middleofsomewhere | Adventure On: Finale and Conclusion

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Adventure On: Finale and Conclusion

Blue

The Mountain

Once they get close enough everything is storm, ice swirls around them, stabbing them like knives. Winds seem to be actively pushing them away, no matter what direction they approach from. Still the crystal wolves walk on, heads down, paws silent, climbing upwards.

The higher they climb the colder it becomes. So cold that ice forms on eyelashes, that air seems to freeze as it leaves their mouths. So cold their chests hurt. They would not be wrong to assume that the only reason they can withstand this at all is because of the SCA around their wrist.

Ice tumbles down around them often, shaking the ground. The crystal wolves know the way and they keep going, steady on the path. They have spaced themselves out, to be in sight of all those who follow.

The Summit

As they finally reach the top of the mountain they reach a calm space, outside of the swirling storm. Domed across the summit is a fire cage, larger by far than any they have seen before. In the middle of the giant fire cage sits a dragon. White and blue, scales that look as if they were made of ice themselves. Their head was bowed, eyes closed but they are breathing, breath escaping in clouds of freezing mist that evaporated in the heat of the cage.

Around the cage itself are ice elementals, outside the storm these can be seen by the snow they whirl around inside them, each is about three feet tall but fly in a whirlwind as they attack. Like those in the storm they try and push people around and attack with shards of ice. These corrupted spirits seem to have no reason to their attacks, they are just as likely to push a combatant closer to the cage then they are towards the raging storm.

They can be fought, fire works well against them just as ice and cold magic works well against the fire cage itself.

A Sovereign Freed

Eventually the cage stops fighting, fading away into the snow before them. The crystal wolves spring forth, nuzzling at the dragon until they raise their head. Piercing blue eyes look over the group and the dragon bows their head once. They take a deep breath and breathe out over those assembled, cold fire washes over them, healing any hurts that they have, easing their fatigue som

The crystal wolves bow their heads too, a thank you. Aerlie flaps their wings, rising high into the air. Another breath of cold fire flies out around the area, clashing with the storm for a moment before overtaking it. Around the mountain the storm calms, the ice elementals stop and seem to sink into the snow or fade into the air. The mountain descends into a calmness.

The crystal wolves will approach all those who helped free them, nuzzling into their hands, a personal thank you before a shimmering gate opens for the adventurers to step through.

Red

Final Siege

It’s been a tiring three days of protecting the crystals from the creatures that sought their power. But now, as their power is fully recharged it is time to return them to the border. That is going to be a tougher job than getting them to the volcano’s heart in the first place!

They thrum with power and that power is a siren call to the creatures of the area, fire dogs, lizards, fire sprites. Just as the mountain attacked inside the heart, here the spirtes join with the rivers of lava to flood pathways, block routes, making it harder to cross already treacherous territory, or even driving them into traps of waiting fire dogs.

The heat is oppressive, heat from around them, heat from the crystals seems to sap the energy from those carrying them and so the duty is best shared.

Eventually though they arrive at the border, a mess of melted ice and frozen lava. Each of the crystals need to be replaced.

Restoring the Border

Replacing the crystals is a little more complicated than taking them was. Each one needs to fuse with the holder it sits in. It doesn’t take any skill, just someone to hold it in place for a moment whilst the two fuse together and the magic is channelled into the ground.

Holding a crystal in place is a little more difficult when being attacked by the creatures. The fire creatures keep up the attack until all of the crystals have been replaced.

The Land Repaired

When the last crystal is in place there is a ripple across the land. An invisible line, an ancient magic, connects the crystals, seperating the two lands. Ice recedes from lava and the melted snow refreezes. The borderlands of slush undergo transformation as the two elements separate from each other once more. A land of fire and a land of ice, with a pulsing magic separating the two.

The firedogs and lizards retreat, fire elementals calm and join with the lava streams once more. A shimmering gate opens.

Orange

An Important Message

The Huma birds have been carrying crystals and helping the harvesters, protecting them from the blighted birds and encouraging them to work hard.

