(Open) So say a prayer as the light leaves your eyes

[heavenstorn]

WHO: Cedrik Reede, open to all
WHERE: Stygia, the Barrens
WHEN: Month of October
WHAT: ‘Chaotic Respite’ event plus catch-all
WARNINGS: Violence expected, will edit as needed

For Felix (pre-event)

[ The time it took for Cedrik to locate and then reach the Barrens did surprisingly little to cool his temper. His Shadow was just thrilled with his decision to challenge a stranger to a duel. A part of him knew that that had to mean he was making a mistake, but he couldn’t back down. It would mean letting Felix be right, and if he was right, the Shadow was right as well.

It was a matter of principle for Cedrik now, whether Felix knew or even cared.

Finding a ruin devoid of guards, Cedrik scaled rubble that had once been a wall towards a sloping roof. The ground was unsteady but it got him high enough to look above the various twists and turns and spot anyone coming or already waiting for him. Felix had told him the ruins of the Barrens…but it’s a rather big place. ]

For Joonghyuk (Feast)

[ Once the crisis in the Oakwoods had been dealt with, Cedrik was anticipating a chance to rest. In the end it turned out alright, but the scale of it only further cemented the idea in Cedrik’s mind: Stygia needed an adventurers’ guild. His plan for the days that followed was to finalize the tenets of the guild and find a location… Instead, upon his return, Stygia was undergoing a minor transformation. Banners and decorations were being put up in the streets, stalls were being built and stocked with food. A festival was upon them.

Planning could wait, Cedrik decided.

Offering help to various other Restless, Cedrik helped the preparations and earned enough to barter for a few of the treats on display. Though there was one that caught his immediate and morbid curiosity. ]

It smells like that batch has gone off…

That, young man, is Elysium! And no one in Stygia makes a finer brew than me! The fouler it tastes, the better it works!

[ His lips quirked in a smile, letting the ‘young’ comment go without correction. The older Restless manning the booth chuckled to himself, pouring a mug of what looked to be sludge and setting it down before Cedrik. ]

It’s free…if you can finish it.

…all in one go, I assume?

That’s right, no delicate sips allow--hey!

[ Cedrik already had the mug in hand, nose wrinkling as he brought it to his lips. It smelled absolutely horrific…but the challenge wouldn’t go unanswered. Heedless of anyone else watching, the viera started to chug. ]

Comments

Here He Comes

[boarwitness]

[cedrik's phone will ping with a message alert.]

I'm here.

Where are you.

[this dramatic faceoff surely won't start with a comedy of errors trying to triangulate each other]

[heavenstorn]

[ What was--oh. Oh right.

Cedrik pulls out his phone, scowling still. ]

At the ruins. Where are you?

[boarwitness]

The same.

I'm on a wrecked tower. I don't see you.

[this is helpful! there's only a few wrecked towers!

but it's clearly not cedrik's wrecked tower.]

[heavenstorn]

[ There are indeed a small number of towers that have been wrecked at some point. Cedrik can only see two others from his location, in fact.

Neither of them seem to have a tiny angry figure that's possibly Felix on or near them, though. ]

Which one? There are

[ Hold on--these things are capable of a lot more than the linkpearls he's used to. Cedrik lifts up the phone to snap an awkward, slightly out of focus picture of his current vantage point. ]

There are two I can see.

[boarwitness]

[what is this terrible picture??? he frowns at it. there's a delay before felix's own picture, pointedly more in focus, comes through. yes he took the time to take several pictures and choose the most in-focus one. no he's not petty.

there are three towers in his. there's not much in the way of discernable landmarks, either—although the furthest tower seems like it might match one in cedrik's picture?]

You're not on any of these?

[heavenstorn]

[ Cedrik is not the most patient man as Felix takes his time, making sure he has the nicest possible picture...

Ping! ]

Finally--does it appear as if I'm on one of them?!

[ Though he does notice, before he can type out his initial outburst and send that, the similar looking tower in Felix's picture. ]

The furthest tower from you, I can see it from where I am.

Meet me there.

[boarwitness]

Go to the highest point.

[and off he trots, making his way across the landscape to have a fight.

except, as expected, it's not exactly a direct path, considering this place is literally ruins. there's walls and barriers across what should be a relatively straight path, and felix is getting genuinely annoyed. when he finally gets close, there's a whole house in pieces in his path, and he curses. the tower is close, though—maybe cedrik can come here???]

Can you see me? Come here if you can.

[heavenstorn]

[ The highest point... There'd better be a hell of a vista up there. Cedrik never did make it up Kugane's tower.

