Requiem for a Changing World

[Warden]

Despite interacting with these fellows for a few hours at most, Estefania made with a long-suffering sigh as nearly each member of the table—a table which, mind you, was settling into the peace that waiting for a meal inspired—bolted off to parts unknown. Well, that wasn't entirely true. She knew where they went. The horned barbarian plucked Vivi from Anais's hold then lunged out the tavern, her heathen babbling an earful even over the din; action taken by the tiefling, especially one that vaguely resembled manhandling and kidnapping, usually would have gotten a more severe response from the condesa… One would half-expect her to get up, skirts swishing, and give chase after the two. But she doubted Aeor could do anything criminal or cannibalistic within a so-called seer's village, leaving Eastmire was out of the option, and there was an overabundance of water around in case the carbuncle needed to defend herself. With these in mind, the noblewoman suppressed a grimace as more furniture was overturned and the sounds of feuding Liam and Zenzi intensified.

So. There she was, hands folded over her lap, trying to keep a straight face as ice curled up around them, overturned stools and ripped planks of wood scattered about the vicinity.

"Glut yourself on whatever fare you would like. The others will have to deal with the consequences of walking out during mealtime," Estefania replied, a bit irritated, and waved her hand dismissively when the redhead piped up about more food. She had to deal with more immediate concerns, like property damage. Estefania warily eyed the head waitress, who smacked the bar with her towel and wiped her face down with a hand upon catching a glimpse of the destruction. However, the mention of that man—noteworthy in that he was the only one in this pit to have an inkling of sophistication—roused her curiosity once again. "Aren't you more eager to learn how he knows Corrin?"

"Oh, and I think Liam's calling you," the condesa added, voice completely neutral, and jutted a finger towards the retreating duo. "I can stay here and deal with this. Hmph."

"Barely an hour in, an' you folk 'ave wrecked a great deal," Mabel grumbled as she neared the newcomers, now (privately) regarded with an equal amount of exasperation and ill will. The frail-looking girl pushed the pouch of money Jeb had left behind towards her, and the weary waitress snatched it up without a second thought. "Now let's talk compensation, yeah? I ain't a stiff, but I am this close to kicking y'all out." She brought her calloused index finger and thumb together so close one could barely see the gap.

@Fox of Spades

---

Bran knocked, and the sound seemed to stretch in the darkness. The vines dangling above the knobby, washed timber swung gently along with the night breeze. There was no response for what seemed like an eternity, until…

There was the muffled noise of glass jars falling and rolling across the floor, followed by a string of curses so colorful they could be used in a theatrical play and dramatized as high prose. A staccato rhythm—one, two, three, one-two, three—rapped against the floor along with a shuffling, dragging groan, both inching closer and closer.

"Juuuuust a moment! Just a moment, please!" The airy, aged voice of a woman called out, barely piercing through the thick and chaotic tangle of shrubbery that coated the great hut. The telltale flicker of magic coursed through the air, and an eye-searing violet sigil appeared over the door before seemingly burning away into nothingness. "Ooooh, there we go."

After a couple more beats, the wide door creaked open, revealing a hunched figure that barely reached half of Bran. At first glance, the ancient woman seemed to be wearing a baggy cape; upon closer inspection, it was a combination of several tribal-looking cloths dyed in deep, vibrant colors draped over one another. The elder had her shock-white hair pulled up into a loose bun; several strands had escaped their confinement and left it looking as though a couple of birds tried to make a nest in it. Her skin was covered in wrinkles and pockmarks under intricate, faded tattoos, which curled across her frail limbs and continued on under her the hemline of her clothes—a serpentine path of ink. Her face, when she tilted her head up at her strange nighttime visitor, was kind, even if most other features were overshadowed by a rather bulbous and exaggerated nose. Her eyes remained closed even as she said, "Sorry about that, dear. Used to be we don't use any fancy security in these parts, but nowadays… Well, let's just say we've had the occasional tourist trying to make off with one of my "potions." I hope they like pickled watercress. The only thing magical about them jars is my mother's pickle juice concoction."

Behind her, something scaly moved—and a large reptilian eye opened, its sharp gaze directly trained on the intruder. A massive tail curled up, spanning the floor until the narrowest point—as big as a human hand—flicked past the rectangle of light coming in through the doorway.

As if sensing the creature's response, the old lady snorted. "Now, now. Don't mind Ernest. He's a sweet thing." And then she smiled, waiting patiently for Bran to talk.

@Redshift @Fox of Hearts @Rosé Moon

 

[Redshift]

Bran blinked away the violet from his retinas as the door opened, the taste of magic lingering on his tongue for the slightest of a moment. He had always been sensitive to magic, at least as far as humans go. Not that he could make anything more of it - but he could see it was some kind of ward or sigil anyway. Any thoughts as to why she needed one of those on her door was answered before he could even voice them, as if she had been asked many times before. And as guarded as Bran at least tried to be, the way she spoke caused him to relax a little.

The people of Eastmire spoke of the Crone with equal helpings of respect, admiration, and... at least a little fear. A powerful woman who guarded the village with magics so potent she could ward off the monstrosities of the surrounding boglands. But this lady... just felt like somebody's granny. Tiny, frail, and... adorable. Although the tattoos did hint that she was something more. As did the great big thing behind her.

