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<willows> The Lunar encampment is one featureless tawny smudge today; the sandstorms of the region have covered everything visible in a dense layer of dust. Even the glittering tattoos of the elders are dulled with a layer of translucent, sweat-sticky grime. Tamuz is talking quietly with the wolf-boy and several others; his demeanor makes it obvious that he is very uneasy.
Osprey has turned up the collar of his cloak, shielding his mouth and nose from the dust which powders his hair, skin, and clothes.
Gia wrinkles her nose at the state of the camp and its inhabitants, silently cursing the sandstorms while recalling all of the assurances she had been told about how barbarians and cleanliness go hand in hand.
Malic ignores the dust, used to such things. Moving forward he waves cheerily at the Lunars
Arkadi 's voluminous robes flutter and snap in the warm desert wind as he tries his best to sheild himself from the assailing sands, squinting at the assembled Lunars
<willows> The Lunars recoil subtly at the sudden appearance of Sidereals, all perfumed with Heaven's fragrance, their faces still dewy from the gentle airs.
<Arkadi> 'I say goddamn, Mal...you *lived* in this shit?!'
<Malic> "What's wrong with it?"
<Arkadi> "Good luck lightign up with all this wind..."
Gia wrinkles her nose. "Glad yo hear you say something positive about the weather, Ark." She smiles in greeting at the Lunars.
<willows> "Mggrmfrfl."
Arkadi sighs and futilely tries to shake some of the sand off
<Malic> "We're back now."
<willows> The incoherent grunting eventually resolves itself into a greeting. A dark-skinned old man with beaded scales lining his wrinkles creaks up to greet them.
Osprey makes a respectful gesture of greeting.
Malic bows slightly to the elder. "How fares the tribe?"
Arkadi nods to the man
<willows> "Can't complain. Sit."
Malic drops into a cross-legged sitting position. "What's going on?
Gia sits quietly.
Arkadi settles down into a comfortable position
<willows> "The grey area is moving."
<Arkadi> "...bugger."
<Malic> "Growing or moving?"
<willows> "Moving."
<Arkadi> "In what direction?"
Gia raises a brow. "Apparently our friend must have had an accomplice we did not meet."
Arkadi 's look darkens "Son of a bitch!"
<willows> "Southward, in the direction of the Elemental Pole.
<Arkadi> "It *would* be going there."
Gia glances sidelong at Arkadi after his outburst, and switches to Riverspeak. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking? One of our Yellow peers could have something to do with this."
<Gia> "Of course, if someone is moving a patch of Creation without express mandate, they're in for some serious trouble."
<Malic> "How fast is it moving?
<Arkadi> (RS) "Or they've got enough of a pocketbook to foot the bill"
Osprey glances briefly at Gia with eyes washed gray by his recent ordeal, but gives no other sign that he is listening in on her conversation with Arkadi.
Gia makes eye contact with Osprey, her mouth twitching into a momentary frown before going back into impassive calm/
<Arkadi> (RS) "I dunno though, what's the motive for doing this? Draining all colour then running it halfway across creation?"
<Gia> (RS) "One would hope that dragging a Fateless portion of Creation across the south would get the offender more than a slap on the wrist."
<Arkadi> (RS) "Bribing does wonders."
<willows> "It isn't moving very quickly. Come, look."
Gia stands, brushes her clothing free of the dust, and follows the Chosen.
<willows> The Lunar shows them inside a tent, where a Map of Azure Victory is repeating a sequence of events in a minute-long cycle.
Arkadi snaps out of his Riverspeka Reverie "*Look*?!"
Malic rises and follows, steping quickly.
<Arkadi> "Oh...neat."
Arkadi scratches his chin, and observes, trying to decipher the pattern of the motion
<willows> "This," he indicates a pool of white sand that is creeping southwards like a puddle of quicksilver, irregularly, a lobe at a time, "is the grey area; the Map is showings its progess in the past day."
Arkadi observes the landmarks the fugitive has been avoiding, the general path he's taken, and tries to devine precisely where it's headed
Osprey examines the map closely.
<Malic> "The area behind it is untouched?"
<Osprey> "It is walking into the desert," Osprey murmurs, his expression dark. "...Inauspicious."
<Arkadi> "Bloody stupid, you mean."
<willows> The map displays some flecks of color in the white field; they sometimes seem to run outside it, to mark a spot where the white moves oto.
Osprey glances at Arkadi. "Five days' walk across the desert brings one where?"
<Arkadi> "Oh *SHIT*"
<Gia> "Maybe it's just trying to pull the fateless bits into the Wyld where they.."
Gia gets pale as she catches Osprey's meaning.
<Arkadi> "Fucking Yoziland..."
Osprey looks up at the reptilian Lunar. "How long ago did it start moving?"
<willows> The Lunar draws the tentflap closed; it does little to block out the subtle, insistent wind. Dust sifts through tiny rips in the canvas.
<willows> "It started moving shortly after you departed...we have not scouted out the area, but the little gods of the place say that it had recovered well."
<Arkadi> "But why drag the whole effect with it?"
<Arkadi> "Unless it's a demon that's CAUSING the effect?"
