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makinglies2025-09-27 05:54 pm
lysoke) wrote in makinglies2025-09-27 05:54 pm
Entry tags:
Respite
Respite
The lake is dark and calm with a small breeze by the time they arrive at its shores. The stars above reflect perfectly in the still waters before them, and a small copse of trees lines one side, starting on their side of the river and jumping along the other side.
Chris takes a moment to re-prepare the spell he hadn't been able to cast in five years and gestures vaguely to the area around them as a suggestion for what the others can do. Gathering in the forest, sitting on a nearby over-turned log, it didn't matter to him. What he needed was an hour without interruption.
He settles down on the ground and presses his hands together as he closes his eyes to focus on the image in his mind. Within minutes, the white, shimmering outline of a large building forms in thin air. The gentle glow of its light barely spreads from the growing structure.
As promised, it takes the full hour before the slowly filling-in form is complete and finishes with a jaunty, echoing click.
Chris takes a breath, now sitting in front of the stoop that looks annoyingly like the one he'd passed earlier in the night, and gets back onto stiff legs as the glow fades away, leaving smooth, but otherwise unremarkable, white stone behind.
"Here we are. Home for the next however long we need. I'll start working on food and water next." Once they're inside, anyway, which is why he takes back his things from where he'd left them and leads them into the temple, marked only with the carving of ravens on the black wood of the double doors.
Inside is something just shy of opulence. The same polished white stone makes the walls, though black and gold veins course through the marble. The floor is the inverse, a black stone with white, shimmering speckles like a night sky if looked at for long enough. A single window faced East high up on the wall. The temple was alight with sconces at regular intervals along the walls, illuminating an open area that held all the offerings of comfort Chris could think of.
A large hot-springs-like bath, complete with a miniature waterfall, took up the left side of the room and ran into a smaller, similar bath at dog-height. Next to it, covered by a retractable screen, was a shower. Along the back wall, a raven's head emblazoned the white wall in black and watched out over a set of tables, chairs, and a couple of sofas. The majority of the center was clear for walking, but the right edge and right side of the room held a deeply inset pit of pillows, cushions, and blankets in various soft (black and purple) fabrics.
Finally, in the middle of the right-hand wall, there were two closed doors that, when inspected, revealed one room with a large, soft chair and rug, while the other room was made of nothing but stone with jars, pitchers, and plates on shelves along two walls and a cork wall perfect for catching daggers on the other side.
"I hope it works for everyone. I didn't...I didn't make separate bedrooms this time. I didn't figure we would need them tonight."
Chris takes a moment to re-prepare the spell he hadn't been able to cast in five years and gestures vaguely to the area around them as a suggestion for what the others can do. Gathering in the forest, sitting on a nearby over-turned log, it didn't matter to him. What he needed was an hour without interruption.
He settles down on the ground and presses his hands together as he closes his eyes to focus on the image in his mind. Within minutes, the white, shimmering outline of a large building forms in thin air. The gentle glow of its light barely spreads from the growing structure.
As promised, it takes the full hour before the slowly filling-in form is complete and finishes with a jaunty, echoing click.
Chris takes a breath, now sitting in front of the stoop that looks annoyingly like the one he'd passed earlier in the night, and gets back onto stiff legs as the glow fades away, leaving smooth, but otherwise unremarkable, white stone behind.
"Here we are. Home for the next however long we need. I'll start working on food and water next." Once they're inside, anyway, which is why he takes back his things from where he'd left them and leads them into the temple, marked only with the carving of ravens on the black wood of the double doors.
Inside is something just shy of opulence. The same polished white stone makes the walls, though black and gold veins course through the marble. The floor is the inverse, a black stone with white, shimmering speckles like a night sky if looked at for long enough. A single window faced East high up on the wall. The temple was alight with sconces at regular intervals along the walls, illuminating an open area that held all the offerings of comfort Chris could think of.