Bran's gaze instantly shifted behind her the second he sensed the movement, the smile that was forming on his scarred face vanishing in an instant. He tensed. His bow was still up in his room at the inn, which was perhaps a good thing that he couldn't instinctively draw it at potentially the most powerful mage he had ever met's pet. Not the brightest thing to do. And the fact this woman was comfortable sharing her home with the thing, let alone sleeping near it... "Aye..." he said a little absent mindedly at her dismissive words, clearly not quite as comfortable with Earnest as the old lady was. "Aye. Ye the Crone, right? The maid girl at the inn asked me to tell ye, we got visitors from the Magemother. Sounded like important crack, she figured you needed to know."

"An, they managed to piss off five of those Treant things somehow." He raised his hands a little, palms towards the night sky. "Why would ye even do that?!"

 

[Fox of Spades]

​

Everything was falling apart. Liam and Zenzi's argument had led to property damage, and Aeor - with Vivi in hand - had rushed off into the unknown. It was just her and the condessa, and the other girl was being oddly generous and a lot less spiteful. Anais grinned, deciding not to question the kindness. Looking a gift horse in the mouth often led to gifts being revoked, and right now, she didn't want that. "Aw, thanks." It didn't change the fact that Estefania had nearly abandoned them earlier, but it quelled the earlier anger she'd felt. The condessa had a point, Aeor was... unpredictable. That was putting it kindly.

"They'll probably come back, it's not like they have anywhere to go. She seems pretty fond of the sea bunny, huh?" She'd noticed it even on the boat, and in a way, it stopped her from worrying. The pyromancer paused when Estefania began gesturing to Liam and Zenzi, the former was calling them, but disappeared out the door before the girls had a chance to rise. "I'll keep you company, they already left and I don't think I want to get caught up in a magical fight. I'm also hungry and you've got the food."

Talk about food transitioned into something more important when Corrin was brought up again. "I'm interested in that too," she lowered her voice. "I think I'm a little more interested in learning about that weird sickness though. You saw what it did to those people, it was like they weren't themselves anymore. I don't know about you, but that's some scary powerful magic."

Anais had always been drawn toward tales of magic and monsters.The Red Plague was like something out of a legend, but much more real. She could have rambled on, and she would have if Mabel hadn't approached them. There was talk of compensation and kicking them out, even after the strange man's friend passed Mabel what looked like a pouch of coin.

"We're really sorry," she didn't know what else to say. "If, uh, if it makes you feel better. The most destructive people already left. We'll be good paying customers from now on. Really." She looked to Estefania for support. Perhaps they should just leave to find the pretty man before they got into anymore trouble.

 

[Fox of Hearts]

Collab between @Rosé Moon and @Fox of Hearts

Aeor's kind, who referred to themselves as 'Tiefling', all shared a rather strange similarity. The internal skinned woman could not actually feel the carbuncle begin to move atop her head. After a long life of experiencing the vibrations and reverb of her horns responding to magic, the top of her head really only felt that. So, it wasn't until the small brave one began making noise that she stopped walking, and waited to acknowledge the being within her hood.

"Ue a-" a clear of her throat as she too adjusted to the common language, "It is I, Aeor o Ulo, small brave one. You were nearly lost to your friends by the one with hair of fire, and brain as burnt. You are-" she paused, as if she was planning her next words, or trying to remember what meant what. "You are… well, in the cool air, yes?"

Despite the Tiefling towering over most people, and otherwise appearing at least a little menacing, she spoke with a gentle tone - save the almost gravely rumble in her voice that somehow to still hold a tone of melodiousness.

"Ka … wai," Vi gasped.

Her eyes grew brighter as her translucent eyelids peeled away. The bunny's vision was a little blurry but she could make out Aeor's outline against the nighttime sky. As hulking and menacing at she appeared, the rumbling voice was surprisingly kind and gentle. Vi felt no malice coming from the woman only concern.

The words Aeor spoke to her didn't quite register at the moment. Based on her own experience dealing with rousing patients, she guessed that the woman was inquiring about her wellbeing. Air? Ea, ae! It made sense now! The horned woman must be asking if the air had revived her.

Vi was impressed by Aeor's observation skills. Not many people would have realised that moist air (or water) was the key to reviving a tainted carbuncle, especially one suffering from dehydration. The sea bunny groaned a little, letting her eyelids fall over her eyes again.

Thinking in a third language was so hard! In her current state, Vi would have preferred conversing in Florencian or Gualterrean but she had to try! Common tongue was the unifying language when conversing with strangers from unknown parts of the world. Her eyes flicked open again. This time they were clearer and brighter than before.

"O wau … I gracias. No, I mean thank you kindly, Miss Warrior Aeor," the carbuncle croaked. "It was … ka wai … water. Water in the air that saved me. Carbuncles, we must drink water. A lot of water."

She pulled herself upright with a small wince. "I don't know … you have magic, Miss Warrior Aeor. I felt you helping me. You made me heal faster."

