guidesandguardians

[guidesandguardians]

Quiet. Quiet and crackling snow. "Of course not." Blue agrees, their words soft spoken, and heavy. "you've survived enough on your own to prove that. more than some do their whole lives, and you're still a kid. but... just because you can? doesn't mean it's better to."

He doesn't respond but for a small sob, the tears slowly escaping.

“I’m- I’m fine on my own...” He insists weakly, his crossed arms turning into a self-hug. “I don’ want help. Don’ need it.”

The wind howls and he holds himself tighter, the cold air going right through his thin frame. 

The trees are rustling.

The Guides gaze sharpens, their focus on the woods.

[guidesandguardians]

disappoint... they look back to Gael, not sure how to talk him out of this. "do, you really hate him so much, for needing sleep differently than you do? he doesn't get to choose whether he sleeps a little every night, or all at once. that's just how being a sabre cat is."

“He let me get attached, knowing he was going to leave!” Gael snaps, kicking a rock and sending it clattering against a tree. “All he had to do was get me all healed up and send me on my way but noooo, he had to feed me and give me a place to sleep and keep me warm and be nice to me and- and-”

He stops, leaning against a tree, arms crossed over his chest and eyes shut tight to keep back the tears.

“I don’t need him. I don’t need anybody.” He says under his breath, shaking from both the cold and the intensity of his own feelings.

The child is quiet.

The snow still crackles.

[guidesandguardians]

"... that sounds dangerous." their gaze turns to the Guide, hoping to see their reaction to this. it sounded... not good. "do you know how, Gael?"

The Guide watches impassively while Gael ducks under a low hanging branch.

“The cat told me about it some, I can figure out the rest. And if I can’t, I’ll ask Avalis, she knows a bunch of stuff.”

The woods are quiet but for the crackling of snow underfoot.

[guidesandguardians]

"... but he cares about you. and he's kind, and soft, and warm. and... never hurts you, or leaves you in the cold- and gives you stuff to eat, and-" they fall silent, then add, "what about summoning me? you don't want to now?"

The last part makes him pause, stumbling a bit as the foot that was in midair comes down onto stick with a loud crack. He winces at the sound but continues on, his eyes down and shoulders hunched.

“No, I want you to be here, I really do!” He whispers, pushing aside a bush between two trees so he can pass and letting it snap back to its previous position with a the tinkle of frozen leaves against bark. “I’m just gonna call you myself.”

[guidesandguardians]

"... oh." quietly, their mood immediately plunging. "are you, going back?" they do not like this, at all. no, no, no. "um, but- Alixyr?"

Gael slides down the tree, only answering once he hits the ground.

“Fuck him.” The child grumbles, moving carefully through the trees. “I can take care of myself.”

[guidesandguardians]

"I... I kinda saw, i just didn't think." Contrite spirit. "I'll be more careful," they insist again. then, after a moment to consider where he is, they ask, "Um, what are you doing?"

The child grunts, pulling himself up onto a solid branch.

“Takin’ a look around.” He mutters, doing just that. 

From up here, the skyline is pretty open, only the tips of the smaller evergreens coming into view. The edge of the cliff is far away, but still close enough for Gael’s sharp eyes to spot the end of a narrow path clogged with bushes climbing up the side. 

He grins, whispering “Got it.”, to himself before starting his climb back down.

[guidesandguardians]

"s- sorry, sor-" dammit, gravity! their hands clench uneasily. "I uh, I'll be more careful... sorry." they'd been so happy to see him, their carelessness had gotten him hurt!

“‘t’s okay.” He smiles, continuing his climb. “You didn’t know I was doin’ this.”

[guidesandguardians]

"It's okay, I know you did because she asked... and you care a lot about her." they may be about to say more, but whatever it would have been is forgotten in the relief of seeing Gaelyn again. "Gaelyn!" they greet him, hopeful he's in a better mood, "is now okay for coming back?"

The child jolts in surprise, hands slipping on the icy bark. His elbow slams into the stump of a branch and he winces, straining to retain his grip before he crashes into the ground.

His fingers quickly find purchase and he whimpers, sheets of ice cutting into his palms.

“Ye- yeah.” He says softly, almost in a whisper. “Just... Just don’t scare me next time, please.”

[guidesandguardians]

"Mmhm, i'd like that." they, may stay a bit close to the Guide. "could, you do me a favor?" more quietly, looking up at them, "please dont just leave like that again... it, was unsettling. you're kind of the only constant i have right now... felt weird, you suddenly being gone."

