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deercountry2021-11-12 07:48 am
traversal) wrote in deercountry2021-11-12 07:48 am
Entry tags:
( closed ) this will end in tragedy
Who: Aether & Lumine
What: Zealot and farm shenanigans with the twins
When: Mid-November
Where: Somewhere in the Trench and then the Sleeper Farm (possibly Lumine's place, after?)
Content Warnings: Violence, talks of blood and death–essentially a blanket warning for prompts 2 and 3 of the event
[ lumine hasn't been on a warpath like this since inazuma.
but to be fair, hearing about the kidnappings and disappearances around the trench is one thing, and she might not have been driven to find these things if they were merely going on rumours and hushed talks. seeing it happen before her and almost becoming a victim, only for childe to get dragged in her place, is another. and while she's more than certain that the harbinger can handle himself, well–she holds a grudge against him for getting himself kidnapped.
if she could call him various colourful names, she would. but as it stands, it's not as satisfying without him around to hear said names. so it'll simply have to wait when they drag him back to the trench.
and she's allowed to hit him, right? when they manage to see him again? in the gut, for traumatising her?
not that she's the type who gets traumatised in the first place, having a strong stomach for violence and blood, but lumine maintains that she's been upset and shaken up by the incident and blames childe anyway. after all, she can't help but vividly remember the sharp hook that narrowly missed her back, its blade grazing her shoulder instead, when that twisted creature tried to take her. and it's really only thanks to childe that she managed to get away–at the expense of his own safety and freedom.
lumine coughs as she peers down the empty alley where the residents told her the disappearances happen often, the sound quite harsh. the air has been thick with blood pollution lately, the smell and taste of iron filling up her mouth and coating her tongue with every inhale and making her feel lightheaded. ]
Those things use hooks and chains to snatch people and drag them away. And they have these portals where they suddenly appear and disappear into, just like the one ...
[ just like the one used by the abyss herald in the ruins when she last met him. the words die on her lips, however, unwilling to talk about it further. she knows it's a weird topic between the two of them, and a sensitive one given their messy and incongruous memories.
she shakes her head dismissively. ] Don't do anything I would do, okay? [ a.k.a. recklessly and unthinkingly ]
What: Zealot and farm shenanigans with the twins
When: Mid-November
Where: Somewhere in the Trench and then the Sleeper Farm (possibly Lumine's place, after?)
Content Warnings: Violence, talks of blood and death–essentially a blanket warning for prompts 2 and 3 of the event
[ lumine hasn't been on a warpath like this since inazuma.
but to be fair, hearing about the kidnappings and disappearances around the trench is one thing, and she might not have been driven to find these things if they were merely going on rumours and hushed talks. seeing it happen before her and almost becoming a victim, only for childe to get dragged in her place, is another. and while she's more than certain that the harbinger can handle himself, well–she holds a grudge against him for getting himself kidnapped.
if she could call him various colourful names, she would. but as it stands, it's not as satisfying without him around to hear said names. so it'll simply have to wait when they drag him back to the trench.
and she's allowed to hit him, right? when they manage to see him again? in the gut, for traumatising her?
not that she's the type who gets traumatised in the first place, having a strong stomach for violence and blood, but lumine maintains that she's been upset and shaken up by the incident and blames childe anyway. after all, she can't help but vividly remember the sharp hook that narrowly missed her back, its blade grazing her shoulder instead, when that twisted creature tried to take her. and it's really only thanks to childe that she managed to get away–at the expense of his own safety and freedom.
lumine coughs as she peers down the empty alley where the residents told her the disappearances happen often, the sound quite harsh. the air has been thick with blood pollution lately, the smell and taste of iron filling up her mouth and coating her tongue with every inhale and making her feel lightheaded. ]
Those things use hooks and chains to snatch people and drag them away. And they have these portals where they suddenly appear and disappear into, just like the one ...
[ just like the one used by the abyss herald in the ruins when she last met him. the words die on her lips, however, unwilling to talk about it further. she knows it's a weird topic between the two of them, and a sensitive one given their messy and incongruous memories.
she shakes her head dismissively. ] Don't do anything I would do, okay? [ a.k.a. recklessly and unthinkingly ]
no subject
Besides, in the end, despite trying to create clear separation and not lower his guard until he's absolutely sure they don't know him as anything other than the Traveler's sibling, Childe with slightly different memories is still ... Childe.
Aether nods, considering what she's said and what she had told him previously on their way here before he draws his blade and behind to head down the alleyway. No sense playing games, they don't really have much time, he imagines. Also he'll try to not be impulsive and let her do the rash and impulsive things, but there are no guarantees from him. ]
The hooks and chains they use are blood magic, I assume? [ from the sounds of it, he imagines these zealots are potent mage-like beings but rather weak physically themselves from how Lumine described them. Then again, there's nothing saying they can't be both. ]
I wonder if they will really take bait like us? [ or maybe they already know what they are trying to do and have better targets to focus on rather than dealing with two twins looking for answers and giving the kidnappers a heavy beatdown.
