logs | ᴄʟᴏsᴇᴅ ▸ if i wanna stay alive.

Sometimes you just gotta use what's on hand, and your shield looks like it'll pack quite the punch.

[ He's so serious about it too. He wonders if he'll get the chance to see Shalem use it in action. Those poor lizards won't know what hit them. ]

But yeah, I'm ready. You said we were headed to the Shadowlands, right? Do you know if there's a faster way to get there?

[ ... Besides crossing through the Tempest, anyway. ]

[the pythia waves a hand at the docks, towards some of the boats, then wraps his tail around one leg to start walking there.]

Using a boat, of course. I've found someone to take us there, though we'll have to find our way back ourselves. [paid a pretty sum too. he's broke again, and this is actually quite concerning when he's making plans to move soon... but needs must.]

Come, let's not keep our friend waiting.

[he leads the way to a dingy little fishing boat with the most sour-faced fisher ever, displeased with their presence, but shalem paid. that's enough for this one trip.]

Need me to spot you some money later?

[ He remembers that the boats required some coin so it wouldn't feel right if just freeloaded, even if he technically is helping the guy with the lizards. Either way, the offer is there and Tartaglia follows after Shalem to board the boat.

It's so much more eventful than he remembers, what with the Tempest doing its very best to capsize the boat they're on, but they power through it. They reach the shores of the Shadowlands, and no sooner than did both of them step off the boat did the guy just hightail it out of there.

Tartaglia looks at the boat floating away from them with a curious expression. ]

Ah. So that's what you meant by needing to find our own way back.

[shalem gives him a consoling pat on the shoulder.]

If we're fortunate, we will be able to hitch a ride for our return journey. [that's what he did, in any case. someone took pity on him and let him on the boat, with the promises of being paid back for it later.]

Come, our quarry tends to prefer living in caves or the muddy, damp areas.

Sure, sure.

[ Well, if Shalem isn't worried, then Tartaglia isn't going to be concerned over it either. He follows after the Phythia, his gaze locked on their surroundings just to be sure that nothing is going to jump out of them. ]

Do you come here often?

I do. [his smile falters a little, just thinking about why he has to come back out into the shadowlands frequently.]

Perhaps I've not explored the entirety of the Shadowlands, but I visit my door often.

[sometimes he just can't stop thinking about them, and their condition. what if they break? what if they're no longer there? he knows no one can enter the door without his express permission, but... still.]

For your tethers?

[ It's the only logical conclusion that Tartaglia can come up with. He doesn't see much of a reason to come out here otherwise, given the journey you have to take in order to get here. ]

You don't think it's a hassle? [ That they need to protect them at all. ]

Of course it is-- I would be lying if I said otherwise.

[he keeps his eyes on the wilderness as he speaks, tail tightening more around his leg so it won't accidentally fall and get into the dirt.]

But we can't simply take them with us to the city... and we can't just leave them forever. I'm sure that they're called tethers for a reason. [what would happen if something breaks open the door, breaks the tethers? would the memories associated with them disappear? shalem doesn't want to think about it.

perhaps it's unreasonable for him to imagine such things, but... he needs to be careful. many memories those tethers represent are unpleasant, but he doesn't want to be like phantom, forever chasing his unknown past.]

... I was told they're what ties us back to life.

[ This explanation strikes him as ridiculous, because aren't they all told that they're dead? Supposedly. But he does know that Shalem is telling the truth about the tethers' importance; just seeing what his tethers are solidified this. He won't let any harm come to them, no matter what it takes. ]

I wonder why they're all the way out here, and not somewhere closer to Stygia. [ ... ] I guess that would be too convenient.

[ And too dangerous, given that it isn't all sunshine and rainbows across the waters. ]

If they tied us back to life... well, that would be a contradiction to what our current states are, would it not? No, I do not think you should take that literally. [shalem shakes his head, then tucks locks of hair back as they fall into his face.]

I prefer to interpret that as keeping us who we are. [which is quite esoteric a response in itself.] What do you think of that, Childe?

[ Tartaglia is only silent for a brief moment, and then he shrugs his shoulders. ]

I guess that makes sense. [ If he were to lose his tethers, then will he no longer be himself? Is that the outcome? ] Are you afraid of what happens if we lose our tethers?

Yes. [it is very simple answer.] What makes us who we are? Memories, for one. Personality, for another.

[he can go on and on about his, shalem thinks. there are many things that make them who they are, more than the steps he and childe have been taking through the shadowlands to hunt for prey.]

If a tether representing a person breaks, will we forget that person?

I see your point.

[ He hadn't cared too much about tethers when he first found out about them. Sure, he understood their importance, but he hates the idea that he could lose himself if they were ever damaged. He won't allow that to happen. ]

... We should keep going.