It takes some doing on his end as well, scrambling down his current perch without falling or worse, knocking over another wall. The tower is at least slightly closer to him than it is to Felix so he can reach it without wasting too much time...and there's no ridiculous buttresses to jump to and from, he can actually climb the damned thing.

His phone pings him again while he's halfway up, prompting a curse. He can't exactly answer it with his hands busy pulling himself up. When at last he's able to check and then look around for Felix... ]

Can you wave your arms or something?

[boarwitness]

[this is ridiculous.

but

he lifts his arms into the sky and. waves them around. after a few seconds of doing this, he clambers up on to a roof, and tries again.]

I am.

[wave wave wave]

Can you see this?

[about halfway through his second round of waving, he starts to feel? stupid??? and drops his arms. then remembers this is all for a fight, and starts waving again. it's fine. he can work out the humiliation once they actually find each other. it's fine!]

[heavenstorn]

[ Viera are known for their a lot of things, exceptional eyesight is not one of them. Shading his eyes Cedrik scans the ruins below, seeing nothing but stone and rubble at every turn, until--

There, movement. A pair of arms waving around. They stop for a moment and then pick up again. ]

Don't go anywhere.

[ Getting down the tower is much faster than getting up, but it will still be a couple of minutes before he reaches Felix. Then, at last, they can have their duel!

...

Cedrik's not sure he remembers exactly why he challenged Felix in the first place at this point, but he's pissed enough at how much of an ordeal this has been that he's determined to see it through. ]

[boarwitness]

Are you coming?

[so he's just

standing there.

hand on the hilt of his sword.

...

he kicks a piece of rocky rubble, watching it skitter across the floor of the building, and off the edge. what had been the point of this damn duel to begin with?

but by the time Cedrik comes into view, he's feeling it. who cares what the point was? a spar was a spar. it would be good to work out the frustration.]

Hey! Over here.

[heavenstorn]

[ The clatter of skipping stone on stone helps him pinpoint Felix exactly, the viera clambering up a final ledge to reach him. The building they've ended up on had at least two stories at one point and the floor they stand on would have been the second. The mortar has cracks running through the full length, the result of years of exposure and gradual decay.

But it's strong enough to support two grown men having a sword fight for a bit. Surely it is. ]

I'm here, I'm here...

[ Cedrik straightens up, looking Felix in the eye at last. He's dressed lightly and has a simple knife as his weapon. Not his first choice, but proper greatswords are prohibitively expensive for newly arrived Restless. Even then...Felix has an actual sword? Where'd he get it? Lucky bastard... ]

Right. Any rules?

[boarwitness]

Finally.

[this building will surely not comedically collapse on them mid-encounter. it is best to put such worries out of your mind.

hands on his hips, he exhales a little breath, looking somewhat inscrutable.]

To the yield. I'd rather not be responsible for you bleeding everywhere.

[because bandages are expensive]

[regression]

[ All Saints' Wake is here in Stygia now, though Joonghyuk knows Halloween more for costume parties than anything with harvest or candy. He knows the holiday is celebrated differently in other places, worlds, but that doesn't mean he's more inclined to try any of the goodies available. ESPECIALLY, if they aren't free. They only get a disinterested glance.

The stench of Elysium has him inwardly turning up his nose, but he doesn't react more than with a short strain of his eyes. A teeny squint of dislike cats do when they catch a disagreeable whiff. It's only when he sees Cedrik start chugging the concoction does his eyes widen, owlish, nonplussed, and disturbed.

Hello??? ]

[heavenstorn]

[ Gods, but it's horrid. He tasted Old Sharlayan's original panaloaf and survived, how could it be worse than that? Now Cedrik understands: he was a fool and must suffer for his hubris. The honeyed worms of Mord Souq were as ambrosia in comparison, and the protein in those made him physically ill. It coats his tongue and sicks in his throat, where each swallow makes him question the futility of life--or afterlife--with more doubt than he'd felt in Ultima Thule.

There are chunks.

Even the Restless who served him looks concerned. Glancing past, the old soul notices Joonghyuk staring and awkwardly beckons him closer. ]

Er--what about you, youngster? Care to try?

[ It's at that moment that Cedrik slaps the mug back down, emptied, face twisted in agony as he forces himself to swallow the last bit...and then he goes still. ]

[regression]

[ Damn, this guy is going through it and Joonghyuk would pity him in silence if he didn't watch the guy decide this was a good idea. You reap what you sow, this is a tragedy of your own making. He knows death all too well and what he witnessed here is something close... It touches on (non-serious) trauma, so quickly he shoots pointed and guarded words at the vendor: ]

I don't plan on dying like this fool.

[ If his words hurt feelings, he doesn't care. Uneasy, his gaze shifts back to Cedrik. Eh. ]

Get him a bucket before he makes a mess.

