Death and Tide

[VisAnastasis]

(That's why fight with Cernunnos didn't feel as repetitive, I think - because demon tried to convince him to make peace and get him to listen. He failed, though, so we could go for success next time. It just wouldn't make sense to me for Tide, no matter how hard he tries, manages to convince the hunters, because he is a demon and they would not listen to his *lies*- Two-Headed Raven is a Spirit, though, despite his background, and they may listen to him instead, or at least one of them. If any words would hold weight, it would be words from someone in his position, that sacrificed so much to try to kill Death but defends him now. It just wouldn't be the too epic conclusion, would it, if we just go, oh, they talked it through, now all is okay? It would feel like giving them a little too easy victory... do you have any idea how to make it more complex, than just making them make up?
I think having THR help them is a more interesting option, his story sort of went quiet after Long Night as he was thinking through a lot of things, but it would be great if he perhaps joins the group and goes as their guest to sea, get to see some more wholesome things like demons and spirits working together, and maybe sees the play, and get some conclusion to his grief for Grendel. Death just sort of let him live but never talked to him or addressed him in person, he just let him stay there at Ben's plea. This could give them space to actually resolve things, too.

[Mirach]

(I don't know if we need an epic conclusion and victory in this storyline. To me, it's more about Death's illness and learning to accept Tide's help, and the hunters are just a driving force in that. The play should be more of a conclusion for both lines after they merge)

[VisAnastasis]

( Yes, I agree with it too, the play is the main highlight, I was just throwing some ideas on how we could avoid making the part repetitive - as we both agreed just another new fight would feel just like repeating the same thing. When there is little consequence to what happens, like just fighting and winning again, the stakes and danger don-t appear as high, as it seems like the characters just have plot armour. But bringing THR, if you agree, should freshen the situation. This is not a real book, just something we do for fun, so there's really no rule we have to make every single detail mindblowing or something, as long as it's fun to both of us it's okay with me :) So, are we bringing THR? There are no real rules, we don't have to include him or we can include him any way we want. We can have him reason with hunters and convince them, we can have him try to reason but fail, we can have him fight them and win/weaken them. If we are focusing on giving more chance for Death to express himself, it would make sense if Two-Headed Raven would get hurt in the fight, so, Tide and Death would find him injured, and Death could show him his gratitude by healing him and bond with him that way. THR was also a great friend with Grendel, last demon king, so realizing Tide is the new demon king of the survivors now will make a full circle. He could know Tide from sight in those days of demon court, but they never met, so it's a fresh interaction too. Since Death is sleeping, if they meet while he is still asleep, Tide will have to talk things through first, so we won/t run into the problem of you having to RP two of your characters talking to each other, too. )

[Mirach]

(So I've been thinking about it for a while, and honestly, I don't feel like playing THR now and bringing him into it. What happened at Cernunnos's fortress already felt like a conclusion here, so I would rather have THR stop/convince the hunters off-screen, without actually meeting Death and Tide. They'll just find out that they are not followed anymore, would that work?)

[VisAnastasis]

( We don't have to include him, of course, it was just an idea. It's okay if we just focus on developing a bond with Tide and Death instead :) Tide doesn't have the power to perceive things on such big scale, so he wouldn't notice that hunters gave up, only not perceive them close by, so when Death wakes up he can realize it. )

Tide kept the sleeping snake warm and as comfortable as he could, but as they were flying closer and closer to the sea, he felt increasingly restless. He tried his best to notice the pursuit, but he could not. Hans always used to be so good at looking out for danger, being so sensitive to movements of the fabric... But he struggled now. He was afraid there may be a trap. He didn't like pushing Xia, but he pleaded her to hurry, hoping they could get as close to the sea as possible so they could have better chances if they fall in trouble.

[Mirach]

Somehow Death felt the change in air as he smelled a hint if salt in tge breeze, and he woke with that. "Are we at the sea?" he asked.

[VisAnastasis]

Tide couldn't help but smile a little as he was relieved, since Death slept for quite a while, and after what happened before, he was more concerned for his frail health.
" Soon, little one. Very soon..." He promised quietly." Just don't try to peek out, okay? We decided it would be best to hurry as much as we can, to try to reach it. We are flying too quickly for human or snake to be in open air. Night draws soon, so we flew fast and tried to beat it... "

[Mirach]

Death obeyed, remaining hidden. "I don't feel any pursuit..." he murmured, confused. 

