Cracks in the Land

[[ July 21st - Godmotes courtesy of the Great Mysrai ]]

Suddenly, there is a loud, muffled sound from within the cocoon, which begins to shake back and forth abruptly; rocking in place as though attempting to tear free from the webbing that has slowly cemented it closer to the floor.

You blink.
You blink incredulously at a vaguely humanoid-shaped cocoon.

You smile broadly and say to a vaguely humanoid-shaped cocoon, "Are you okay? Ooh, are you hatching?"

Bursting with excitement, you let out a little chirp of glee as your wings start to cycle rapidly through the primary colours.

You watch with mounting horror as you suddenly hear an incredibly familiar sound akin to the snapping of twigs and the falling of branches. The side of the cocoon bulges oddly near where the humanoid's shoulder should be. Then the bulge disfigures and presses down further down its side, and the dark webbing is stained further as the bulging continues.

You beam at a vaguely humanoid-shaped cocoon brightly, your wings mirroring the expression with cheerful flashes of citrine.

You tilt your head curiously at a vaguely humanoid-shaped cocoon.

The sound continues and distorts and happens more frequently until the cocoon stills at last, and you exhale a breath you did not realise you were holding. It is only as your gaze idly falls along the new bumps dotting the figure's silhouette that the noise settles in your mind at last. That was the sound of bones breaking.

Your mouth turns up as your face breaks into a smile.

You exclaim to a vaguely humanoid-shaped cocoon, "It sounds like you may be getting some new limbs after all! Oh, this is so *exciting*!"

You ask a vaguely humanoid-shaped cocoon, "Is it roses? Are they ravenwood bones? Does it hurt~?"

You take to the air with a few beats of your wings, alighting gently upon a war shrine of Viravain.

You purse your lips, contemplating a vaguely humanoid-shaped cocoon thoughtfully.

You have emoted: Fluttering close to a vaguely humanoid-shaped cocoon, Aleyah brandishes a piece of coal in a manner that can best be called mischievous as she begins to draw a sprawling tangle of thorns and roses right into the silk.

============= [[ And over the Aethers: Gurashi's POV ]] ==================

(Glomdoring): Aleyah (from the Realm of the Lady of the Thorns) says, "I have some wonderful news!"

You tilt your head curiously.

(Glomdoring): Esei (from the Prime Material Plane) says, "Indeed?"

(Glomdoring): Aleyah (from the Realm of the Lady of the Thorns) says, "The Lady's Guest made their first noises in ages!"

You blink.

(Glomdoring): Aleyah (from the Realm of the Lady of the Thorns) says, "It sounds like they'll be getting new limbs! Isn't that just wonderfully exciting?"

(Glomdoring): Esei (from the Prime Material Plane) says, "It is indeed, and I am glad there is such progress. T'would be a shame for him to stagnate after such efforts, I think."

(Glomdoring): Aleyah (from the Realm of the Lady of the Thorns) says, "I bet he'll be beautiful! Oh, I'm looking forward to seeing what he becomes!"

You have emoted: Gurashi's face flushes, and suddenly their eyes become glossy as they sink where they are kneeling, releasing the painting and letting it rest against the wall. Their hands come to their lap, and they look over at a crutch-staff bearing praises to the Lord, Lady, and Neither, covered in webs, leaned up against the nearby counter as a reminder.

You think to yourself: **clear, concise, vibrant washes of apricot** ...Akuuko ...

You have emoted: Gurashi's face flushes, and suddenly their eyes become glossy as they sink where they are kneeling, releasing the painting and letting it rest against the wall. Their hands come to their lap, and they look over at a crutch-staff bearing praises to the Lord, Lady, and Neither, covered in webs, leaned up against the nearby counter as a reminder.

The ephemeral feeling of a ghostly hand against your shoulder feels incredibly heavy nonetheless, a memory playing out in your head as you find Akuuko for the first time since the Shofet punished him. He looks so pained, not by his actual wounds, but by the invisible barrier he has put between himself and Aschwar. He looks up towards the tower, and murmurs quietly, "...maybe it'd be better if they forgot they ever knew me."

(Glomdoring): Esei (from the Prime Material Plane) says, "I imagine something orange."

In the quiet that follows, you hear nothing but the tapping of his crutch as he limped away into the streets; no longer capable of leaping up the sides of walls as he once had been able. Each tap is unnaturally loud as you stare at the crutch, idle and motionless against the counter. Tap. Tap. TAP. TAP! TAP!!

(Glomdoring): Aleyah (from the Realm of the Lady of the Thorns) says, "That would be fitting... maybe! It's all up to my Dearest Lady."

His gentle voice, calling to you from the top of the monastery - only moments after revealing his secret. His eyes, melancholy and lovelorn as he stares towards the villa. His gentle smile as he reached out to tap a single finger against your forehead, whispering encouraging words. All seem so distant as you stare in mounting horror at the stationery movement aid.

"An eye for an eye..." The impossibly loud clatter of the crutch against the floor as it is thrown carelessly to the side.

A mournful, repeating note that builds in your throat and threatens to send tears spilling from your eyes as you realise whose it is. Akuuko needs his staff. He can't walk without it!

You sniffle softly.

You have emoted: Gurashi wipes at his eyes, finding tears they didn't realize had started to fall. Further, they listen, and their expression twists more and more with guilt. They slide off of the stool, hurriedly rushing over to a crutch-staff bearing praises to the Lord, Lady, and Neither, covered in webs and grabbing it, holding it tight, pulling it close to their chest.

You think to yourself: ** another wash of saffron - cannot walk without it **.

You have emoted: Gurashi doesn't answer. Suddenly they drop their arm to their side and again approach a shimmering web. When touching it fails to work, they tug, then flick, then move over to the nearby wall and begin to knock on the hard stone. The sound refuses to carry, but they knock with their knuckles as hard as they can, puffing their cheeks and glaring towards the interior.

The knocking continues, unabated, and soon there are small flecks of red visible on the temple's stone that grow larger as the sileni continues to insistently knock.

========= [[ There's a wonderful full log of Gurashi's day elsewhere on the Forums, so I'll stop here ]] ==========