But those returning to the floating islands on the afternoon of the eleventh day of Horseshoe come bearing black cloth bags in their talons, each has a scroll attached. The Huma birds will make it very clear they are to read the scroll first.

DO NOT OPEN THE BAG UNTIL NIGHT FALLS

Inside this bag are rare crystals. When they are exposed to the light of the sun they will cause the islands to sink back to the ground. After the sun has set tonight please distribute these evenly around the islands and then depart back down to the land below before sunrise. The lands natural magic will do the rest but we do not recommend being on the islands when they fall.

Thank you for your hard work.

The Adventurers Guild

With a long night ahead they may wish to rest for the remainder of the day.

Distributing the Crystals

If they do as they are asked then it will be a long night, there are many chunks of islands and a lot of crystals to distribute. The darkness makes it harder and the blighted birds seem even grumpier in the cover of darkness.

The wind sprites also are not resting and indeed seem delighted that playtime has been extended into the hours of night. Placing crystals is difficult when the Voidtreckers find themselves swept up into the air to dance around the trees.

Getting down by sunrise may be a little trickier than placing the crystals, especially if they have used up their flight potions, but hopefully there are enough people to help everyone get to safety.

Islands Fall

The sun rises, as the first rays of light hit the island they begin to vibrate, shudder. Then one by one they begin to fall, rapidly and chaotically. It is perhaps wise to not be anywhere near the crater as they do so.

They land in a crash of dust, which obscures the area. When the dust clears however they will see a perfect undamaged land. The pieces have fit back together, exactly where they should be, despite the chaos. The land is repaired and whole once more. Huma birds call excitedly as they dart through the air, their land restored.

A gate opens, for them to step through if they wish.

Purple

A Cure

It is day ten of Horseshoe when the first Huma birds fly into the village, they carry crystals either in bags in their talons or in their beaks.

The villagers clearly know what is going on for they welcome the birds and take the crystals thankfully. Anyone not currently fighting or purifying crystals is brought in to help distribute cures.

Actually curing someone is easy, it just requires the crystal to be touch an affected person or creature. The crystals are only good for one cure so those curing the blighted will be required to carry a few and run them to the villages.

Others can take crystals out into the woodland, looking for blighted animals to help.

A Final Fight

All but one of the golems have been found, defeated and restored. The final one has been elusive, not approaching the village or even the nearby woodlands.

The restored golems are back to standing vigil in each village, ready to deal with any attack that may occur.

But when an attack comes, it is not on a village, but on the shrine in the centre. A golem, three trolls and a host of animals, some blighted, some just angry. They attack in the early morning, the villages awoken by shouts and sounds of battle.

Luckily the blighted creatures can be healed, angry animals can perhaps be soothed. The trolls cannot be soothed though and will indeed try to rile up the animals again, to cause as much chaos as they can.

Peace Once More

Once the final golem is taken down, the crystal restored and the trolls defeated there is a quiet comes across the villages. Those who were blighted are cured, the golems are back in their place as guardians of the village and thanks to the adventurers the villages have gotten through this time with minimal damage.

The villagers thank the adventurers, tell them to come and visit whenever they are in the area. A gate opens, for any voidtreckers who wish to return to Royal Lake Hill.

Royal Lake Hill: All Teams!

They return to the tavern, each to the inn that they set off from. The town is a little busier now, more areas have recovered from the blight and it has brought more trade into the town. Everyone is still relatively elderly or young, non fighters. But the market is bustling, there is even a puppet show going on in the square.

Around midday a beeping of their SCA will show a dot on their map where the Voidtrecker Express has landed, not far out of town, and a message. You may remain here until sunset.

It is up to them whether they wish to return to the train or spend the rest of the day in the town. For those staying in town they will find word of their deeds have preceded them and they will find no end of young, wide eyed, budding adventurers ready to buy them a drink or two in exchange for stories.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

At first Inigo doesn't notice. He's too busy in the thought of maybe being able to actually see those things, being able to take them back on the train-- it'd be great. He's already imagining what they might look like, and..