A large hot-springs-like bath, complete with a miniature waterfall, took up the left side of the room and ran into a smaller, similar bath at dog-height. Next to it, covered by a retractable screen, was a shower. Along the back wall, a raven's head emblazoned the white wall in black and watched out over a set of tables, chairs, and a couple of sofas. The majority of the center was clear for walking, but the right edge and right side of the room held a deeply inset pit of pillows, cushions, and blankets in various soft (black and purple) fabrics.
Finally, in the middle of the right-hand wall, there were two closed doors that, when inspected, revealed one room with a large, soft chair and rug, while the other room was made of nothing but stone with jars, pitchers, and plates on shelves along two walls and a cork wall perfect for catching daggers on the other side.
"I hope it works for everyone. I didn't...I didn't make separate bedrooms this time. I didn't figure we would need them tonight."
no subject
He brings the scythe up to block the clow and deflect it to the ground.
"Fear and upset can do that. You'll find your footing again...with us, with yourself...and with your fighting. Later on, we can go all out and I'll put you through your paces. Maybe have one of the others join us to really stretch your limbs."
He spins his staff like Wolfe does and takes a somewhat gentle but pointed jab towards his middle.
"What else is on your mind? I'm here for you, I only need time for finding our certainty, not for being your friend and lover."
A sweet sentiment if he wasn't taking a wide but loose-gripped swing at said lover.
no subject
He grumbles, spinning his staff again and bringing it around in an easy arc towards Chris' shoulder throught muscle memory more than anything. "And I know you're going to tell me that it's fine and my problems aren't diminished just because everyone else is having problems too, but being self conscious now is bloody well useless."
Whether Chris blocks or Wolfe has to pull the strike, he spins the staff again, this time over his shoulders one handed and aims for Chris' other side without much thought. "I'm worried Mystra will find me wanting, I'm worried I won't be able to learn the magic here, and even if none of that is founded Im worried I'll fail at building this life and actually keeping it. There's always something. A Blight, a rebellion, rifts opening up all over the damned place. What if I'm the problem?"
Slamming his staff into Chris', Wolfe loses his grip and the weapon goes ricocheting off to the edge of the lake with a thunk and a smack.
"Fuck," he says, much more subdued as he watches the water lap against the staff.
no subject
He shies from the errant thought and buries it for later.
His focus is Wolfe and the stream of worries that march obediently out between their light exertion. Though, maybe not light enough for how Wolfe’s blow practically ricochets off Chris’ planted staff.
Chris’ stance relaxes and he looks over at the fallen weapon as well.
“Don’t begrudge your ‘lighter’ thoughts and worries. For all the reality-shattering things we’re dealing with right now, don’t you think it makes sense your mind would grasp onto anything easier to fret over instead? Anything imminently more manageable?”
He stands so he’s in Wolfe’s line of sight and reaches out to take his hand.
“I don’t have answers for Mystra, as I’ve said, but I know we’ll figure it out. We’re all stubborn and resourceful assholes, why wouldn’t we? But Adalwolfe Hawke…if you’re cursed, then so be it. I’ll take terrible event after terrible event with you than a peaceful nothing life without. None of us are going anywhere nor wish any different.”
no subject
Briefly he thinks of simply calling his staff back to him, but he should conserve his magic as much as he can. Maybe Chris is right and he can have his Fade magic hold out until he's written into the Weave and he won't have to deal with Tranquility at all. Maybe he can get that lucky break. Just once, maybe it wont be the literal worst outcome that he then has to do mental gymnastics around how its not so bad actually just to keep moving.
Just once, he gives in a silent plea, wondering if the Raven Queen is listening, and if she is if that's even something she can grant.
"Let me go get my staff and we can work on getting firewood. I appreciate your listening and resolve, but I'm done talking about this now too." He starts to head for the edge of the lake, then pauses and looks back. "Cursed or not, I love you Chris. I may hate the upset all this is causing, but that will never change how I feel. You're still mine, whatever happening. And I'm still yours."
Sentiment spoken, he heads on down to grab his weapon the old fashioned way; with wet boots