding notes of the conversation - he turned and thumped softly away through the wilds. Valkyrie was immediately tempted to trail him but refrained for fear of her motive being discovered.
Allies were needed in the Rift she had decided - and the magic wielder turning now away, would be a perfect fit. “Thank you Kiada,” she hummed cheerfully as the other began to leave, “I hope so too.” The Shieldmaiden waited there a moment longer as though to digest the feast of information she’d been provided, and then she too made a path away from the looming Portal.
The Portal