“I’m sorry, friend.” They quietly say, pulling open a window to the mortal plane.

The sky shines a bright blue, sunlight flowing through the branches of the trees and onto Gael, who is currently up one.

[guidesandguardians]

Blue is silent, stunned again by the Guide's joy with her, and her subsequent dismissal. They're left very quiet, and confused... and, remembering that they'd mentioned had something they'd said to Gaelyn was why he refused to speak to him. As the queen had mentioned others had done. They look up at the Guide, troubled and worried. "You seem very disappointed... are you okay?"

“Perfectly fine.” They say a bit too cheerily. “Shall we check back in on the child?”

[guidesandguardians]

"yes, please." they're trusting the Guide too much, relying on them, and- how can they do otherwise? this brief time is all they've known, and the other has been their only comfort and constant. "-thank you."

“You’re welcome.” She says, calling for the Guide then quickly dropping her voice into a soft whisper. “Keep an eye on my boy, alright? Try to keep him safe. If he makes it to the end of the year, I’ll bring him home.”

She looks up as the Guide returns to your side, the roiling shadows of the depths coming with them.

“You called for m-” The Leviathan begins to say with delight before being cut off by a wave of Viamora’s hand.

“I believe our friend is tired, we had quite the chat after all. I believe you should let them rest  for now, dearest Creator.” She smiles sweetly. “Goodbye.”

“Oh, all right then. Goodbye.” The Guide says almost sadly, the connection to the Siren’s lair twisting away.

[guidesandguardians]

"-and that seems even more reasonable, if that's possible." they admit, once again entranced by the sight of the swimming girls. they wondered if they'd had anything like this, before. this thought? they don't offer out loud.

"I can call the Guide back if you'd like?" Viamora offers in response to your silence.

[guidesandguardians]

"That, seems reasonable." This time, the pause is longer, before admitting, "I still dont understand why you care what happens to me. I don't mean that in any kind of mean way, just- You dont know who or what i was, before. I dont even know. and you seem to have strong opinions about where family and food fall, without knowing which side i fall on. Or, fell on, anyway. I'm not trying to be rude? i just... genuinely, don't understand."

“Nothing like this has ever happened before.” She says. “I’m interested in seeing how things develop. Plus its not like I ever talk to outsiders, so having someone to talk to that isn’t a family member and also can’t reveal my home and bring a angry mob to destroy all of my loved ones is very nice.”

[guidesandguardians]

"... huh. i feel oddly accomplished for something i have no memory of." they don't offer more than this, just watching the smols swim and play. not sure what happens next... but feeling increasingly like it was time for them to 'go.' "anything else i should know?"

“Creator’s from a time before gender.” Viamora explains. “Think that only came around after Ator did. So she doesn't give a shit what you call them.”

“Sorry if I seemed disrespectful.” She says. “Been calling the Guide he for a long, long time now. It’s kinda a habit.”

[guidesandguardians]

"I suppose i wouldn't know." They admit, increasingly confused by the siren queen. "All that i can remember are phantoms of things that may not even be real. Um... do you, have any idea how i wound up 'here?' or why?"

“I’m guessing you pissed someone off and they tossed you in jail with the big man.” Viamora shrugs. “Don’t know who could access that particular prison besides the Warden himself, though. And if someone angers that guy enough he usually just eats them. So whatever you did must’ve been really bad.”

[guidesandguardians]

So many things she'd said felt like contradictions... and opposing what they themself had seen. Gaelyr had no trouble telling friend from food, after all. He'd been a hatchling once too. The magic of this place... "may i ask one more thing? why you said, 'thank every other god?' arent there only two others? one kill the other, and turn on the world?

“Oh darling,” The woman laughs, holding her hand to her chest. “Those are only the big ones! There are many, many more.”

[guidesandguardians]

"... okay." they accept this, somehow still feeling deeply tired by it. but they cant forget, for all her sweet words and reassurances, for all her purported grief, what she'd first said about him. "but please, tell me what you meant about the Guide. or..." maybe it didnt matter. "..." "you don't have to. I'll find the answers in the end, either way."

“He is very, very bad with people.” She says hesitantly. “Every one of us have cut him off at some point over something he said. That man always starts out nice, hoping to cozy up to you, to get someone to worship him properly, or even be his “friend”, but as time passes his real self breaks through and the facade shatters.”

She shakes her head, sighing.

“Gods were never meant to have so much contact with their chosen.”