panic! at anor londo

team 🐰 twink - 10/10/2017
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL EVENING IN ANOR LONDO though it's hard to tell, what with how the sun is always nearly approaching sunset of late afternoon, hanging in a golden orange sky. Always. The Sentinels keep their posts, the Silver Knights patrol the halls, the batwing demons lurk like gargoyles...

Until almost all of that suddenly changes. One after the other, all the Royal Sentinels vanish (leaving nearby silver knights rather befuddled). The batwing demons disappear into thin air. In the throne room, the giant loungeseat suddenly lays empty. But more staggeringly, the sun... changes. And by 'changes' I mean VANISHES COMPLETELY. The gentle golden glow vanishes with it, and an eerie darkness settles over Anor Londo in its place, turning it into a land of ominouse dark shapes, the stars hardly providing light from behind the clouds- there's no moon this night.

Time to panic?

team shortest bara - 10/10/2017
Solaire had been just wandering, enjoying the sunlight and warmth as he meandered towards the kitchens for a drink, and when it goes out-- well! He finds that rather distressing, stopping where he is and staring at the sky for long moments. This... this surely cannot be good, can it?

He becomes eve more certain that it cannot be good when he continues in a much straighter line towards the kitchens, and finds many of the mindless but ever-present inhabitants of Anor Londo gone. Fear strikes in his heart when he thinks of all the people who could disappear and leave the sky sunless...

Where are Gwyndio and Gwyndolin? Instead of heading inside to the kitchen, he goes down, to see if Gwyndolin is at his father's tomb.

team 🐰 twink - 10/10/2017
Gwyndolin is indeed at his father's tomb, but Solaire may not be able to reach him- surely, Gwyndolin has informed him that humans are forbidden beyond the fog door, and even the human he's claimed as his love is no exception. So there the fog door hangs, beyond the illusory statue, with the candles surrounding the Darkmoon insignia on the rug before it. And beyond the fog door is... silence.

It's up to Solaire if he wants to break the rules, and hope Gwyndolin will forgive him, or if he wants to wait for the arrival of, say, Gwyndio. Because deep inside, beside the tomb itself, Gwyndolin has fallen from his chair and onto the floor, limp on the ground.

team shortest bara - 10/10/2017
He doesn't enter right away-- instead, he kneels on the carpet, inside Gwyndolin's sign, and calls his name, concern and fear making his usually strong and warm voice thin and wobbling.

Gwyndolin are you ok )))):

team 🐰 twink - 10/10/2017
No Gwyndolin is not okay. :( And he doesn't answer, giving Solaire only worrying silence in return.

team chill - 10/10/2017
Gwyndio has few clear memories of his childhood, long ago as it was. He certainly can't recall Anor Londo having been dark at any point, and thus it just plainly had never occurred to him that it might not shine with the Lord of Sunlight gone.

So of course, when the sun suddenly disappears, he just simply cannot process it. Upon noticing the sudden absence of demons and Sentinels however... There's a simple conclusion to draw from that.

He doesn't even pause at the fog door. Even if humans were forbidden from entry, a god certainly isn't.

team 🐰 twink - 10/10/2017
Lol bye solaire

team shortest bara - 10/10/2017
Solaire barely gets out of the way before Gwyndio barrels past him, and calls out, "Lord Gwyndio--" before surging to his feet. W-well, at least he knows that Gwyndio is well... and after a moment's hesitation, he follows, plunging through the fog into the hall beyond, and following his lord of sunlight, hopefully to his beloved lord of moonlight's side.

team 🐰 twink - 10/10/2017
Gwyndolin, of course, is within- and there's little but the fear of a lack of forgiveness from Gwyndolin to stop Solaire from following the Heir of Sunlight into his father's tomb.

And inside, Gwyndolin is on the floor beside his chair, his limp form across the steps that lead up to the tomb, crown fallen from his head and snakes sprawled listlessly about him. He's breathing, at least, shallow as it is, his skin having taken on a sickly pallor and clammy to the touch. He doesn't make a sound, nor react in any way to the approach of his brother or his love.

team chill - 10/10/2017
Gwyndio is immediately at his brother's side, dropping to his knees quickly enough to cause a noticeable impact, and begins checking for injuries.

"Gwyndolin! Gwyndolin, wake up!"

team shortest bara - 10/10/2017
Solaire rushes there as well, kneeling on Gwyndolin's other side, making a distressed noise low in his throat. His love-- his darling--

"I-is he hurt?" he asks, tears in his voice, though they're not on his face. Yet.

team 🐰 twink - 10/10/2017
Gwyndolin shows no signs of injury, but a general unwellness instead, skin clammy and pale(r than normal). The handling, though, as well as the sound of worried voices, is enough to stir him- his silver eyes open blearily, hazy, and unable to focus, blinking slowly as he struggles to see the shapes of the two men at his side. His lips part to attempt to speak, but at the moment, he just lets out a soft, weakened groan.

And then it's Ornstein's turn to come running into the Tomb! Fully armored of course, and with his spear in hand. Despite the helm, it's clear from his demeanor and the way he carries himself as he comes running into the tomb and skidding to a halt when he sees Solaire and Gwyndio, that he's frantic and concerned.

"The illusions have fallen-" He says immediately without thinking of the fact that neither of these two knew that there were illusions in the first place, and especially that he knew of said illusions. "Has something happened to Lady Gwyndolin??"