And then his thoughts are rudely interrupted by a certain person without manners present at this very table. Rather than saying anything, Inigo is just staring over at Tidus.

And giving him A Look. Really, bro? Really, pal?? You're going with that one, bud?

Tidus is the one not to notice anything next. His face in his stew bowl, he's rather preoccupied at the moment, taking a flicker of a look in Inigo's direction that doesn't come back again when he lowers the bowl, wiping his mouth with the back of his wrist.

And he catches Inigo staring at him. Tidus stares back, not getting to the drop of sauce on the tip of his nose.

"... What?" Huh?? "Right now?"

Inigo wants him to get things sorted right this second???

Inigo isn't even touching his own meat skewer anymore for the moment. It's that bad. This matter requires his entire attention.

"No." That's not the problem! Somehow it's even worse that Tidus doesn't even realise what he did so wrong that he's earned this Look from Inigo for. "That's not why I'm looking. What was that just now?"

What.

"What?" He's confused, rubbing at the end of his nose to get rid of the broth there, hard to miss with how wet it is. Waiting on some further explanation.

"What was what?" What did he even say...?

Does Tidus genuinely not understand?

Inigo holds the other's gaze for another moment or two, as if this is some sort of prank on Tidus's part that Inigo is determined to not fall for. Surely he must have known what he was doing just now, right? Especially since he was literally trying to get the soup off his face like a barbarian!

But a quiet moment or two passes, and it seems that either this is very real or Tidus is just not giving in.

Inigo isn't sure which is worse.

"Seriously? You just slurp like that all the time? Regardless of who's around you?" Inigo sounds so incredulous. He can't believe this is the reality he's found himself in.

But after staring at Tidus for another moment, it hits Inigo just how dumb this situation is. It feels so banal. After everything they've gone through, after them having the dumbest yet most painful "fight"-- they're just sitting here, talking about this of all things.

It makes an odd fondness grow in his heart, and he reaches out to roughly ruffle Tidus's hair.

"I take back what I said earlier. Guess I'm the prince here after all."

What.

What!!

When Inigo finally gives in and reveals what he's making such a fuss over, Tidus's confusion gives way to his own baffled disbelief. Incredulous, as his brow first lifts and then tighten as he's about to voice his denial, his defence; even getting some of it out before the ruffle of his hair.

And with that action, Tidus is looking half close to pouting at Inigo with this injustice done to him. That's right. Injustice.

"It's hot!" There, his great explanation, and certainly reasonable. "What do you want me to do? Burn my tongue?"

He leans back, cradling his bowl. "What, you've never slurped in your life? It's noisy, who cares?"

"You think you can slurp in court without someone whacking you over the head for it?" (Sure, there was a great period afterwards where he could have slurped all he wanted and at most just his few friends would have heard it-- but that's not the point here. And also a depressing enough thing that Inigo doesn't want to think about it for very long.)

Inigo seems much less bothered now though, instead just grinning as he eats some more of his own meat. Maybe it's that pout on Tidus's face. It's cute how offended he is in turn. All because Inigo is rightfully calling out his bad manners!

"Is court where all the fancy princes go to eat?" There's a taunting to that delivery, mocking, but too childish to be anything actual meaningful. But also, the question is legit. Why call it a court? What a weird word!

"Sounds like a personal experience to me."

Inigo just admitting right up he got whacked for slurping!

"Yes! Yes, it is a personal experience!"

Do you think he'd too scared to admit to that? Hah! Inigo can tell much more embarrassing tales than getting caught slurping in Frederick's presence, fool! He can even smile at Tidus as he's saying!

"Being taught manners was kind of an important part of my upbringing, you know." See, Inigo can totally tell other people things about himself. As long as he just avoids a huge chunk in the middle of his life that he refuses to ever talk about. It's fine.

"Oh yeah? Then why're you picking on me?"

Get it? Get it? If Inigo has so many manners, he's certainly not using them for his bestest pal currently in this tavern with him, that's for sure! And it's easy and dumb, but that's what Inigo's going to get, along with Tidus's dumb half-smirk.

