[The path is quiet despite the gentle sound of rain- uneven stone steps pattering with building puddles of no consequence. Come morning the ground will only be dampened to hint at the night's weather, gone by noon under a harsh early-summer sun.
None of which, of course, has any bearing on the situation before him.
He'd come at the behest of one rumor or another and no Estinien to accompany him this time on an ill-fated venture. Some tall tale of hidden cities and glowing, ephemeral lights that vanished when one came too close. He had chalked it up to a mirage at most and had marveled that this star still yet had surprises to reveal this close to home when it had proven true. But that was the beauty of it, was it not?
It seemed of the ancient world at a glance, prompting him to wonder if it was mere coincidence that he should encounter so many of these structures now after his time spent in the ancient world, or if they had always been there- waiting to be recognized by a wandering eye.
Unable to keep himself from it, he traced the outer walls with a gloved set of fingers, following those familiar angles while noting that these buildings did indeed seem to dim to nothingness if he ventured too close. For what reason, he had yet to fathom, but it did lend an eerie aura to the entire settlement- as though the buildings themselves were ushering the unknown wanderer away. Begone. There is no light nor refuge for you here. Like a tale murmured 'round a campfire in his youth. The notion almost made him smile as he finally withdrew his hand and continued on his walk to the apparent main-structure of the settlement. This one, much like the others, became enshrouded at the edges as he got closer, yet clung stubbornly to corporeal form despite- enough for him to push open a door much larger than himself. (One already slightly ajar, thankfully. He'd not quite forgotten his woeful attempts in the past.)
Inside- it was much as he expected. Ghostly afterimages of angular wall lights casting a warm (if flickering) glow upon sharp, perfect walls and gold glimmering engravings leading to a desk that towered above him. As he stepped inside the structure, wondering what could prompt the appearance of this city after all this time- something to do with the events of the final days, perhaps? he was startled when his next step seemed to send a ripple through the building, causing it to glow a sudden blinding white- not unlike the pillars of light when he called upon the power of Azem. And as the brightness grew and grew- until he was forced to cover his gaze for fear of going blind- all he could pray was that he hadn't entered a trap.]
[ That's like the first thing that Ze will hear. For Theron's part, he is shutting down this latest experiment. A theory involving trying to connect ambient aether together together to actually show those faint traces that linger. The ones that people can use to recall past events or feelings if they truly focus on it.
Though he hadn't expected that all of the sudden there would be a shining white light either. Not one that Theron is so familiar with himself. They have been testing this in a fairly remote location! There shouldn't be any traces of Astra nor should the man himself see fit to show up here himself.
All right maybe that isn't entirely true, considering the man's possessive nature but!
Theron might be a little reckless as he darts forward, noticing that there is, indeed, something with in the light. Without much thought, he grabs onto it. Pulls it towards himself. ]
[He's been manhandled a fair amount in his lifetime- from obsessive enemies and primals to well-meaning friends, looking to save him from danger... From Hydaeylyn pulling at his consciousness to the very nature of the Echo itself, whisking what feels like his whole being into a different time and place. This isn't something new.
What's new is the size.
He is immediately put into the thought of a primal- of Ifrit clawing at him with a hand that could crush the whole of him. Of Byakko picking him up like a child's ragdoll to throw into the ground hard enough to shatter every bone to dust. Were it not for Theron pulling him into himself, the next breath could have very well been one of violence. Instead, face first into a chest full of cloth, he is startled (and a bit stunned) into staying his hand. To wait and see if there is pain.]
[ It's small... That's the first thing that Theron notices. That the size of this person - and he knows it must be a person - is about that of a child.
Again, he's not sure about why the experiment would cause someone to cross the distance in this manner. They shouldn't have been able to bring someone here. That's not what they had meant to do and -
Oh. Oh! is that a tail? ]
Are you all right? Can you stand if I put you down?
[ Something isn't right here. A familiar? A new concept they had pulled in? ]
An expression of pure offense crosses Ze's face as he stares up at what can only be described as an Ancient, and one of the Convocation if his mask is any indication. (Unless there are other reasons for a variation akin to one's robes that he hadn't paid attention to in his brief interlude in the unsundered world. He can't claim to be an expert, it's not as though there's been anyone or anything to educate him otherwise in a time of leisure.)]
... fine. [The confirmation is careful, muted. He wonders if whatever Emet-Selch did in his original visit still holds- enough for communication to be possible. It must have dispersed, surely, with the rest of him after Thule. Or perhaps he managed to absorb some of it for a temporary period... he really ought to have asked Y'shtola or G'raha.
Either way, he loosens his grip on the other to be set down as he peers out at their surroundings- the ancient world as surely as it was in the mirage, though more solid and less ephemeral. If he didn't know any better he would say...
Hells. Please tell him he didn't manage to jump. He doesn't think the Crystal Tower could be moved to call him back again, not easily anyway.]
[ Theron, unlike some other people he has been introduced to, cannot see anything related to another's soul. He has good insight and instincts, of course. Connects to people and notices patterns of behavior. But for the moment he absolutely has no idea where this small creature has come from or its connection to a particular man he is... More than passing familiar with. ]
Now hold on one moment. Let me just -!