October 11, 2017
team chill - 10/11/2017
'The illusions have fallen'...? Gwyndio had figured that out, of course. He'd seen enough to come to that conclusion, to connect the dots as to their origin. He might not be the smartest man in the world by a long shot, but he's far from the dumb muscle he's sure a lot of people over the years have assumed him to be, and he *knows* Gwyndolin. To have Ornstein confirm his suspicions, confirm that this had been going on long enough that Gwyndolin had trusted in his knight to keep this from everyone, including apparently his own brother...

He bites his lip for a moment to keep himself from saying anything. This new information stings, but there are more important things to attend to than his own feelings. Almost as if demonstrating the point, he falls into a more authoritative tone and manner.

"I believe he has overtaxed himself again and fallen ill." To Solaire, he adds, "Would you prefer to carry him to his quarters, or shall I?"

team shortest bara - 10/11/2017
Worried, Solaire says, "If you will allow me, my lord, I would-- very much like to carry him." He reaches down to Gwyndolin's face, and cups a cheek with his hand, staring in open worry at his beloved, before leaning down to press a kiss to his pale brow. "I-if you will allow me and he wants it, I would stay at his side until he was well again..."

team 🐰 twink - 10/11/2017
Ornstein... may have realized his error by now. He's not the most observant man to subtleties, but he's still not one to miss the reaction of his king, his love... He clears his throat quietly, and while Solaire handles Gwyndolin, he says quietly, "I... believe you are quite right in that assumption, my Lord. The illusions hath been in place a terribly long time, and we are all quite aware it wasn't until recently that the Lady hath been more appropriately taking her rest..."

Gwyndolin, for that matter, as hazy as he is, does at least seem to be regaining consciousness a bit. He makes a soft noise to the kiss to his brow, and leans his face into Solaire's warm, warm hand- of course he wants you by his side, Solaire.

team chill - 10/11/2017
He simply nods to Ornstein to confirm he heard his statement before answering Solaire. "See to him, then. My brother is very fond of you, and it will likely do him well to be in your care, beyond of course your diligence."

He rises again, backing away slightly to give a bit of room. "I will remain within earshot as much as I can while I gather things that may help. And you-" He looks again at Ornstein. "-will assist me." Though he's not angry, precisely, compared to his usual demenor the briskness may give that impression.

team shortest bara - 10/11/2017
He kisses Gwyndolin's forehead again, and murmurs to Gwyndolin, "I hope I do not drag your snakes too much across the ground..." Perhaps he should have thought of that before offering to carry Gwyndolin? Perhaps Gwyndolin will rouse enough for the snakes to take care of themselves... but he is loathe to be away from Gwyndolin's side, and if he can be at it while carrying his most beloved of gods, then that's where he shall be.

Carefully, he gathers the god in his arms, the slight weight of his body nothing at all to him and the somewhat less slight weight of his snakes bearable, and lifts him, cradled with knees over his elbow and shoulders against his other arm, with soft, worried murmurs of assurance that he will take the best of care of Gwyndolin.

team 🐰 twink - 10/11/2017
Ornstein... swallows dryly at the very firm, brisk, and very final (and very familiar) way that Gwyndio commands him to assist, and guilt settles further in his gut. But, still, despite his guilt, and despite feeling that, perhaps, he may not have done the most 'right' thing in keeping Gwyndolin's secrets... he only holds some shame. And some honor. But still enough shame to feel that the perceived anger is earned, but that it is something he can weather.

"Yes, my Lord. Of course, sir." He says, quietly and firmly. It's been a long, long time since he's heard Gwyndio speak in such a way, but the last time had been about war, not secrets and illnesses...

The sickly moon deity only gives a soft, barely aware noise of affirmation that he's heard Solaire speak to him... And whether it's an automatic reaction or one in response to Solaire, regardless, Gwyndolin's snakes do find some life in them. Enough to coil about themselves, and over Gwyndolin, or around Solaire's middle or over his shoulders. Gwyndolin's head, too, rests against his beloved's shoulder, and its from there he gives a whispered apology, to whomever can hear his voice. He's sorry for the trouble.

October 12, 2017
team chill - Last Thursday at 12:24 AM
Satisfied that his words will be followed, Gwyndio spares a single, dark glance further down towards the empty tomb before turning and leading the way back through the fog door, grabbing Ornstein's hand as he passes. Perhaps it's a bit on the forceful side, but he'll take the small comfort it provides.

Even dead a thousand years, Gwyn still has a grip on his children's hearts, and his eldest can never truly forgive him for that.

team shortest bara - Last Thursday at 12:26 AM
Snakes wrapped around him as his arms are wrapped around Gwyndolin, Solaire follows the god and the Large Non-Giant Non-God Fellow at a much slower pace, not for want of hurrying but because his legs are much, much shorter.

As he goes, he murmurs comfort to his beloved, and assures him that he has nothing to be sorry for.

team 🐰 twink - Last Thursday at 12:32 AM
Ornstein makes a muffled noise of slight surprise at having his hand grabbed- and with it, some of his apprehension about Gwyndio's displeasure fades. His love is worried. So he squeezes the large hand around his gauntleted one, firm and, hopefully, comforting.

Gwyndolin is safe and sound and steadily rousing to awareness in Solaire's arms, and that's what matters at the moment. He's still terribly weak and terribly ill, but despite blinking slowly and heavily, he's able to focus more on his love's face from where his head rests against Solaire's shoulder. By the time they reach his bedroom, he'll likely be more alert, if still worryingly listless. "I feel dizzy..." He murmurs then, his breathing still coming uncomfortably shallow.