Bitterly, the spriggans accepted what they got, and acquiesced to Willow's demand. They continued to rattle at each other angrily, even as they balanced atop cabbages. Even so, the spriggan that lost his statue was more ameliorated as he stared at the coin.
"Odinkine love stories, it is in our nature to trade them," Bjorn explained, as he continued to ignore them, "Rumor is the basest of stories, and news above that. They are talking about what you did with the statuette, how you summoned it to your hand. They are trying to determinen of you are a wizard, or maybe an artisan they've never seen before. And…"
The lass swooped ahead of them and perched on the cart.
"Aslog…" Bjorn said grimly.
Aslog lit up at her name and began to rummage through her pack. More of the odinkines' harsh language escaped her lips. Her talon sank into the satchel and pulled out a small belt with a tiny dagger.
"No, I don't–..."
Aslog twittered and suddenly Willow's arm became more crowded as the brown-haired harpy managed to buckle the dagger to Bjorn. Then she returned to her satchel, apparently excited, and she withdrew a Gjermundbu-style helm, sized for an odinkine.
"Aslog, I don't…"
But the harpy wasn't listening, she plopped the helmet on Bjorn's head. She had a pleased smile on her face until the tree nearby erupted into uproarious laughter and cawing. Frowning, Aslog went off to the tree and began to rebuke them.
Bjorn hunched on Willow's shoulder, more sour than usual, "Let's go."
[The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Last edited by Kokuten on Sun Oct 12, 2025 7:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
“Oh ho ho? S’pose I shouldn’t tell her you gave me a tongueberry, aye?” Willow whispered to Bjorn with a catty grin. Looking between Bjorn and the odinkine in the tree she started trying to piece stuff together. “If nothing else, she thinks you can do warrior stuff rather than poeting. History there?”
Stretching, Willow brought Pewter up to a heavy burn before positioning herself.
“But yeah, let’s go, and to quote the bard Bonnie Raitt, Let’s Give Them Something To Talk About.” With a grunt of effort Willow lifted the cart, relishing the enhanced strength and balance. “Keep up the good work Aslog! Kick those others into shape so Muscle-Mage the Metal-Eating Wizard doesn’t need to come back and do it herself.”
Bright side, the cart was blocking the rain as she steadied it confidently overhead and braced against her hair. Downer side, that bright side became moot the second she stepped foot into the river. Grateful for the added comfort Pewter also brought, she dreaded how this chill water would feel when she reduced the burn again. Although, with how much Pewter that figurine provided she’d be able to keep a comfortable burn going for hours.
Stretching, Willow brought Pewter up to a heavy burn before positioning herself.
“But yeah, let’s go, and to quote the bard Bonnie Raitt, Let’s Give Them Something To Talk About.” With a grunt of effort Willow lifted the cart, relishing the enhanced strength and balance. “Keep up the good work Aslog! Kick those others into shape so Muscle-Mage the Metal-Eating Wizard doesn’t need to come back and do it herself.”
Bright side, the cart was blocking the rain as she steadied it confidently overhead and braced against her hair. Downer side, that bright side became moot the second she stepped foot into the river. Grateful for the added comfort Pewter also brought, she dreaded how this chill water would feel when she reduced the burn again. Although, with how much Pewter that figurine provided she’d be able to keep a comfortable burn going for hours.
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
The water was icy cold, much like the air of the fjord before, but Willow's feet found purchase well through the crossing. She waded through thick mush at the base, the very bottom a hard surface that felt like smooth bone. Sloshing along, more silvery, metal fish leapt across her path, twirling through the air before splashing back under the surface. Small pillars became more apparent as she got closer to the center, small marble columns, just under the surface, a remnant of the bridge that once stood here.
Bjorn had kept silent, but red-faced until then, having been working through his embarrassment. He was still getting used to Willow's bravado, which had seemed to win her big points with Aslog. The lass followed them a short ways, twittering farewells before letting them go.
"Aslog is Sigurd's daughter, the smith for Jotungard. His nails hold up almost every house and work of Creative, and Aslog apprentices under him. Our families have been neighbors for generations, so I've known her since hatchlinghood," explained Bjorn, still red in the face, "She's the reason everyone knows I want to be a warrior, and the reason they all laugh at me. No subtlety. No awareness."