Vi's ears perked up as the rabbit smiled at the demoness. Aeor's kindness changed Vi's impression of her. Surely someone so kind won't be eating her. Aeor had plenty of chances to do so earlier while she was unconscious.

"My family and I need to show you the same kindness one day. It is said so in the Goddess Lidagat's teachings. She is the one to whom we pray. She is the Lady of the Waters and our motherly healer."

It seemed there had been a lot more to going into the cool air that had contributed to reviving the small rabbit. Aeor had merely seen what seemed to be a suffocating creature and knew an open area, outside would be best to catch one's breath. The Tiefling was silent while the small Carbuncle spoke about Aeor helping her magically, and then about, what the crimson skin could only imagine, was the rabbits praise-giver; this Lidagat. It might've been surprising how intently the demon-woman seemed to listen, given her initial, brutish demeanor.

With an almost simultaneous, fluid grace Aeor's eyes and tails flicked about in the night as she subconsciously walked the two of them away from the lights and main walk ways of the town. They become more surrounded in darkness, and the smell of the swamp around them. The Tiefling noticeably eased. Shoulders relaxing, tail slowing it's back and forth flickering and then her arms raised and she pulled back the hood she'd been given to hide her horns in the tavern. As the small one finished, Aeor gestured to her horns. Running her finger tips along the crystalline groves of the one to Vivi's right. From what Aeor could gather from the other creature, some magic had helped her recover.

"A Eronis-- ah, h-ah-worns." she paused a moment, as if trying to power through her accent meant something suddenly. As if what she was talking about now, was more important to her, "My… horns--"

These horns, unbeknownst to Aeor, were giving off a slight blue hue in response to Vivi's magic. A blue light suddenly seemed to faintly pulse within them.

"--ah, feed magic?" she understood it as if one was adding compost to a thriving pasture. Her hunters called it 'amplification' or 'augmentation'. She didn't know what that meant. Those words were much too complicated. Too many syllables.

Vi stroked Aeor's horns reverently. What had been her source of terror earlier that night had turned into something so wonderful. Magic feeding horns? She never heard of this sort of magic before. It made her a little curious about Miss Aeor's abilities.

"Great Warrior Miss Aeor, I want to see your magic. I've never seen magic horns before," Vi asked shyly.

She hoped the warrioress won't be annoyed. They were strangers, so she would understand if Miss Aeor turned her down. Revealing too much might tell potential enemies one's weaknesses. That was what Elder Lucie said. Vi hadn't encountered such a situation on her journey, but she followed her Elder's advice as best as she could.

Before Aeor could respond any further, however, her tail straightened a bit and she slumped forward, head cocked to the side so that her face was away from the swamp, and towards more of the city's darker back alleys. Similar to how they had found her in the swamp, she suddenly fell onto her hands, taking a quadruped in that instant and then slowly lurched forward. Naturally, her lower torso was arched a bit higher than her shoulder due to her humanoid structure, but if one observed her feet, it would be clear how such a stance was still possible. Her feet were bent in the middle, as if a tiny knee existed in the center of her foot. In loo of many toes, she had three, claw like flanges and a forth that seemed more like a thumb.

In this quadruped position, her tail arched over her back, similar to the tailed desert crabs of this mainland… scorpions? She wasn't sure. The tip of her tail seemed to hover about the carbuncle atop her head, as the the Tiefling scuttled into the shadowed alleys with impressive quickness. When she stopped, it was across the way from someone else. The man with the arm. Aeor remembered the faces, nothing else.

"The man… he spoke to your wards, yes little brave? Can you.. hear from distance?"

The carbuncle's hands gripped Aeor's horns. Her face was a little ashen as the sudden movement caused her head to throb again. Vi began breathing in and out. Her tiny heart was racing again. "M-Miss Aeor?"

Panic began clouding Vi's mind. She wasn't sure she was ready for another confrontation. She prayed reverently that those tree monsters weren't coming back. She was about to scream again when she heard Aeor's request.

Vi gulped. As reluctant as she was to remain here, the bunny figured perhaps it's best to trust Aeor's judgement. A warrior's sense of self-preservation was much keener than hers.

She straightened her ears. "Yes, Miss Warrior Aeor."

The carbuncle held her breath. She started reporting every detail she could hear in case it was important. "I hear knocking against wood. It's a door. A woman answered it … oh! I recognise the voice. The man from the table? He called the woman a Crone. He … he said that he has visitors."

Vi frowned. The man and the woman talked without any warmth. She assumed they were strangers but he started talking about his house guests and "piss off" tree ants. Vi scratched the back of her ear.

"I think it's safe. The man is chisme. You know chisme? Friendly talk with friends. I mean he said he has visitors and piss off tree ants."

She cocked her head to the side. "I don't know what "piss off" means. Tree ants maybe. I think he meant termitas. Those wood eaters."

She made a face. "Poor him. Termitas eat the wood and make your house weak. Oh! Maybe he is asking her for help. I hear … something else. I can't tell what it is. The sound is soft compared to the words. Do you think it's safe to move closer, Miss Warrior Aeor?"

@Redshift @Warden