Event Log: April, Tangled Terrors Part 1

[faileas]

Event Log: April, Tangled Terrors Part One

I. A Spreading Problem The request for help from the nameless city Underground comes at the beginning of the month through intermediaries - characters who have maintained good relationships with the city and its leader, or Wilders posted at the Northern Outpost. They have good reason to speak up. It starts within the herds of velvet wormipedes, horse-sized or larger worms that serve as food, pets, and mounts, making them an important part of survival underground. It was the farmers who first noticed it, and they theorized that it was caught and started to spread when they took the worm herds out to graze in an outer cavern. What seemed to be a new disease causing oily blackened skin and various mutations has been confirmed to be Cwyld, but the veil of protective moss that surrounds and protects the city did not react the way it normally does to the infected (by gobbling them up upon entry), letting them pass with little more than a shudder of recoiling movement. By now, they’ve isolated any infected members of the herd to the grazing cavern outside the city or put them down outright and burned the bodies, but as the days pass, the phenomenon grows only more worrying. Some proactive Mirrorbound who answered the initial call to investigate will have a head-start on the information, but the Arachne leader of the Underground, the Matriarch, is upfront about what they know so far. She holds a small meeting with would-be helpers where she lets them know that her Witches from the Academy were out in the tunnels branching off the grazing cavern within the last couple of weeks, practicing the method of leyline clearing that the Mirrorbound taught them some time ago to try and drive the Cwyld back. Their efforts were abandoned when the Witches’ magic malfunctioned and caused backlash, and their Monster guards with keener hearing started to pick up on a peculiar throbbing or pulsing sound from distantly within the walls. Any who are willing to lend a hand and investigate are offered whatever supplies they request, shelter within the City when they need to return to rest, and the assistance of any of their Witches and warriors as needed. The Matriarch thinks that whatever they find out there may be useful - or dreadful - knowledge for both their peoples. They want to know what was preventing the leyline from being cleared, and what this infection or disease is that is affecting wildlife and their own herds - curing it will eventually be a priority, but fact-finding has to come first.