The odinkine stared off at the rising hills as Willow neared the opposite shore, and his face reddened more, "What would it matter if Aslog knew we shared a tongueberry?"
He looked away more, so that Willow couldn't see his face.
"You say ridiculous things, Metal-eater."
Willow rose more and more from the river, until she found herself on the opposite bank.
Bjorn had kept silent, but red-faced until then, having been working through his embarrassment. He was still getting used to Willow's bravado, which had seemed to win her big points with Aslog. The lass followed them a short ways, twittering farewells before letting them go.
"Aslog is Sigurd's daughter, the smith for Jotungard. His nails hold up almost every house and work of Creative, and Aslog apprentices under him. Our families have been neighbors for generations, so I've known her since hatchlinghood," explained Bjorn, still red in the face, "She's the reason everyone knows I want to be a warrior, and the reason they all laugh at me. No subtlety. No awareness."
The odinkine stared off at the rising hills as Willow neared the opposite shore, and his face reddened more, "What would it matter if Aslog knew we shared a tongueberry?"
He looked away more, so that Willow couldn't see his face.
"You say ridiculous things, Metal-eater."
Willow rose more and more from the river, until she found herself on the opposite bank.
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
The grin on Willow’s face grew larger as she listened to Bjorn, but it also grew rigid as she waded through the icy water. Even with Pewter this was entirely unpleasant, and almost immediately she had regretted not just zipping over with Steel. She was low on Steel however, and she had definitely needed the Pewter. Were she more experienced she could possibly have carried the cart while Steel pushing, but she didn’t feel confident trying something like that yet. Similarly she could have just taken the Pewter and ran across the river, but she found it felt better to be revered than reviled. So, embarrassing Bjorn was the next best thing.
“This is too precious; a tish cliche, but c'est la vie,” Willow spoke with a stiff cadence as she worked on keeping distracted just a little bit longer. A shadow was also creeping in again however, as all of this made her want to leave Bjorn behind even more. She hadn’t wanted to see him get killed before she had learned his backstory. “Ya know, being a warrior isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. It’s like how you described humans before. Blind and destructive. You weren’t wrong, but I’d say that’s just a warrior thing. Fighting is chaotic, and by wanting to be one you let yourself become blind and destructive. Nothing wrong with living a peaceful life.”
At last, Willow reached the opposite bank, and set the cart down as gently as she could so as to not break a wheel or axle. Then once she had stepped to the side she pulled off her boots and dumped out the water. With so much Pewter it was tempting to just walk barefoot for a while in hopes that just maybe the boot might dry out some, but with this weather that was a very faint hope. Even still, a muddy roadway sounded slightly better than soggy leather. What she wouldn’t give to have a nice fire to dry off by, but alas her trial needed to continue. Even with, or rather due to the addition of the Pewter figurine, her shot-clock had been reset, not paused. While she didn’t need to worry about running out anytime soon, she needed to worry about reaching the time limit. Why did her powers have to give her so many caveats?
“About how much farther do you s’pose these Floating Islands are?”
“This is too precious; a tish cliche, but c'est la vie,” Willow spoke with a stiff cadence as she worked on keeping distracted just a little bit longer. A shadow was also creeping in again however, as all of this made her want to leave Bjorn behind even more. She hadn’t wanted to see him get killed before she had learned his backstory. “Ya know, being a warrior isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. It’s like how you described humans before. Blind and destructive. You weren’t wrong, but I’d say that’s just a warrior thing. Fighting is chaotic, and by wanting to be one you let yourself become blind and destructive. Nothing wrong with living a peaceful life.”
At last, Willow reached the opposite bank, and set the cart down as gently as she could so as to not break a wheel or axle. Then once she had stepped to the side she pulled off her boots and dumped out the water. With so much Pewter it was tempting to just walk barefoot for a while in hopes that just maybe the boot might dry out some, but with this weather that was a very faint hope. Even still, a muddy roadway sounded slightly better than soggy leather. What she wouldn’t give to have a nice fire to dry off by, but alas her trial needed to continue. Even with, or rather due to the addition of the Pewter figurine, her shot-clock had been reset, not paused. While she didn’t need to worry about running out anytime soon, she needed to worry about reaching the time limit. Why did her powers have to give her so many caveats?
“About how much farther do you s’pose these Floating Islands are?”
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
"If they are still there, they will be at the other end of the valley here," said Bjorn.
