Action/Video

[magics_pawn]

[Vanyel appears in the journals for the first time from a view almost completely blocked by one hand. He's leaning on the book without thinking, having somehow enabled a visual by doing so. As his hands shift off the viewpoint, it becomes obvious who this is— haggard, too thin and very tired, but unmistakable; Vanyel Ashkevron.

He inhales one slow, shaking breath, and for a moment seems like he'll scream, or cry, or erupt in a wall-tearing, world-shattering rage, but he doesn't. He just closes his eyes and seemingly wills away the emotion— then glances down at the book.

Another little piece of magic to keep tabs on them? Fine. He shuts the journal with one hand and takes it with him. For those on the 'network' this is their view of him. For those with psychic perception or magical abilities, they may notice a new power in the Keep when, after a few minutes, Vanyel opens his shields as much as he dares and—

?!

...Well, that certainly was loud. But Vanyel's too busy running, yes, running toward the stables as fast as his feet will catch him to care. He has a Lady to visit. Everyone else can wait.]

Comments

[Audio]

[drinkuntilidie.livejournal.com]

[Well there's a face that's hard to forget. Not a whole lot of people he knows with long white hair either.]

Van? Van dat joo mon?

[Well of course it's Van but the question is if it's the Van that he remembers. The troll's not getting his hopes up though.]

[video]

[magics-pawn.livejournal.com]

[It is a good hour or more before Vanyel replies. He actually hears Kevas' reply soon after it's made, when he drops the journal in the stables, but...

It's too hard to pull away, to leave the sweet-hay smell and touch of Yfandes' mind. After so long believing him dead, Vanyel spends some time in privacy, to feel again that he might in some small way be made whole, and to weep.

When he replies, he's sitting on the floor of the stable, his voice is steady, and there's a background wholly dominated by white horse.]

Kevas. It's me. I notice there's been some changes made.

[To say the least says the voice in his head, and Vanyel smiles far too happily for someone who's just been kidnapped to yet another alternate dimension.]

[Audio]

[drinkuntilidie.livejournal.com]

[Because of the lack of any sort of answer Kevas is sure it's not the Van he knows. He'ls likely not bothering to answer because, well, how do you answer a strange creature that seems to knows your name?

When Van finally answers him his ears perk up. Looks like he was wrong after all.]

Oh just a few here and dere.

[Kevas can't help but notice that smile.]

Joo be lookin' pretty happy fuh a mon dat just got kidnapped.

[Audio]

[magics-pawn.livejournal.com]

[He looks down, trying honestly to stop smiling and the 'horse' behind him turns her head enough that he face comes into frame. She has very blue eyes and a whicker that sounds suspiciously like a snicker.]

This is Yfandes. My Companion.

Kevas...there aren't any words. I'm sorry, but I— [He gestures vaguely. He's not even sorry.] I thought she was dead.

[Audio]

[drinkuntilidie.livejournal.com]

[Kevas doesn't know why Van's apologizing or for what but alright.]

So dat be what a Companion be lookin'. Huh.

[That's something Kevas has always wondered about since Van and Talia spoke of them.]

Glad joo got her back.

[And if Van has his then maybe Talia will find hers as well.]

[Audio]

[thii2ii22tupiid]

Don't. Fucking. Shout.

[Audio]

[magics-pawn.livejournal.com]

[Much later, Vanyel replies;]

Excitable, aren't you?

[Audio]

[thii2ii22tupiid]

Only when assholes decide to announce their arrival by screaming into people's minds.

((assuming i didn't misinterprent the loudness.))

[Audio]

[magics-pawn.livejournal.com]

If you're sensitive enough to hear it, then why hasn't anyone ever taught you how to shield?

[He could be derisive, but Van's tone is one of genuine concern. You have been done a serious disservice, young stranger]

(( It. Probably wasn't that loud. But whatever! 8D ))

However much later you'd like, darling mine!

[thequeensown]

[Talia had been quiet since the festivities of the new year, taking up a good amount of time in the Keep library. The Herald had always enjoyed reading, and being here made no difference to her. Certainly, the subject matter was different, but that was no mind to her.

She is sitting in one of the large overstuffed chair when Vanyel appears at the Keep and even without her journal open to see him, the empath is aware that he has arrived. Having a Herald Mage in your head for so long, let alone having him stabilize your abilities more than once, built a certain bond.]

Van?

[She lowers her shields all the more, testing for his 'signature' as she rises, book dropped and forgotten on the chair.

Unlike some of the others, there was a familiarity in that brief questioning outburst of his mind. This was the Vanyel she knew...

With her mind, a brush of questioning hope...]

Say, an hour or so;

[magics-pawn.livejournal.com]

[If Talia finds him physically, he'll be found in the Stables, and not likely to be anywhere else, anytime soon. And though it is on a delay, Vanyel does, belatedly and with some small measure of guilt, reach to take to the offered mental hand.]

:Talia. It's me. How much time did I miss?:

[One does not spend as long on the Elegante as they have without understanding what it means to have so many friends questioning your existence.]

:Db

[thequeensown]

[A delay though there might be, Talia is making her way to the last place she'd 'felt' her fellow Herald. Though she'd been rather certain that this was the very same Vanyel she'd come to know, the lack of return response is enough to bring on the doubt.

Oh, she'd be happy to have him here at any rate, but still...

So, she set to looking for the Herald in the time since his initial mental blurt. The search of the barracks and the Hall had come up empty and she makes her way toward the Western end of the Keep; the Green, mew and stables.

It's right around then that Van's reassuring mind voice returns and she exhales softly in relief. She cannot reply mentally, her own Gifts extending only so far as empathy, though she hears him clearly enough. She answers aloud as she scans the Green.]

