[ It’s a day or so after Rosaria revives that she’ll find herself receiving a request that might be unexpected. Cyrus, the Tribune of Springstar and leader of the Meridian, is requesting Communion. There’s a warmth that comes with the presence gently asking to talk that’s comforting, but there’s an emotion with it that’s hard to miss. He’s feeling guilty.
[ His confusion is genuine, but, no. No, he’s reaching out to her with purpose, so other than reflexively parroting the word, he just moves on. ]
Nothing to sell, promise. It’s… Rosaria, right? [ He’s pretty sure it is, at least, but he wants to confirm all the same. ] I heard that you went to Alenroux. Had some trouble.
[ She's spoken to enough people around Highstorm to know more or less what he'd offered them, and he'd likely spoken to the same to learn her name, so she's not surprised to hear it. ]
Are you looking for information on the creatures that stalk Alenroux?
[ There’s a small pang of disappointment as she elaborates, but he lets it go. It’s just the normal disappointment that comes when people don’t believe in what Meridian offers. Besides, not why he’s here. ]
Yeah, I am. At least the one… you ran into. [ There’s a pause, and he offers gently: ] If you’re up for that, anyways. I’m not here to pry or push.
You're definitely here to pry, otherwise you wouldn't have bothered me to begin with. You also know how the rules of exchange go. Information for information.
[ What does he even have to give her that isn't a barrage of false promises? ]
[ This is actually a surprising question, and it comes through clearly in Communion. He'd expected her to have questions about Alenroux, but... Well, this works too. ]
They come from the tree you see in Heliopolis. We tap the sap from it and let it dry into a crystal. Polish it, and that's a iliachtida. [ Which is the practical, straight-forward version of what they literally are, and he's not sure that's what she's really curious about. So, he adds: ] Like the tree itself, they're special because they're grown and infused with Meridian's light. Push a little bit of your own Meridian in it, and it'll bridge the gap between its natural light and your soul's light.
The dryad is its own thing. The Tree is— Well, it's been around as long as we have records.
[ It's the short way to lead into the rest, at least. ]
It's magical, obviously, and its roots spread throughout Kenos. So with that kind of power, and the power of life itself, things can draw power from it, if they figure out how. Best I can tell, the dryad did exactly that.
For less than savory purposes, I assume. Or does a creature like that exist without any awareness between good and evil? It's probably doing what it can to survive.
[ Like most of them really... Not that she wants to dump a whole bunch of philosophical quandaries on a stranger. ]
What exactly did you want to know about the creature in Alenroux?
Well, dryads are spirits of nature. Normally, they're perfectly neutral in the sense of what you just said. They don't perceive good and evil any more than an animal would. But considering what it had all of you do, I don't know. Maybe it got corrupted or tainted somehow? That's just a guess, though. I'm no dryad expert.
[ He'll at least try and give her a good answer! But with that, he does get to his own question. ]
I'm trying to piece together what happened, mostly. I've been able to see bits and pieces through Manon's Shard, which is how I knew to reach out to you, but... [ With the soft noise he makes and the discontent that comes through, it's easy to imagine him frowning. ] It's disjointed and hard to understand. So I'm hoping you might be able to tell me what happened. In your perspective.
[ Her bluntness about her death surprises him, but it's followed with a pang of sympathy all the same. He pauses, considering whether to offer it, but he does end up offering gently: ]
I'm sorry. That you dissipated. It's— Well, it's not an easy thing to go through, so you have my sympathies.
[ He's soft-hearted, so he feels like he needs to offer that, even if she doesn't think much of it. ]
Well, it wouldn’t be a good idea, mostly. Even without what had… [ He sighs ] What had been done to him, the Discord is still a problem. It needs to be purified first, otherwise he’ll just revive with all of the problems that come from it being that bad.
Plus, to be honest, I’m not sure what would happen if they’d tried. His Shard is damaged, so I’m working on fixing both of those problems. Or trying to, at least.
It's not. Anyone Harmonized to Meridian or Zenith can purify Discord, but I'm just more effective at it. I assume it's the same for Lady Yima. Shard-Bearers have to keep track of Aspects, since there's balance between those as well, but I'm able to purify anyone.