II. Danger in the Deep (Underground) Branching out from the place that the worm herd were grazing when the infection set in, it becomes more clear that the situation is dire. This is not a normal, relatively slow-moving Cwyld infection, but something stronger and more sinister that has sunk its claws deep into the branching leylines. An oily black substance runs through the stone walls and floor of the tunnels in thick veins, dripping slowly in dark streaks, and the air in the tunnels feels heavier than usual. Far from showing any signs of the Matriarch’s people trying to clear the leyline, it feels even worse, more severely tainted. This only seems more likely when you start to encounter wildlife bearing the same kind of infection as the worms, oily black patches on their skin, aggression that exceeds the norm for their species. Bats and blind, white wasps and huge, glittering beetles have grown even bigger, and begun to mutate in unusual, grotesque ways. They’ll need to be put down - there is no getting past them peacefully, and no saving these creatures. Even if you don’t kill them, the infection will, as you’ll find - farther along, you start to find mutated, infected corpses as well, like oily smears on the stone and barely recognizable. And then there’s the sound, discordant in the quiet of the Underground. It’s difficult to hear at first, faint, but farther along when you get close to the walls, a distant, steady pulsing sound seems to chill you right down to your bones, as if the walls have a heartbeat of their own. None of the natives have ever heard it before, and if you have any citizens of the Underground in your search party, many of them with stronger senses are visibly scared, growing paranoid and agitated as time passes. Tracking the leylines, or the sound of the pulsing in the walls, will take several days of exploration, deeper into the tunnels than the natives remember venturing before, and those days will be plagued with danger and unrest. Keep in touch with your fellows in town as well, though Watch reception will be spotty - it will become clear that this is no longer just an Underground problem. a. Leyline Clearing It seems like a good idea at first to try and clear some part of the infected leylines, if only to cut the infection off from traveling further, as it uses the pathways of natural magic that cut through the earth like a highway to cover more ground quicker. It seems to move with each pulse in the walls, creeping a little farther along. The leyline in the Silent Forest outside the Northern Outpost, set on a path to healing last year, seems like child’s play in comparison to this herculean effort, though. Be careful, Witches. Even just one push of your magic into this infected leyline triggers a backlash that rings in your ears and wracks your body with soul-deep pain. Those who are un-Bonded, who have no Monster partner to help cushion the impact, feel it worse than those who are Bonded. But those who are Bonded, their partners can feel the pain too - lessened, more spread out over the two or three or four of you, but still intense. Even without touching the walls or the floor, the infection can spread through your magic, into you, your Bonded, and those around you if you cast the spell as a group. b. Infection Rather than settling into the body at first, this Cwyld settles into your magic, your soul, your innate connection with the world, whether you’re Witch or Monster. It’s harder to guard against it, even by taking the usual precautions. The side-effects are terrible; while the Mirrorbound in Aefenglom feel it too, all those symptoms are much stronger down here closer to the source. Trying to use your magic as a Witch (and sometimes your less physical abilities as a Monster) results in backlash, misfiring, or even a dangerous drain in energy. Reaching for one’s magic might be as natural as breathing for most Witches, but now it feels like trying to reach through a thick fog, sticky and cloying. Spells go awry, coming out as the opposite effect from the caster’s intention, or a completely different, unforeseen result (think: Wild Magic in D&D). Sometimes you can’t pull on your magic or abilities at all, and sometimes you wildly misjudge how much force to use, resulting in danger for those around you, especially in these tight, underground spaces. Interacting too much or too often with the tainted magic causes pain and fatigue at the very least, and for some even more uncomfortable effects, such as numbness of the extremities, temporary blindness, nausea or full unconsciousness. These effects are much more prominent in Witches, especially those un-Bonded, though some Monsters may feel similar, lesser effects on some of their abilities. Monsters are not immune, especially growing closer to the sinister source. Those who are Bonded to Witches can feel the strain the tainted magic puts on them, and those who aren’t, or whose Bonds aren’t strong, find that they feel the tainted pulse of the heartbeat in the walls acutely, driving them to paranoia, fear, rage, or even ferality. All Monsters on this mission will find that they’re prone to nightmares when they do try to catch some rest - the content of the nightmares varies depending on the person, but they’re all unsettling, and they all feature prominently the image of a blackened tree, the trunk bearing faces frozen in masks of horror, and the picture of gnarled roots reaching down, down, down. c. Tangled Ties As the Cwyld in the walls grows more prominent, taking on an appearance like thick, oily, veiny roots, tangled and twisted, so too does the Cwyld work to tangle the ties that bind you. Those who don’t, or can’t, keep their Bonded in close physical proximity may find that their Bond feels weaker, or perhaps it begins to only transmit negative emotions like pain or fear. They may find their Bonds shifting, or even snapping, tangling or twisting in ways they shouldn’t. All of a sudden, you might even find yourself with a completely different Bond, being drawn to a stranger or an acquaintance you certainly weren’t Bonded to before. If you didn’t have a Bond already, you might find yourself with one (or more) now - or a twisted approximation of one, as anyone who experiences this will soon find out that the magic isn’t quite what it’s supposed to be. It can’t be nullified as usual, broken off or switched back intentionally (though some days it might end up snapping to someone else instead), and down here, you only have each other, your Underground hosts, and a spotty Watch connection for help. All the infected wildlife seems to die out, as days later, your parties find their way close to the source of the pulsing in the walls. An entrance hewn out of the stone opens into what feels like a truly massive cavern, judging from the change in the airflow. The Cwyld is thick here, concentrated in what seem to be rough, blackened roots all in a tangle like a thick curtain. You can hear the heartbeat-like sound louder now, a steady thump-thump, thump-thump. Whatever lies in wait past that curtain of roots, you know in your gut that once you enter, you won’t be able to leave until the problem is dealt with. Resupply, recruit help, try to sort the snarled threads of your Bonds - it’s going to be rough from here.