If Aether is affected by the smell of the blood pollution or anything else related to it, so far he hasn't shown any signs outwardly of it. ]
no subject
lumine gives him a slight nod as she follows him into the alleyway, also drawing her sword. is it too indiscreet, she wonders? but there doesn't seem to be anyone around, and hunters also carry their weapon across the city. ]
It looks that way, but I've never seen anyone do that kind of blood magic before.
[ which makes her think if there are still some abilities she's yet to learn about this place or if these zealots are similar to her and aether when they were in teyvat. a little over a month, and she still feels clueless, helpless, even with all the information she's managed to gather around the city and through her omni. it's frustrating, to have all these powers and yet still feel powerless.
she closes her eyes and briefly buries her face against aether's shoulder. the scent of blood shouldn't bother her this much, having gotten used to it in the past few weeks, but this month is just a bit more unsettling and uncomfortable than usual. ]
If they do, then I'll assume it's because you're around, [ she jokes, stifling her laughter against his scarf. ] They seem to be after pretty faces, seeing how ugly they looked.
[ not that she sees anything special about her, other than the fact that she has a twin brother who shares the same blood type as her (and that's not even a unique blood type, sharing it with other sleepers in the city). but maybe that's enough for those creatures' agenda to be fulfilled, whatever it is. ]
no subject
[ Despite their chattering, Aether is on the lookout, hyperaware of his surroundings. His sister is with him, which means he needs to be smart —not so much to protect her but to protect himself so that she doesn't have to rescue him as well as Childe.
This alley is seemingly less and less promising the further they go down, though. They didn't seem to have a problem attacking her and Childe, so it can't be that they're together. Maybe they aren't here any longer?
Aether turns to consult Lumine finally, wondering if they perhaps should find another place to look or yo keep going— and that's when he hears the faintest sound of a chain link chime behind him over his shoulder. He immediately turns, bringing his sword around with him only for the hooked piece of the chain suddenly bursting forward in their direction to bang into the flat side of Aether's weapon and be thrown unceremoniously off course. That question he had about whether it's magic or not is quickly confirmed with the way the crumpled chain suddenly curves back to life and launches like a serpent again at him.
This time, instead of smashing into the sword when it's path is intercepted, it swings about and wraps itself around the weapon tightly. Furrowing his brow, Aether tightens his grip on the sword. ]
Lumi, be caref—! [ His warning is cut off as he's suddenly launched in the air by the chain yanking him upward and back, him finding himself suddenly coming into contact with one of the mysterious zealots and what he assumes is... one of the portals the chains originate out of. This zealot is rather grotesque, stunning Aether for a few seconds but not long enough to allow the chain to actually pull him into anything. Just as he's about overhead of the zealot (with him looking down at it and it looking up at him), he uses the chances to change his momentum by using the anemo element and plunging downward, feet first, to smash the zealot in the face with the bottom of his boots.
Unfortunately, they aren't stupid enough to remain there upon getting hit in the face (but it's still at least a small bit satisfying to hit them at all) which means Aether's sword strikes only air as he drops a good distance back to the alleyway ground as the chain temporarily retreats but not before tossing him back far enough that he can't land on the outcropping the zealot appeared on. He lands on his feet, keeping his balance relatively well in the process. ]
'tch! They're a bunch of snakes, I see. It's probably not alone.
no subject
see? she was totally right that they'd take this bait of theirs. good plan, foolproof plan.
she skids across the alleyway when one of the hooks smashes against her sword, pushing her further away from aether before swerving like a snake and attempting to wrap around her. lumine's quicker, however, grabbing the chain as it curves around her and letting electro element run from her fingers across its length. it almost immediately slackens and falls to her feet, and she sprints back to aether's side to regroup with him. ]
First time flying?
[ look, she was going to help him, but it seemed like he had everything under control.
in any case, there's definitely another one, unless this one zealot can control two portals now. a darkblood, perhaps, or something else; she's honestly yet to figure out which blood type does which and their abilities at times seem to overlap over one another. fascinating, but annoying right now when they have to fight them.
aether's conjecture about the zealot working alone, however, is answered when a second one steps out of another portal on their other side, lumine immediately stepping behind her brother to protect his back. it looks dazed, probably still reeling from the shock it got from her. ]
Told you they're ugly. [ truly a face only a mother can love. she presses her lips together, tightening her grip around her sword's hilt. ] Anyway, we only need one, Ae. I can get rid of the other.