[VisAnastasis]

" Really? " Tide was surprised. He looked around one more time, as he added uncertainly. " I... Haven't seen anyone, either. Do you think it could be some kind of trap? "

[Mirach]

"I don't know..." Death murmured. "Give me a moment..." He focused, searching the threads and layers for their pursuers. "I feel them faintly, as if they were retreating..."

[VisAnastasis]

Tide seemed all the more taken aback and unsure by that.
" Like... retreating - retreating? Or like, retreating to gather reinforcements before coming back to engage in combat? " he gulped. " Is anyone with them? Any more fighters? I don't know... Retreating doesn't seem like the hunters' thing. So far, they usually either track you until they kill you or you kill them... That-s at least my experience... "

[Mirach]

"Retreating for I don't know what reason..." Death murmured. "There's only one spirit with them..." He hissed a little. "Two-headed Raven."

[VisAnastasis]

Tide's eyes narrowed, and he grew quieter for a moment, taking that information in.
"The direction... In which they are going," he whispered in the end. " It's not to the Spirit world, otherwise, they would have gone straight to its layer and travelled through it directly, to be as safe and far from our gaze as possible. They are headed back toward the capital city, aren't they? "

[Mirach]

"No..." Death murmured. "To the Mountains... What for though, I don't know."

[VisAnastasis]

" Well... I am not too smart...  I can't really figure out why they would go there. There are only two possibilities I can think of. His son lives there, so maybe they are headed to him? Or to the mountain heart? Wait a moment... " Tide paled suddenly as he realized something. " Erdel is on a mission in the mountains. What if they run into him? He could get in danger... "

[Mirach]

"I hope not... it doesn't seem like they are hunting. They are heading straight in the direction to the Sáni city. Erdel doesn't know where it is, so I hope they won't chance upon him... But what do they want there, I don't know. Two-headed Raven was supposed to stay with Silver Symbelmine... I have no idea what's going on..."

[VisAnastasis]

" It us cruel thing to say... But even if he may be in danger, it may be best to ... Not go back to seek him. We need to have faith that he will be able to take care of himself... We need to trust him. " Creature whispered." It would be too big risk upon your health for us to fly all the way back. What do you say we fly down and all take a break to eat and figure out what to do?"

[Mirach]

"I don't think I could make that journey," Death sighed regretfully. "Yes, it might be best to stop and rest a bit..."

[VisAnastasis]

" Xia wouldn't manage just turning and getting to it right away either. She flew so hard, in the opposite direction of the mountains. It would be best if she gets small and rests up for a little while with you, to recover from strain. It's not your fault we can't get back, it's just the best choice we can make right now... You promised Erdel you'll bring him back as he is, anyway. I know you'll do right by him in case of the worst, but for now, the best thing we can do is trust his better judgement as he trusts ours... " Tide whispered, and maybe being encouraged from the morning, he gave himself the freedom to lightly caress snake's back from the outside side of his tunic, while fox demon carefully looked around for a good spot to land.

[Mirach]

"Best thing I can do for everyone right now is keeping myself safe..." Death murnured resignedly. He sighed. "That sounds terrible when said aloud..."

[VisAnastasis]

" No, it does not... It sounds delightful. " Tide protested, with an unusual mixture of both sterner and softer voice. " You are thinking of your own well being. That's not terrible, that's great. For someone that worries so much for the others... " he smiled a little. " Your self-care sucks. I am glad you are working on it more in the last days. It is long overdue, and we will ask Erdel when we meet him again what he thinks about it, and he'll say the same. "

[Mirach]

"If working on it means actively trying not to die, then yes, I guess I'm working on it..." Death murmured. "It would hurt too many if I would die..."

[VisAnastasis]

" That's not what I meant. You have to know what I mean... You opened up to Erdel and Nameless about the war that weighed you down. You spoke to them of it, and you began allowing yourself more right to rest and feel things and have others do good to you, and there's lot yet to go, but that's a road begun, and you're no longer walking it alone. I will walk it with you. And..." he paused, before adding, quietly, but firmly, to Death's previous impassionate words, a firm jet timid response. " ... I don't know about the world, but it would hurt me if you were to die... "

[Mirach]

"I know..." Death whispered a bit wonderingly. 

[VisAnastasis]

" And you don't like hurting anyone, do you? " Tide asked innocently. He caressed the snake's back over the tunic lightly as he added gently as if offering a truce. " If you don't want to hurt me, there's actually thee things you could do. For once, no any more of that *cutting off the limb* story from before. Second, no more of that * taking care of myself is selfish* attitude. Third, we're going to settle down for a while, and you're going to take care and eat and rest plenty, and tell me if you need anything, and no objections to it, okay? "