[heavenstorn]

Oh, your friend'll be fine! He managed to finish, after all...though, eh, you might want to keep an eye on him until the Elysium wears off.

[ Sure enough, Cedrik no longer looks like he's about to be sick. He is swaying on his feet a little, but a closer look shows that...he's actually smiling? ]

It'll be a few minutes until he comes back down.

[ The old Restless did mention what the Elysium did, didn't he? Cedrik didn't just chug a whole dose without him getting to that part, right? Oh...oh dear.

The viera is in a complete daze. Time has slowed down drastically, turning the old soul's words into a blurred drone of noise that someone is soothing, even if he can't understand a word of it. In reality his movements are sluggish but it doesn't actually take him an hour to notice Joonghyuk standing next to him.

The actual disgust that is probably on the man's face does not register for Cedrik, the viera only seeing a surprisingly handsome hyur looking vaguely worried. With a smile he reaches up and...tries to pat the stranger's cheek, reassuringly. ]

All is well.

[regression]

We're not friends.

[ He doesn't even know this guy and resentment stirs as he's being saddled with babysitting by two strangers somehow. So far, it isn't bad? Not bad. And he gets to watch for any effects which would help him level his expectations of this realm.

But then this bunny man is patting his face, which makes his expression sour even more. Quickly, maybe too fast, he grabs Cedrick's wrist and holds it in place. No touching. ]

Tell me that in ten more minutes if you don't expire.

[heavenstorn]

Oh, you're a strong one...

[ Cedrik's hand is no longer able to move. He can wiggle his fingers still, but that's the extent of it. Huh. ]

Expire? [ Blink blink. ] We've already done that, haven't we?

[ And for once the thought does not bother him in the least. It's actually rather freeing! What's there to be afraid of after death?

Cedrik gives his wrist a testing tug when a brilliant idea comes to him. With a twisting motion he grasps Joonghyuk's wrist in return. ]

Come with me, we need a table.

[regression]

Speak for yourself. I am alive.

[ He will continue to deny whatever the Netherworld denizens try to tell him. There are exceptions to laws after all. The tug has him release Cedrik's wrist, thinking that this will be the end of shenanigans, but no.

Now his wrist is being held hostage? ]

What are you scheming?

[heavenstorn]

[ The bright smile dims, Cedrik giving the stranger an empathetic look. ]

Ah, my condolences...

[ Cedrik, on the other hand, is very certain that he's dead. It's a shame Joonghyuk understands it differently. Whether he's right or in denial, that sucks!

But there's something more important to sort out at the moment, than whether or not Joonghyuk's alive or dead. Cedrik shifts back into the too-happy mood the Elysium's put him in and goes right back to trying to drag the other along with him. ]

We need to see how strong you are! For that, we'll need a table.

[regression]

[ They really do have two different takes on this. There is too much for him to do... And it's difficult to swallow the thought of being trapped in a purgatory. He isn't sure why Cedrik is taking it in stride.

Well, he has little time to theorize. Cedrik is dragging him with some success against the resistance. He isn't making it easy, but they are getting to the table. ]

Why?

[ How did this become the topic of choice suddenly? ]

[heavenstorn]

Well we can't exactly spar--we could but I expect the festival goers wouldn't appreciate it.

[ Because obviously that's the more important question. At the rate they're going they could also figure it out over this impromptu tug-of-war...but Cedrik's still set on his first idea. The moment he can haul Joonghyuk close enough he'll let him go and sit at the table opposite of him.

With a grin he plants his right elbow on the table, palm open, and looks up at the other expectantly. ]

Here. Come on, then.

[regression]

... Plenty of people are going out of control in the maze.

[ He says with disapproval. Not that sparring is bad, but it's about the lack of control. He finds it difficult to believe that everyone here is gung-ho about fighting.

This bunny continues to be suspicious, but he sits across from him, anyway. There is mild curiosity. ]

You seem confident in your strength. [ And Joonghyuk is confident in his own and it shows in the firm grip he places on Cedrik's hand, elbow anchored securely on the table's surface. ] Are you planning to make a wager?

[ It is the only thing that would make this worth it. ]

[heavenstorn]

That's all the way out there when we've a table right here.

[ The surface of which Cedrik taps with his free hand until the stranger finally joins him. Though he makes a mental note about the maze as something to check out later...

His face lights up (if it were possible to get brighter than it already is) when Joonghyuk takes his hand. Already he tenses his arm some, eager to get the contest started, when the other asks him an interesting question.

Cedrik pauses, blinking, and then his smile shifts into something bordering on unholy. ]

Should I win, you'll drink a mug of that Elysium stuff.