[ Hunting down danger lizards seem like a better way to spend their time anyway, so he gets back to that. ]

[childe is fortunate that shalem can pull himself out of his macabre thoughts and be lucid again.]

If you smell something rotting, be on your guard. That stench almost always comes from our quarry, rather than someone who came all the way out here to die.

[he doubts anyone would like to die out here anyway, alone and friendless. shalem would, but he'd dig himself a little tomb first.]

[ Maybe Childe has just been around enough weird people that it didn't even bother him. Or rather, he didn't really notice. ]

Yeah? Makes you wonder if we really are dead since we can still 'die' here.

[ There he goes again... But it's fine. He drops the subject soon after and continues to walk, looking for any signs of what would count as a terrifying lizard. So far, nothing. No foul smell either. ]

Should we try another direction?

No, it's fine. We'll come across a badaliscus soon enough.

[but just in case... shalem pokes his tongue out to scent the air better. while shaped like anyone else's tongue, the tip splits into a fork-- though if anyone suspected he was serpent-like, they would be validated.]

Well, the air stinks in the way a swamp would, so perhaps we will find one just up ahead.

[ Wow, Shalem wasn't kidding about the foul stench. It seems the closer they get, the worse it becomes, so at least that's a sign that they're heading in the right direction. It won't be much longer until he sees a badaliscus meandering about near some dead trees.

He doesn't have to ask, but the might as well. ]

Is that what we're looking for?

[ He's already reaching for his blades regardless. ]

[shalem definitely smells it before he sees it, but he still sees it when childe is alerted to its presence.]

Yes. Please make sure not to be injured by it. Hunting for the cure for the cure for its toxins can be a little difficult if we're unlucky.

[shalem takes his shield from his back, and steps forward, to put himself between the beast and childe. the stench is eyewatering, but shalem breathes through it, controlling himself.]

Are you ready?

[ Once Shalem readies his shield, Tartaglia adopts a stance that will make it easy to strike. Is Shalem going to tank for him? If so, that'll make it easier to sneak up on the badaliscus and strike first — see if there are any weaknesses he can exploit. ]

Ready when you are.

[ One can practically see how excited he is to make the first move, but at least he's being a good boy and waiting for his companion's approval. ]

I'm ready. [as he'll ever be. shalem strides forward, shield at the ready but not right in front of him-- it would impede his ability to walk, after all.

the badaliscus takes notice of him quickly enough, and charges at him, and he anticipated as such. now the pythia puts the shield before him to defend himself, and braces his free hand on his elbow, supporting the arm holding onto his weapon. with a tightening of his grip, shalem releases several violent bursts of magic that sound like gunshots, hands and shield sparking. it's enough to stun the badaliscus temporarily.]

Now!

[ Once given the go-ahead, Tartaglia doesn't waste another second and charges straight at the badaliscus. The lizard is a nasty piece of work up close. He's sure getting any of its secretion on him will be bad news so he'll minimize any blood splatter by cutting at its underbelly cleanly. ]

Gross. I don't think I'm going to be able to forget this smell after this.

[ He jabs one of his blades in through the cut he's made, aiming to sever vital organs if the badaliscus has the same anatomy as similar beasts he's encountered in Teyvat. It appears to be struggling against his actions but it'll only be a matter of time. ]

[if childe is complaining about the smell with his nose... well, shalem has his tongue locked in his mouth, and he's not about to part his lips for a bit. he just makes a soft noise, before coming forward with his shield still protecting him.

he reaches out, and gives childe's shoulder a ginger pat before pressing his weapon against the badaliscus' head, conveying his intent to crush the beast's skull.]

[ Oh? That's a brutal way to go. Even worse when Tartaglia digs his blade even deeper, making sure there's no way for the badaliscus to recover from this. Its dying struggles gradually weaken until it comes to a complete stop.

Once he's sure it's dead, that's the only time he pulls out his blade. ]

What did I tell you? I knew your shield will do some decent damage.

Let's not get into this conversation now, please. [he chose to specialize in the shield for a specific reason. there are few opportunities to use it as a traditional killing weapon... and he can rely more on his arts. if he started using it to bludgeon, to kill, like his peers, it would be defeating the point of why he left the blade in the first place.]

I'll need to harvest this badaliscus... May I have my dagger back?

Sure. Here you go.

[ It does strike him as odd that Shalem doesn't want to talk about this, but it's fine. They came out here for a reason and now they're just about to achieve that goal.

He hands back the dagger he borrowed before looking around the area. ]

I'll keep an eye out if any of its friends decide to come looking.

ᴄʟᴏsᴇᴅ ▸ if i wanna stay alive.

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