The spriggans celebrated as they were let down on the other side. Their problems behind them, they rolled off the side of the cart, and the took up the handles to start pulling it up the hill. They offered little recognition to Willow for her actions, but did wave as they moved to make up for lost time. Some of the odinkine from the tree on the other side of the river flew over and perched themselves on the edge of the cart. Each carried some pack filled with some good, and added their burden to the Spriggans' load.
Some of them cawed at Bjorn, and the harpy merely returned their words with a grim look. He had a countenance that made him look like a sea raider from the waist up, especially with the half-visored helm.
"If there is nothing wrong with a peaceful life, why do you fight?" asked Bjorn, still not looking at Willow, "You are dressed comfortably, or were. Was this life thrust upon you, or did you have the choice to have a peaceful, quie–..."
Bjorn stopped at the sound of sloshing water. A pair of glowing eyes emerged from the water behind them, each to their own head. It was the golems from the other side of the river. They had come too, and one held a small cube in their hands.
Small and squat as they were, they trundled over to Willow and presented the cube. It radiated warmth.
The tittering morse sound of the golem's language emanated from their domed head.
"The durindal is offering that block as reward for resolving the matter peacefully," translated Bjorn, "She says you look cold, and that this radiator block should substitute for a fire."
"Dit didda dot de be dayde ditk, aht diddade de deod de dade."
"She hasn't exchanged her radiator for a month, so there should be a lot of heat stored in it."
The durindal gave the top of the cube a turn, and it released more heat, and then turned it the other way to reduce it.
The spriggans celebrated as they were let down on the other side. Their problems behind them, they rolled off the side of the cart, and the took up the handles to start pulling it up the hill. They offered little recognition to Willow for her actions, but did wave as they moved to make up for lost time. Some of the odinkine from the tree on the other side of the river flew over and perched themselves on the edge of the cart. Each carried some pack filled with some good, and added their burden to the Spriggans' load.
Some of them cawed at Bjorn, and the harpy merely returned their words with a grim look. He had a countenance that made him look like a sea raider from the waist up, especially with the half-visored helm.
"If there is nothing wrong with a peaceful life, why do you fight?" asked Bjorn, still not looking at Willow, "You are dressed comfortably, or were. Was this life thrust upon you, or did you have the choice to have a peaceful, quie–..."
Bjorn stopped at the sound of sloshing water. A pair of glowing eyes emerged from the water behind them, each to their own head. It was the golems from the other side of the river. They had come too, and one held a small cube in their hands.
Small and squat as they were, they trundled over to Willow and presented the cube. It radiated warmth.
The tittering morse sound of the golem's language emanated from their domed head.
"The durindal is offering that block as reward for resolving the matter peacefully," translated Bjorn, "She says you look cold, and that this radiator block should substitute for a fire."
"Dit didda dot de be dayde ditk, aht diddade de deod de dade."
"She hasn't exchanged her radiator for a month, so there should be a lot of heat stored in it."
The durindal gave the top of the cube a turn, and it released more heat, and then turned it the other way to reduce it.
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Willow’s eyes widened in awe. Warmth! Kneeling down to inspect the block she could feel the rejuvenating heat, and practically melted. Not literally off course, but she didn’t verbalize it at risk of these locals thinking humans could melt. Suddenly she felt she could empathize with lizards and cats as all she wanted to do was bask.
“Thank you, small marble person, I shall remember your kindness until my dying day,” Willow was completely earnest as she spoke and placed her hands on the side of the golem’s head. Moving her hands to grab the radiator, she practically shivered from the warmth. Little time was wasted before Willow tucked the radiator under the coat, and let the device do its job.
“Oh sweet Sarelle.” The words practically purred as the radiator dispelled the icy chill. She felt as though she could almost fall asleep from where she sat on her heels. Through sheer force of will she urged herself out of the comfortable stupor. “Okay. We’re good. Bjorn! How long do you think it’d take for me to get to the end of the valley? Oh, and for the record, I do this because I’m an adrenaline junky and am constantly seeking thrills.”
“Thank you, small marble person, I shall remember your kindness until my dying day,” Willow was completely earnest as she spoke and placed her hands on the side of the golem’s head. Moving her hands to grab the radiator, she practically shivered from the warmth. Little time was wasted before Willow tucked the radiator under the coat, and let the device do its job.