It may be the easy and dumb way, but it's a way Tidus really should have thought about twice.

Because this is not their first rodeo with this particular line of bickering. Oh no. It skirts just a little too close to that other time when they had discussed manner-related things, and Tidus had asked him why Inigo never called him milord.

And sure, that time ended poorly. But. Surely it couldn't go that bad twice, right?

So Inigo scoots his seat a little closer, looking over at Tidus with big, overly innocent puppy eyes.

"Milord, you're right! You must forgive me for my transgressions against your majesty! Obviously I, your humble servant, should instead be attending to your every whim!"

Oh no, what did he let near him.

Tidus scoffs at the theatrics, turning his head away shaking it, ready to completely ignore it, his "Yeah, yeah"s let out. Some vegetable and meat scoop up into his mouth to chew, and when he hasn't finished swallowing that-

"Are you making fun of some poor guy who had to say this to you?"

It's not even a joke this time, a way to make Inigo out as the bully in this scenario. Tidus looks at Inigo, curious--was this how people spoke to him back home? Is this what being royalty was about?

"To me?"

The act is dropped pretty much instantly, as if it was never there to begin with. Instead Inigo just lets out a 'pfft' sound as he moves back, no longer leaning so closely towards Tidus.

"You're acting like I was the Exalt. I was just a kid, it wasn't as if they were going to be overly polite to me!"

"I still don't get that." Tidus isn't one to be fond of the special treatment popularity can get you, but the way he remembers all that business- "You could come out and get the mark, and you did! Isn't that enough to get fussed over?"

But for what he makes sound like an offensive way of thinking, there's a beat, and with a growing smile: "You want me to make up for lost time then, Your Majesty?"

Don't forget to hear the low lilt with that.

.. Tidus's question feels a little hard to answer, mostly since the answer is so wrapped up in the fact that there wasn't much of a kingdom left by the time he was old enough to even remotely get close to an age where he could be treated with respect.

And that's definitely something he doesn't want to drag the mood down with right now. So he instead focuses on the other thing Tidus says, which just makes him laugh. Especially with that tone.

(He kind of likes it, actually.)

"Maybe you should do that for me! You've had your time to be all cool and popular. Now it ought to be my turn."

"Okay then!" Said in the tone of someone being called out and willing to accept it. Tidus isn't a coward, he didn't make the offer in a thoughtless remark (this time)!

"Your Prince, then. Are you enjoying your meal? Do you want a drink with that? I gotta say, that shirt really brings out your eyes."

He hasn't got the voice work of Inigo, the fun and underlining jest too obvious to take seriously. But it's not so exaggerated to be unable to roll with. Tidus is putting serious effort here!

It's a joke. It's so obviously a joke - Tidus may be trying, but the tone that hides under each and every single one of his words easily gives it away.

And yet.

And yet.

There's a part of Inigo's dumb tiny gay heart that skips a beat at being treated this way. Especially since most people at court back home were much older than him, so he's never had this treatment from a guy around his age. And it's A Lot.

His cheeks are growing slightly red and Inigo knows it. It's too late to even hide it. He hasn't even given an answer yet to anything Tidus is saying, he's just staring like an idiot! Ugh! Tidus is already winning this joke so hard, just because Inigo is too gay to function.

"I-- I could go for a drink." He's trying to say it in as neutral of a tone as possible, yet his voice cracks after the first word.

Is that...fluster? It's hard for Tidus to miss, as oblivious as he can be, when Inigo is taking that long to say anything. And he wonders what he's doing - about to make a joke? Laugh at his attempt? - but then he just answers him, naturally, and that makes Tidus all the more confused.

"Alright," he says with no less energy; putting down his bowl, hands on his knees as he stands. "What do you want? There anything you like?"

He doesn't know what there'll be, so- no listing anything off from him.

Don't mind Inigo here. He's using the precious time he has where he doesn't have to say anything since Tidus is talking to quickly inhale a breath and try to calm down his heart before things get too weird.

It's a decently succesful attempt. The colour left on his cheeks seems more appropriate for warmth caused by the fire next to them rather than true fluster by the time he speaks up again.