Time is a bit of a paradox here as it ever was on the ship, Van... I've been here just short of a year, but it is more than likely that you only saw me a short time ago, still upon the Shore.

[Havens, had it been so long already?

Her search continues to the mews, but it is only quiet birds of prey within the small shed. Frowning, she makes her way to the stables and is already thinking about where he might have gone off to outside the Keep proper. She finds one of the doors open and steps inside, the scent of animal and barn surrounding her like a comforting blanket.

The barn looks different, a newer, over sized stall near the far end positioned near the horses. The first thing she spies is a flash of Van's familiar white hair.]

Van, is that yo-?

[The smile that had begun to warm her features falters and she comes to a halt. Her shields, lowered so she could converse easily with her fellow Herald, snap into place in response to her shock. However, even with the shields firmly in place, at that moment her emotions could be read like a book on her face.]

Bright Lady...

[magics-pawn.livejournal.com]

[He senses her coming, of course, so he has the time to be standing, but he knows full well that there can be no preparation for this.

So, he just. Lays a hand on Yfandes' shoulder and gives her a moment to breathe. Yfandes herself takes a step forward and whuffs, as if to clear her nostrils— an equine sort of greeting, but the humor and concern are bright in her eyes.

Blue eyes, silver hooves, and very clearly a mare.]

Talia...

[Please don't hate me.]

...This is Yfandes.

Audio | Sealed to Vanyel

[but-why-u-mad.livejournal.com]

Stop that.

[AUGH HE'LL KILL YOU VANYEL.]

Audio | Sealed

[magics-pawn.livejournal.com]

My apologies.

[He doesn't sound very sorry.]

Audio | Sealed

[but-why-u-mad.livejournal.com]

[That's okay, Mads doesn't sound very appeased.]

Has courtesy died where you are from, mon chérie? It has not here. Remember that the next time you decide to be so rude.

Audio | Sealed

[magics-pawn.livejournal.com]

You will have to forgive me. It is extraordinarily alarming to be yanked from one's own bed and into a strange place.

[Honestly, does no one know how to shield in the world, but Van himself?]

No offense was intended. Perhaps I can make it up to you?

[missmimmi]

[...She recognizes that face.

She totally recognizes that face.

But God is she too afraid to say anything because if he doesn't remember the boat there's no point. )8

B-but, here goes.]

Vanyel?

[magics-pawn.livejournal.com]

Mimmi Kopanski.

[One doesn't spend as long as they have on the Elegante and not realize what it means when these things happen]

Am I to presume I've died, or...?

[missmimmi]

Nein, everyone here is... very much alive.

[Well, unless they're a ghost or something.]

Welcome to Holloway's Keep.

[magics-pawn.livejournal.com]

So long as there's no—

[No golden shore? He cuts himself off. How could he have taken so long to remember Remy, left behind?]

...Well. Is there a 'Captain'?

[bondedgryphon]

[Zhaneel fanned her wings widely, closing her eyes and simply surrendering to the feel of wind over her feathers and fur. She thrums low in her throat, adjusting absently to an updraft that catches her and shifts.

When her eyes open again, she scans the ground below her, seeking out her friends.

Certainly she could use her journal to do the exact same thing, but she had been sorely in need of a stretch and so she would take advantage of the desire for companionship.

She'd checked a few places, and as she backwings and cuts down toward the ground, she aims for her next goal: the stables.

Her wings stir the snow beneath her and she lands with only the softest of sounds before padding forward. She gently bumps the door open as she resettles her wings along her back, ear tufts flicking forward.]

Aarrrra? Varrrrrric?

[She knew that San and Kloe wouldn't be here in the stables, but the other two were certainly possible.]

[magics-pawn.livejournal.com]

[The magic rose in Vanyel with an immediacy born of adrenaline and long conditioning. He knew too much of war not to summon at hand power enough to rip Zhaneel limb from limb along with everything else behind her. Yfandes' head came up in startled tandem, ears pricked in alarum.

...but then they both held themselves back.

Neither Van nor 'Fandes had risen to their current positions by randomly destroying everything that startled them.]

What in the name of...

[Was that a Gryphon? Were Gryphons even real?]

[bondedgryphon]

[Zhaneel feels the magic rise and it moves over her body like a wave of water, standing fur and feathers both on end. She freezes in the stable entryway, ear tufts flattening against her skull as her beak opens in threat, a low hiss escaping her mouth.

She sights easily upon the Herald and Companion, recognizing neither for what they are... Well, that isn't entirely true. She recognizes Vanyel immediately as a Mage, not unlike those she's served alongside for years.

The horse, though... she has a very similar feel to the Mage himself, but she's never experienced anything similar outside the gryphons of her Wing.

Well, again, not entirely true... the maka'ar felt similar. As did the tervadi, kyree and wyrsa... but this creature was none of these.

Her own magic is useless here, as is her ability to negate magic used upon her. Even so, if Vanyel is attentive, he might notice similarities in he and she. Her kind were, after all, crafted by the times strongest Mage using leylines and nodes.

For once in her life, Zhaneel offers not a single word of apology, golden eyes and pupils enormous as she watches Van and Yfandes both. The move is yours, Herald.]

mouseover for translation

[magics-pawn.livejournal.com]

[Vanyel's shields were practically crackling with power but he cocked his head at the reaction. Not to attack, not to defend and not to flee— this wasn't the face a dumb animal or a vicious creature. Well, if it looked a bit like a bird and sounded more than a little like one...

Van cocked his head to the side, made a guess and spoke;]