“Oh sweet Sarelle.” The words practically purred as the radiator dispelled the icy chill. She felt as though she could almost fall asleep from where she sat on her heels. Through sheer force of will she urged herself out of the comfortable stupor. “Okay. We’re good. Bjorn! How long do you think it’d take for me to get to the end of the valley? Oh, and for the record, I do this because I’m an adrenaline junky and am constantly seeking thrills.”
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
"I don't walk, Metal-eater, or at least, I didn't. I could not tell you," Bjorn pondered the distance a bit further, "Perhaps the same as coming down the hill?"
It wasn't.
The forest that flooded the valley was longer, deeper and darker on the other side. Willow lost the merchant cart ahead of her as she walked along fertile pathways. Stony trees with thick canopies encroached more and more on a choked trail, before, at two hours, a winding way began to lift her up the other side of the valley. She ascended over the thinning treeline, rising above verdant clouds to more grassy, windswept plains.
Horses, mechanical beasts, beat over waves of green and brown, whipping their heads in an imitation of the real thing. They gave Willow and Bjorn a wide berth as they tore down the edges of the valley. Another hour of walking up and down hills brought her to a suddenly sheer rockface.
Looking up, the valley ended in what almost felt like an inclined wall, thankfully the path turned right. Less thankfully, it wound left and right and left and right in wide bands at a steady climb. For two hours, Willow faced one end of the valley, and then the other, always at a hard climb. Features at the side of the road became less distinct the more she approached the top. The occasional metal bird would flit from low, dry bushes, but as she reached then top, it had become rocky and cold. Looking back, with almost ten hours behind her since she entered the valley, Willow could barely make out the peaks of Jotungard.
Looking forward, against the rising tide of a darkening sky, Willow saw a bright beacon shining in the distance, nestled in a city surrounded by a web of orange, forested hills. Coming closer, she found that, unlike the boundary between Jotungard and the Cairn Valley, this one ended suddenly.
"The Floating Hills. The hills do not float, but the way they rise from the world blood makes them look like they float," clarified Bjorn. As Willow approached the edge, she found that the land mass ahead was completely detached save for a jutting monolith of granite. The entire landscape seemed to rise and loom precariously over something akin to a shifting ocean below. The water was a pale color, and it glowed in the increasing dim of the evening.
It was massive, and the shifting waves moved in a way that seemed as though they went under the Valley as well.
"It's said the Hills are the one constant in our land. If you fly toward its light, you–”
KRAK! … KRAK!
The unmistakable sounds of gunshots hailed from the Hills, followed by the familiar shrieking of wraiths.
It wasn't.
The forest that flooded the valley was longer, deeper and darker on the other side. Willow lost the merchant cart ahead of her as she walked along fertile pathways. Stony trees with thick canopies encroached more and more on a choked trail, before, at two hours, a winding way began to lift her up the other side of the valley. She ascended over the thinning treeline, rising above verdant clouds to more grassy, windswept plains.
Horses, mechanical beasts, beat over waves of green and brown, whipping their heads in an imitation of the real thing. They gave Willow and Bjorn a wide berth as they tore down the edges of the valley. Another hour of walking up and down hills brought her to a suddenly sheer rockface.
Looking up, the valley ended in what almost felt like an inclined wall, thankfully the path turned right. Less thankfully, it wound left and right and left and right in wide bands at a steady climb. For two hours, Willow faced one end of the valley, and then the other, always at a hard climb. Features at the side of the road became less distinct the more she approached the top. The occasional metal bird would flit from low, dry bushes, but as she reached then top, it had become rocky and cold. Looking back, with almost ten hours behind her since she entered the valley, Willow could barely make out the peaks of Jotungard.
Looking forward, against the rising tide of a darkening sky, Willow saw a bright beacon shining in the distance, nestled in a city surrounded by a web of orange, forested hills. Coming closer, she found that, unlike the boundary between Jotungard and the Cairn Valley, this one ended suddenly.
"The Floating Hills. The hills do not float, but the way they rise from the world blood makes them look like they float," clarified Bjorn. As Willow approached the edge, she found that the land mass ahead was completely detached save for a jutting monolith of granite. The entire landscape seemed to rise and loom precariously over something akin to a shifting ocean below. The water was a pale color, and it glowed in the increasing dim of the evening.