"Ah.. I'm not too picky." Look, even if Tidus is treating him all princely, Inigo has never been a very arrogant or difficult prince. This is just him. "Perhaps some wine? Or mead? They ought to have either of those here, right?"

Especially since this place reminds him a fair bit of Ylisse.

"Or beer, if there's nothing else."

"I'll go check it out." That's a usual Tidus response, and he only thinks to add in the beat that he starts to move, stops, turns his eyes back on Inigo and throws him a closed mouth grin.

"Prince Inigo."

And then he goes for a while, leaving Inigo to do whatever it is princes do when they're unsupervised. Naming the first two drinks--and gets two wines, despite the price that makes him hesitate.

But it's for Inigo, and it's a treat. When will they get another chance to do this?

...which is why when he comes back to their table, he happens to be carrying three mugs--three rather... biiig mugs, and he's managed to balance them to hold one between his hands, except-

"Uhhh, Inigo? Some help?"

help he can't move his hands or he'll drop the middle mug!!

Whatever it is princes do when they're unsupervised is definitely swallowing down some real weird feelings in this case. It's so weird, because he never cared for his title, never cared for being treated as anything other than Inigo, and yet something about this!! Something about this!

Thankfully Tidus being gone for a bit gives him all the time to calm down. Especially when Tidus returns in such a typical Tidus sort of way, trying to balance mugs like he's trying to perform some circus act here. At first it earns a curious glance from Inigo, but the moment he notices just why Tidus needs help, he's already standing up - just a tad too hastily, almost clumsily.

He grabs the bottom of the middle mug, then takes the handle of the left mug from Tidus with his other hand, putting those two down on the table and trusting the other guy to handle the last one.

Inigo's gaze is so genuinely surprised when he stares at the mugs, and a moment later his gaze raises back to Tidus's face.

"Wait, why did you get that many?" It's definitely not a protest! It doesn't even sound like it. It's just so-- is this a treat?

Phew! Drinks saved! And Tidus does really sigh in relief when Inigo picks up the mugs out of his hold, a "Thanks" given quick and easy. From the two mugs Inigo's grabbed, there's a wine and a mead--and the one that Tidus sets down is another wine, who is glad to be free of that responsibility.

"I wanna try mead!" There, that's his only reason, though it's one of the wines he's picking up first; shuffling the other so it's better facing Inigo. "We can share it. I was just curious - plus it's cheap."

So why not? But first he decides to try the wine! ...and it's red wine, gets a bit of a grimace at first, but then that sour taste settles quick enough on his tongue.

"Yep - that's sure wine."

Tidus wants to try mead. Well, that's.. so ordinary. Something about the drinks and Tidus's reactions to them makes it feel like they really are just travelers here. Regular ones, not ones that came from a flying void train full of angst.

It's why Inigo is trying to cherish the moment, make it last a bit longer by not drinking right away, but instead watching Tidus, his mouth leaning against his balled up hand.

A balled up hand that comes in very hand to partially hide his smile at Tidus's reaction to the drink. Cute.

"You should try the mead instead, it should be sweeter."

He then finally grabs the other mug of wine, drinking from it. There's less of a grimace with Inigo, despite him not having too much experience with this - but maybe it somehow naturally goes down more smoothly for him. In fact, it feels kind of refreshing. Like maybe this is exactly what he needed after this absolutely ridiculous mission week.

There's some kind of offence that Tidus knows to take at the mention of the mead being sweeter. Or that Tidus needs a sweeter drink, and he's frowning, closer to a pout, as he puts down the wine.

"It's not the taste that's the problem - I mean, red wines always have that weird bitter...--sharp taste! You know? I always forget it."

He just doesn't drink enough to remember anything!

But he'll pick up the mead regardless, even though there's a part of him that suddenly doesn't to like it, 'cause what would that say about him? Except that's dumb, it's stupid, so he brings it to his lips, takes in a sip. And...

"Wow." Double wow. His brow pulls in, puzzled for a sec. "That is sweet. Is that - honey?"

Really?

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