[ A pause, and then: ]
If you're in need of it, I can spare some time. Think of it as a thank you for being willing to talk with me.
I'll pass. I'd rather just wait to be notified if you make any progress on restoring the shard completely. Do you yourself have any more burning questions?
[ She knows she didn't tell him a lot, but she wasn't lying when she said she got taken out too quickly to learn anything more. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
communion (takiltu, post-revival)
Does she accept? ]
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For now. ]
If it isn't the peddler. What do you have to sell me this time?
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[ His confusion is genuine, but, no. No, he’s reaching out to her with purpose, so other than reflexively parroting the word, he just moves on. ]
Nothing to sell, promise. It’s… Rosaria, right? [ He’s pretty sure it is, at least, but he wants to confirm all the same. ] I heard that you went to Alenroux. Had some trouble.
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[ She's spoken to enough people around Highstorm to know more or less what he'd offered them, and he'd likely spoken to the same to learn her name, so she's not surprised to hear it. ]
Are you looking for information on the creatures that stalk Alenroux?
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Yeah, I am. At least the one… you ran into. [ There’s a pause, and he offers gently: ] If you’re up for that, anyways. I’m not here to pry or push.
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[ What does he even have to give her that isn't a barrage of false promises? ]
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[ He agrees easily, and there's no hesitation to it at all. ]
What do you want to know?
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[ She hadn't been able to stifle her own curiosity after others spoke of them. ]
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They come from the tree you see in Heliopolis. We tap the sap from it and let it dry into a crystal. Polish it, and that's a iliachtida. [ Which is the practical, straight-forward version of what they literally are, and he's not sure that's what she's really curious about. So, he adds: ] Like the tree itself, they're special because they're grown and infused with Meridian's light. Push a little bit of your own Meridian in it, and it'll bridge the gap between its natural light and your soul's light.
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Any relation to the Dryad? Or is that its own separate entity?
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[ It's the short way to lead into the rest, at least. ]
It's magical, obviously, and its roots spread throughout Kenos. So with that kind of power, and the power of life itself, things can draw power from it, if they figure out how. Best I can tell, the dryad did exactly that.
no subject
[ Like most of them really... Not that she wants to dump a whole bunch of philosophical quandaries on a stranger. ]
What exactly did you want to know about the creature in Alenroux?
no subject
[ He'll at least try and give her a good answer! But with that, he does get to his own question. ]
I'm trying to piece together what happened, mostly. I've been able to see bits and pieces through Manon's Shard, which is how I knew to reach out to you, but... [ With the soft noise he makes and the discontent that comes through, it's easy to imagine him frowning. ] It's disjointed and hard to understand. So I'm hoping you might be able to tell me what happened. In your perspective.
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[ As much as she hates to admit it, she died too quickly to really study the creature in Alenroux that deeply. ]
You'd be better off asking Barnaby or any of the others that fought it. Who gave you the shard?
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I'm sorry. That you dissipated. It's— Well, it's not an easy thing to go through, so you have my sympathies.
[ He's soft-hearted, so he feels like he needs to offer that, even if she doesn't think much of it. ]
Can I ask why you want to know who gave it to me?
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I won't court death a third time, but if it comes for me, so be it.
[ The important part is that she's not entirely dead yet. ]
And I just want to know why they'd hand it to you instead of taking it for revival.
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Plus, to be honest, I’m not sure what would happen if they’d tried. His Shard is damaged, so I’m working on fixing both of those problems. Or trying to, at least.
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[ She'd been wondering about that just from hearing others mention it. Her own level is... well, not great after dying. ]
Or is that skill not exclusive to you?
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[ A pause, and then: ]
If you're in need of it, I can spare some time. Think of it as a thank you for being willing to talk with me.
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[ She knows she didn't tell him a lot, but she wasn't lying when she said she got taken out too quickly to learn anything more. ]
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Don't think of this as an open invitation to pop into my head every time you need something. Not unless you have something to offer in exchange.
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[ He laughs a little ]
I don't make a habit of this, don't worry. This is a special case. But take care, Rosaria. May you always walk in Meridian's light.