aionlogs | OPEN

WHO: Rand & you!
WHAT: Event aftermath
WHERE: Greentruth and Godsblood
WHEN: Late Soviseri to early Firaseri
WARNINGS: Will add as needed

GODSBLOOD

[ he lays low.

after vaeka's execution is prevented, after things start to quiet, he risks one trip to the building where he'd been living. he isn't there long: enough to check on eleanor (and dodge questions about the fading bruises on his face), enough to speak to the person he rents from, and enough to vacate his apartment. he doesn't return there. he doesn't visit any of his usual haunts, before or after the kenoma leave the city, nor any of the handful of places that'd gotten used to giving him odd jobs. the idea is to effectively vanish, and he does a decent job of that.

if asked, he isn't totally unavailable, especially to fellow aions. he's avoiding the kenoma, yes, but he's just as much avoiding the godsblood locals who know him. so: if asked, he'll admit he can be found at ernesto's. and he's not unwilling to meet people in the city, either, so long as they avoid some of the more populated areas at busy times. caution isn't his native language, but it's one even he can use sometimes. ]

GREENTRUTH

[ once things settle further, once the kenoma envoy finally leaves godsblood, he starts chancing trips back to greentruth. carefully, of course; after however vaeka was found out, they have to tread carefully. and the safe haven in the forest is more important than ever, now that the regent has seen fit to remind them that godsblood is technically under their domain. he'd never do anything to jeopardize it.

more saliently, after getting stabbed in the leg by a surprisingly strong girl and her huge magic scythe, getting around isn't as easy as it usually would be, even with healing. those with an ability to use or see magic predating their arrival in horos might notice, at moments, the faint glow of a weave wrapped around his bad leg. he only uses it while standing still, mostly — the logistics of getting this small magic to move with him when he walks aren't currently in his skillset — but it helps him be more stable on his feet than he really is. and he's here, after all, to work.

he still offers instruction in archery and related skills, can be easily found carving bows and fletching arrows (sitting, usually) or else correcting stances and generally providing advice for anyone who wants to learn. his own lessons in swordplay unfortunately likely have to wait till he's better, but that doesn't mean he never wanders over to borrow a training blade and...you know, start getting ideas. recent experiences in godsblood might have made the prospect of becoming a swordsman more painful, but not enough to stop him.

but maybe the real difference is that now, not infrequently, he practices channeling. usually some safe distance from more populated areas, but not impossible to find, he'll find somewhere to sit and — those aforementioned with an ability to see the Power will be able to notice a swirl of light and darkness around him. those who can't will only be able to see the effects of his channeling. he likely looks strange, often frowning at his hands before,

an orb of light appears between them, floating through thin air,

or a gust of wind blows around the area, (though hopefully not too violently? but also: no promises. weirdly, no matter how violent the gust, his hair and clothes stay completely unruffled),

or thunder seems to rumble overhead, briefly,

or, just maybe, he accidentally shoots off a fireball in your direction.

in any of the more dangerous cases, he'll scramble to his feet hastily, wincing, and dispel the magic with frantic apologies. see: ]

Sorry! I'm sorry. I didn't see you there.

WILDCARD

[ hmu if you'd like to plan something! the intent is for this post to be a catch-all for the month of august. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ this topic of conversation he's more comfortable with, of all the happenings in godsblood. this was a success, after all. and it doesn't touch on anything that came before: the man he accidentally killed, his brief stint in kenoma captivity. better, easier, to talk about vaeka. ]

We all did, you mean.

[ he corrects gently. caitlyn had an important part to play, after all. they needed the numbers, the expertise in ranged fighting. ]

And it's good we did. She deserves better than what they wanted to do to her.

Mmm.

[She hums acknowledgement of her role, but the nagging feeling that she should have done more lingers. Mostly due to Akua's dissipation. Should she have simply finished Misa and assisted the other woman with Howl? Or was letting the girl go the right move? She'll likely never not second-guess herself.]

She does, yes. I imagine she'd already resigned herself to her fate, and then freedom. Do you know how she's doing, now?

I haven't seen her since — Light, since that day.

[ her thanking them, dashing towards freedom with syrlya. later meeting ernesto, and then making it to safety. ]

I'm sure she's needed the time to rest.

[ recover, both physically and psychologically. and figure out what she can do next. ]

Absolutely. I know I would.

[She's heading down now, hopping onto one of the ropes and easily sliding down it to the ground.]

My spot isn't too far.

[ it's less easy for him to slide down, and his landing isn't great — hopefully caitlyn's willing to support him lest his bad leg buckles. but, he's willing to walk it off, not make a fuss of anything, as they keep going. ]

How have you been?

[ since he hasn't had the chance to check in on her, either, before now. ]

[She's there to help in a flash, and yes, she is. She doesn't comment, she just steadies him and starts to move.]

Well enough, I suppose. Managing. Regretting that I had to shoot a teenager, but...I suppose that is the nature of war.

[Misa had forced her hand, and all of their hands.]

[ her lack of comment goes appreciated. this is simply what happens in battles, isn't it? he's getting better; he doesn't want it to stop him from training.

he breathes out, at that. understandable that having to do that would rattle caitlyn. ]

Misa wouldn't be stopped by any less than your all. [ offered, after a moment. he doesn't sound angry or hateful, just contemplative. it's one of those things he and misa have in common. ] You did what you had to.

Truth be told...I didn't. [Caitlyn shrugs, her own voice soft and contemplative as she walks.]

She gave me every opportunity to kill her, and even encouraged me to. I didn't take the final shot.

I don't think that was wrong, but it could've been.

[ he can see what she's saying. supposing she hadn't killed misa, and then misa had remained a threat. but... ]

I don't think it's wrong to not kill someone, if you don't have to.

[ they have the benefit of retrospect, in this case. caitlyn didn't have to. ]

Oh, I know. It was just...jarring.

[She's not used to being in that kind of position, sure. But...]

Someone that young shouldn't be so willing to die. That...that was strange.

She isn't any older than I am.

[ is maybe a weird thing to say, frowning, in defense of misa's death wish. or maybe just more revealing than he'd normally like to be. still, ]

She knows the risks. That's probably all it is.

[ weirdly, he isn't inclined to share her admissions of why she's so willing to die for the war. surely it's enough that caitlyn — and others — know that she is. ]

Maybe not, but she presents herself differently.

[You, Rand, are a hell of a lot more responsible.

But, she won't belabor the point. She draws herself up as they reach a clearing. It's got a few dozen wooden targets set up at varying distances, each one of them riddled with small holes.]

Here we are. It should be safer here than around people.

[ well, he can't deny that. even when she's serious, she tends to sound flighty.

and the clearing draws his attention. the archery targets are set up elsewhere, and he doesn't usually wander much in greentruth (or in godsblood, for that matter). so: this is a new place, and he regards the targets curiously. ]

And you don't mind if I shoot fire at these?

[ they,,, they are wooden targets. he's just checking. ]

Of course not.

[It's wood. And they are in a forest...]

It's not like I'm going to struggle to find more material for targets, Rand.

[She grins.]

I may ask you to chop some for me at some point, but that's a price you'll have to pay when you've healed. I've got plenty of wood set aside for now.

[ okay, okay — that's a rueful smile. ]

I was just checking.

[ but she has a point, after all. ]

When you need it, [ and when he's healed more, ] I'll be glad to help.

[ but in the meantime, there are these targets. is caitlyn going to want to go first, or try ones a little off to the side of him? ]

Thank you.

[She steps to one side, giving him space to get set up.]

You first. Show me what you were trying to do.

OPEN

GODSBLOOD

GREENTRUTH

WILDCARD

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