[ And in putting this tiny person down, Theron seems to adjust for its size. There had been enough residual aether that the lack of it within this individual hadn't dispersed. Still had been visible and could communicate. Perhaps that is the result of the experiment? Or perhaps it had used some of their aether to push them here? ]
Apologies! It wasn't, from what I recall, supposed to do anything like this.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
⤞mintdisaster
[The path is quiet despite the gentle sound of rain- uneven stone steps pattering with building puddles of no consequence. Come morning the ground will only be dampened to hint at the night's weather, gone by noon under a harsh early-summer sun.
None of which, of course, has any bearing on the situation before him.
He'd come at the behest of one rumor or another and no Estinien to accompany him this time on an ill-fated venture. Some tall tale of hidden cities and glowing, ephemeral lights that vanished when one came too close. He had chalked it up to a mirage at most and had marveled that this star still yet had surprises to reveal this close to home when it had proven true. But that was the beauty of it, was it not?
It seemed of the ancient world at a glance, prompting him to wonder if it was mere coincidence that he should encounter so many of these structures now after his time spent in the ancient world, or if they had always been there- waiting to be recognized by a wandering eye.
Unable to keep himself from it, he traced the outer walls with a gloved set of fingers, following those familiar angles while noting that these buildings did indeed seem to dim to nothingness if he ventured too close. For what reason, he had yet to fathom, but it did lend an eerie aura to the entire settlement- as though the buildings themselves were ushering the unknown wanderer away. Begone. There is no light nor refuge for you here. Like a tale murmured 'round a campfire in his youth. The notion almost made him smile as he finally withdrew his hand and continued on his walk to the apparent main-structure of the settlement. This one, much like the others, became enshrouded at the edges as he got closer, yet clung stubbornly to corporeal form despite- enough for him to push open a door much larger than himself. (One already slightly ajar, thankfully. He'd not quite forgotten his woeful attempts in the past.)
Inside- it was much as he expected. Ghostly afterimages of angular wall lights casting a warm (if flickering) glow upon sharp, perfect walls and gold glimmering engravings leading to a desk that towered above him. As he stepped inside the structure, wondering what could prompt the appearance of this city after all this time- something to do with the events of the final days, perhaps? he was startled when his next step seemed to send a ripple through the building, causing it to glow a sudden blinding white- not unlike the pillars of light when he called upon the power of Azem. And as the brightness grew and grew- until he was forced to cover his gaze for fear of going blind- all he could pray was that he hadn't entered a trap.]
no subject
[ That's like the first thing that Ze will hear. For Theron's part, he is shutting down this latest experiment. A theory involving trying to connect ambient aether together together to actually show those faint traces that linger. The ones that people can use to recall past events or feelings if they truly focus on it.
Though he hadn't expected that all of the sudden there would be a shining white light either. Not one that Theron is so familiar with himself. They have been testing this in a fairly remote location! There shouldn't be any traces of Astra nor should the man himself see fit to show up here himself.
All right maybe that isn't entirely true, considering the man's possessive nature but!Theron might be a little reckless as he darts forward, noticing that there is, indeed, something with in the light. Without much thought, he grabs onto it. Pulls it towards himself. ]
no subject
What's new is the size.
He is immediately put into the thought of a primal- of Ifrit clawing at him with a hand that could crush the whole of him. Of Byakko picking him up like a child's ragdoll to throw into the ground hard enough to shatter every bone to dust. Were it not for Theron pulling him into himself, the next breath could have very well been one of violence. Instead, face first into a chest full of cloth, he is startled (and a bit stunned) into staying his hand. To wait and see if there is pain.]
no subject
Again, he's not sure about why the experiment would cause someone to cross the distance in this manner. They shouldn't have been able to bring someone here. That's not what they had meant to do and -
Oh. Oh! is that a tail? ]
Are you all right? Can you stand if I put you down?
[ Something isn't right here. A familiar? A new concept they had pulled in? ]
no subject
An expression of pure offense crosses Ze's face as he stares up at what can only be described as an Ancient, and one of the Convocation if his mask is any indication. (Unless there are other reasons for a variation akin to one's robes that he hadn't paid attention to in his brief interlude in the unsundered world. He can't claim to be an expert, it's not as though there's been anyone or anything to educate him otherwise in a time of leisure.)]
... fine. [The confirmation is careful, muted. He wonders if whatever Emet-Selch did in his original visit still holds- enough for communication to be possible. It must have dispersed, surely, with the rest of him after Thule. Or perhaps he managed to absorb some of it for a temporary period... he really ought to have asked Y'shtola or G'raha.
Either way, he loosens his grip on the other to be set down as he peers out at their surroundings- the ancient world as surely as it was in the mirage, though more solid and less ephemeral. If he didn't know any better he would say...
Hells. Please tell him he didn't manage to jump. He doesn't think the Crystal Tower could be moved to call him back again, not easily anyway.]
no subject
Now hold on one moment. Let me just -!
[ And in putting this tiny person down, Theron seems to adjust for its size. There had been enough residual aether that the lack of it within this individual hadn't dispersed. Still had been visible and could communicate. Perhaps that is the result of the experiment? Or perhaps it had used some of their aether to push them here? ]
Apologies! It wasn't, from what I recall, supposed to do anything like this.