It was massive, and the shifting waves moved in a way that seemed as though they went under the Valley as well.
"It's said the Hills are the one constant in our land. If you fly toward its light, you–”
KRAK! … KRAK!
The unmistakable sounds of gunshots hailed from the Hills, followed by the familiar shrieking of wraiths.
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Clicking her tongue in contemplation of the sight she was presented with, Willow eventually hissed as she sucked her teeth. Just when she'd been certain this place couldn't, yet again, get weirder it had to go and have a video game world border. Then there was the phrase world blood. Gross. Why did magic things need to be so extra with their naming conventions? Looking down and along the bizarre cliff she wondered as to whether she'd actually be able to reach the islands.
Just as Willow was about to cut in and her lack of proper flying the gunshots rang out. Immediately the Brit focused and dropped to a knee as she looked towards the Hills. They had guns here? She supposed it wasn't too outlandish given the mechanical beings all around, but she just didn't think guns at the same time she was thinking world blood. Either way, she heard gunshot, and she heard wraith. She knew wraith equalled bad, so while that didn't mean gunner equalled good she would freely admit working for Miss Smith had her swayed a bit.
Pulling out some coins she began to judge distance. A Coin Shot could push her a fair way, but whether it was enough she could only guess as she urged her brain to do trigonometry, or calculus, or multiplication; whatever the math that governed arcs was.
"So I gotta fly there, huh?" Willow asked her companion.
Just as Willow was about to cut in and her lack of proper flying the gunshots rang out. Immediately the Brit focused and dropped to a knee as she looked towards the Hills. They had guns here? She supposed it wasn't too outlandish given the mechanical beings all around, but she just didn't think guns at the same time she was thinking world blood. Either way, she heard gunshot, and she heard wraith. She knew wraith equalled bad, so while that didn't mean gunner equalled good she would freely admit working for Miss Smith had her swayed a bit.
Pulling out some coins she began to judge distance. A Coin Shot could push her a fair way, but whether it was enough she could only guess as she urged her brain to do trigonometry, or calculus, or multiplication; whatever the math that governed arcs was.
"So I gotta fly there, huh?" Willow asked her companion.
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
The idea of flying on anything but his own power seemed to unsettle Bjorn.
"You shouldn't need to," said the odinkine, looking out at the jutting piece of granite, "The landbridge supports traffic into the Floating Hills."
But the monolithic rock, a smooth piece that could support three people abreast, had been broken off halfway. Willow could see a similar piece of limestone extended from the nearest floating hill, just short of the granite.
"Something has broken the bridge from this side," said Bjorn, now fidgeting and stepping from one side to another, "I do not–..."
KRAK! … KRAK!
"-- I do not know why someone would do this thing. It is too far from the world blood to break apa–..."
KRAK! … Scrieeeee!
"You shouldn't need to," said the odinkine, looking out at the jutting piece of granite, "The landbridge supports traffic into the Floating Hills."
But the monolithic rock, a smooth piece that could support three people abreast, had been broken off halfway. Willow could see a similar piece of limestone extended from the nearest floating hill, just short of the granite.
"Something has broken the bridge from this side," said Bjorn, now fidgeting and stepping from one side to another, "I do not–..."
KRAK! … KRAK!
"-- I do not know why someone would do this thing. It is too far from the world blood to break apa–..."
KRAK! … Scrieeeee!
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
"Why something broke the bridge isn't important." Willow was stretching as she spoke. "We need to get there, weird stuff is happening, and I'm pretty sure I can clear that distance."
At a brisk pace of a Pewter enhanced jog, Willow hustled towards the out-of-order land bridge. Tearing of the last few leaves of the cabbage head she stuffed the bland food into her mouth and offered the last leaf to Bjorn. Then with a flick of her wrist tossed the core of the vegetable over the ledge as she neared the granite outcropping. Coins at the ready and Steel burning low, Willow tried to estimate distance.
At a brisk pace of a Pewter enhanced jog, Willow hustled towards the out-of-order land bridge. Tearing of the last few leaves of the cabbage head she stuffed the bland food into her mouth and offered the last leaf to Bjorn. Then with a flick of her wrist tossed the core of the vegetable over the ledge as she neared the granite outcropping. Coins at the ready and Steel burning low, Willow tried to estimate distance.