<Gia> "Maybe the effect is a big part of the plan, whatever that may be."
<Arkadi> "regardless, I think we cna agree a big rip in the Loom running through the desert is a bad thing..."
<Arkadi> "Ideas on how to stop it?"
<willows> "Kill it," blurts the dog boy.
<Gia> "Kill.. an effect?"
<Arkadi> "Tried that."
Arkadi sighs
<Arkadi> "Unless we got the wrong guy..."
Malic glares at the Lunar. "Oh yes. We'll just walk up and start stabbing they grey sand. What lives in your head, curdled mare's piss?"
Arkadi thumps the table
<willows> "It's probably a demon or something. Demons bleed. Anything that bleeds, you can kill it."
<Arkadi> "I HOPE it's that simple."
<Gia> "Well, there are a great number of things in life which require a bit more.. finesse.. than that, I'm afraid."
<Arkadi> "But the kid's right in oen respect, talkign here analysing it won't help us that much..."
<Malic> "Well, you're so eager to sink your teeth into it, go chew on the demon. Let
Arkadi winces...
Osprey folds his arms. "There will be time to discuss this more thoroughly while we are pursuing this strange phenomenon."
<Osprey> "Whatever our final plan, we cannot allow it to escape."
<Malic> "Right. So let's take this cull-spawned mut and let him use his teeth for something besides pulling crap out of his fur. Since he's so eager to kill the demon, he can get it first and we can see if it smashes him flat."
<Arkadi> "MALIC!" Malic blinks. "What?"
Arkadi looks at Malic, his eyes shooting twin daggers
<Arkadi> "You want to bitch and moan, do it outside, this is somewhat *important*"
<Malic> "I just said we should get moving. Didn't you hear me?"
Arkadi turns to the others
<Arkadi> "How are we going to get there?"
<Osprey> "We have enemies enough without you making more with your careless tongue, brother Malic, " Osprey rebukes Malic sharply.
<Gia> "Malic may not have tact, but he does have certain skills that can get us to the effect more swiftly," Gia interjects quietly.
Osprey nods, still keeping a level eye on Malic.
Malic contrives to appear confused as to how he has earned the ire of his circlemates.
Gia shoots Malic a look which says his contrivance isn't fooling anyone. "So, shall we go before we're bodily thrown out?"
<willows> -----
Osprey looks up at the sky, and points at the part ahead of them, which is gray with something other than stormclouds.
<Osprey> "We are drawing close."
<Arkadi> "Ya think ?"
Malic moves along the yellow-lit dust at their feet, keeping its direction fixed in his mind, drawing a map.
Osprey ignores Arkadi, hiking up the dune at a steady pace. The wind blows his hair and cloak out behind him; he squints to keep the dust from his eyes.
Malic started the treck by pulling his shirt off and wrapping it around his head, using it to keep the sun and dust from his eyes and mouth.
<willows> The scrublands start to thin to desert here; the air smells of salt and dust.
<Arkadi> "Bleh..."
Gia squints a bit, looking up at the sky.
Arkadi scratches his chin, looking around
<Malic> BOOOM
Malic looks annoyed as he stands up from his fall down a dune.
<Arkadi> "...we're following *him* around a desert?"
Malic spits out sand. Sticks a finger in his mouth and pulls a small beetle out. Considers it. Pops it back in his mouth.
<Arkadi> "Maybe we should split up?"
<Malic> "What for? You'd just get lost."
<willows> The yellow path is stark against the grey expanse. It trails onward some distance, where it finally disappears into what looks like a tiny, stationary dust devil.
<Arkadi> "Well...let's get going, then..."
Malic nods.
Osprey slows down as he nears the boundary of the colorless area.
Malic burps, thumping his chest. "Damn beetle husk."
Arkadi exhales "Here we go again."
Gia peers curiously at the dust-devil.
Arkadi seems to make some sort of religious gesture before walking into the zone
Osprey unslings his daiklave and pauses at the border.
Gia shrugs almost imperceptibly and strides in.
Osprey hesitates for a long moment, an uncharacteristic look of indecision on his face, then drives his scabbarded blade downward, thrusting it into the sand.
<Osprey> Leaving the slightly-canted weapon behind him, he hefts his staff and strides into the gray.
Malic pulls Burning Wind free from its scabbard and follows Osprey into the grey zone, amber-fire eyes sparkling even in the colorless pit
Arkadi leaves his blade sheathed...
<Arkadi> "You sure you're gonna find that thing, Oss?"
<Arkadi> "When we come back, I mean."
Gia looks back, slightly concerned. "Osprey, are you sure you want to come with? You're running out of color as it is." She flashes a half-smile.
Osprey looks at Gia. "I cannot stand aside as my friends walk into danger."
Gia nods. "I thought you'd say something like that."
<Osprey> "You know me well."
<Arkadi> "I'm touched, really..."
Arkadi sighs
<Arkadi> "What exactly are we looking for in here?"
<Malic> "Something like a giant peacekeeper eating she-demon with twelve breasts and fanged eyes."
<Malic> "Lets go."
Malic moves deeper into the grey, trying to find its center
Gia wanders towards the dust-devil, arms folded.
Osprey approaches the shimmery vortex alongside her.
<Osprey> As they draw closer, a few gray sparkles flare into being around Osprey, and fly off toward the whirlwind, which sucks them in.
<willows> A familiar shape revolves slowly at the centre of the little whirlwind - it is the man from before, his headless corpse seeming to gesture limply as the air currents move it to and fro.
<Osprey> The Easterner's brow furrows in concentration, and the sparkles stop.
<Malic> "Well. It seems we didn't do a good enough job.."
<Gia> "Ark?" Gia calls behind her. "I think you need to take a second go at this."
Malic moves forward and throws a fist into the headless figure's stomach, tossing it to the ground
<Arkadi> "...."
<willows> The corpse falls to the ground, then rises back up as though lifted by its foot. It settles higher in the air, out of reach. "find four intruders--my toy--my friend!--who are you?"
<willows> Something unseen speaks.
<Arkadi> "Oh joy, here we go with the disembodied voice..."
<Arkadi> "Mind just cutting out the middle 'who are you' phase and just showing yourself?"
<willows> The corpse stills. "here i am but i cannot be seen i cannot change that it is what i am"
<Malic> "And what are you?"
<Arkadi> "Uh-HUH...look, could you put him down? It's bloody disrespectful to the poor guy."
<willows> "i will disrespectful it is the repayment for disrespect ask the questions i am the wind! the silence! here."
<Arkadi> "Fine then...what do you want to know?"
<Malic> "You are a demon in need of banishment, that is what you are."
<willows> The whirlwind babbles incoherently.
<Arkadi> "Mind translating that?"
Gia rubs her temples and blinks blearily.
<willows> "The music is broken where are the musicians they must return home?"
<Malic> "The Deathknights have them. If you swear on your mother's name to never return, we could show you where they are."
Gia rolls her eyes at Malic.
<willows> "we do not swear of Cythe*squeealstaticcrackle*a's name."
Gia squeezes her eyes shut for a moment. "We don't have time for your opaque jabbering, demon." The Chosen reaches into her cloak, pulling out a silk pouch of purified salt and tosses it into the whirlwind, using the spiraling force to create a circle around the whirlwind. She demurely lifts up the oversized leg of her trousers and begins to scratch arcane symbols in the sand with her big toe, mumbling under her breath.
Arkadi pauses a moment to light a cigarette
Arkadi circles the demon slightly
<Gia> "Let
<Gia> 's try this again."
<Arkadi> "What's your name, boy?"
<willows> "Only-He-Stands-There."
<Arkadi> "And what're you doing here?"
<willows> "Standing."
<Arkadi> "funny boy...what's your PURPOSE?!"
<willows> The sand grumbles. "I visit the king under the Mountain."
<Arkadi> "Right...who's he?"
<willows> "My grandmother."
<willows> It is clear at this point that the demon is lying.
Osprey looks at Arkadi, then steps forward.
Arkadi slips on a pair of cesti
<Arkadi> "I see."
<Arkadi> "Now look, do you know who I am?"
Osprey raises his free hand, and light flares around it.
<Osprey> The red glare pales slightly, but still seems bright and supersaturated in the colorless environment.
<willows> There is a sound as of eyebrows rising.
<Arkadi> "Now, my friend here and I are going to give you a choice."
<Arkadi> "You can answer our questions TRUTHFULLY, or we can make you regret ever having been spawned."
<Osprey> Little motes of grayish light bleed from Osprey's wrist and spiral toward the demon.
<Arkadi> "You've got 5 seconds."
<Arkadi> "Four."
<Arkadi> "Three."
Osprey narrows his eyes slightly; the leakage from his wrist stops.
<willows> "Ask your questions."
<Arkadi> "Two..."
<Osprey> His fingers begin to curl into a fist.
Osprey opens his hand.
<Arkadi> "Your purpose here, who sent you, and why."
<willows> "I came to seek the harpists, and found this thing of color and light in the waste! I am bringing it home."
<Arkadi> "No, you aren't."
<Arkadi> "You're going to put it back, you know why?"
<willows> "I don't."
<Arkadi> "Because we're The Law, you son of a bitch, and you just got pinched."
<Malic> "He means we'll destroy you utterly if you don't replace it."
<Arkadi> "so be a good whirlwind, and put it back."
Arkadi 's look darkens "Now."
<willows> The whirlwind collapses into a tiny spiral of dust. "Then I cannot return to Malfeas."
<Malic> "We really do not care."
<willows> A billow of perplexity.
<Osprey> "One way or another, we will find a way to insure that you do not trouble Creation." Osprey lowers his hand, the red flames subsiding. "If you return what you have taken, it may be that we consider a way which does not involve your ending."
<willows> "You leave me no choice, Chosen. I will do as you ask."
Gia smiles slightly.
<Arkadi> "We'll be watching you."
Osprey turns to his companions. "Someone ought to take word of this back to the proper ears."
<Osprey> "And perhaps find one who can send this demon back from whence it came."
<Malic> "With Moth reassigned, we don't really have a Purple to do it. Reds do the demonic thing sometimes, how about we send Ark?"
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