III. Reaching Tendrils (Aefenglom, Northern Outpost) The Matriarch’s briefing is, soon after it’s given, relayed to the Coven and then to the rest of the Mirrorbound, through some of the Wilders or perhaps through other characters themselves. That, at least, is a good thing, to provide some kind of warning for what happens next. In far worse news, the effects of the malaffected leylines are not limited to the tunnels of the Underground, or even the nearby Northern Outpost. Somehow, just a few days after things take a worse turn down below and surrounding the Outpost, they reach as far as the city. The effects of the infected leyline overflow like a burst dam, tainted magic spilling out from the Cwyld-strangled Underground caverns and through their connected, invisible tributaries beneath the earth, stretching miles outward with each passing day. The Northern Outpost and the Wilde around it, being closest, are affected first, and it hits the northernmost parts of Aefenglom by the 10th of the month - proving just how interconnected completely unrelated places can be on Geardagas. a. Snarled Magics Wilder, Coven, and Mirrorbound Witches alike, anyone who needs to draw on the power of the world’s magic, find it feeling increasingly resistant and… unpleasant. Here too, Witches find that reaching for their magic is like battling through sticky, dark fog. It becomes more and more difficult to gauge how much magic is needed even for the simplest of spells: sometimes, you might try to cast only to have nothing at all happen, and other times, the magic bursts forth many times more powerful than intended, causing a dangerous drain on the caster and all sorts of hazards for people and property caught in the unpredictable outburst. Spells go awry, coming out as the opposite effect from the caster’s intention, or a completely different, unforeseen result (think: Wild Magic in D&D). Those with more experience or inordinate willpower may be able to push through, especially if they work together to cast group spells instead, but not without consequence; interacting too much or too often with the tainted magic causes pain and fatigue at the very least, and for some even more uncomfortable effects, such as numbness of the extremities, temporary blindness, nausea or full unconsciousness. Of course, one could simply choose not to use any magic, but how long can a Witch last without casting even a little bit? For those with Bonds, matters are even worse; a Witch is always expending some minor magical power toward their Bonded, after all. In some cases, the connection doesn’t respond well, causing paranoid and unhappy feelings, vivid shared nightmares or increased agitation, among other similar emotional side effects. b. Twisted Bonds Bonded pairs from the Underground all the way to Aefenglom will also feel the instability in their Bond increasing over the next couple of weeks, making it difficult to feel one another’s presence as normal. If the Bond isn’t treated with care and partners aren’t in close physical proximity often enough, the strain is even greater. In some rare cases, it might even… snap and shift, suddenly getting tangled up or twisted, your strings all snarled in the wrong ways. All of a sudden, you might even find yourself with a completely different Bond, being drawn to a stranger or an acquaintance you certainly weren’t Bonded to before. If you didn’t have a Bond already, you might find yourself with one (or more) now - or a twisted approximation of one, as anyone who experiences this will soon find out that the magic isn’t quite what it’s supposed to be. It can’t be nullified as usual, broken off or switched back intentionally (though some days it might end up snapping to someone else instead), and even the Coven’s most experienced Witches have no answers as to why. While use of magic is unpredictable for most, if not all, Witches, the Bond problems, however, seem to be affecting only the Mirrorbound. Seek out your new Bonded and make the best of it for now: you’re going to need each other’s support, especially if you’re a Witch unable to cast normally while the groups of volunteers in the Underground work tirelessly to make things right. Despite the onslaught of unstable magic and unstable Bonds, of unsettling feeling and a pervasive sense of wrongness, it's up to you to hold down the home front, helping where you can as the magical mishaps rack up and raiding the libraries of the Coven and Undermael College for research, no matter how it all starts to wear on you.

Welcome to Tangled Terrors, Part One! Proving that the settlements of Geardagas are a little more connected than they seem on the surface... This is just the first half of the event, but the negative effects on using magic and on Bonds will be present until after Part Two, when the problem is dealt with. These are optional, opt-in effects except for the difficulty in using magic if you're a Witch - and you can go more mild with that if you'd like, but it will be part of life for most of the month.

If you'd like to find some tainted Bonds to tangle with, we've provided a plotting header here! You can change up Bonds as often and as unexpectedly as you'd like. As always, direct your event-related questions here! And finally, the event plotting post is over here!

Part Two of this event will go up on the 17th, and will be an Underground locale-only event (meaning there will not be an Aef-focused prompt), dealing with the root of the newly-woken issue that plagues the leyline running between the Underground and Aefenglom.

Comments

[towards_okeanos]

At first, he does not believe it. Iskandar hears Waver's voice, but he heard many voices before, and they all seemed even more convincing only to turn out a mirage. In his exhaustion and confusion he fails to realize that the sudden warmth and lightness of his heart means that his worst fears were wrong. That the same force that had turned what he started to acknowledge as a gift, his magic, against him did not take his boy away from him. That Waver is not gone from this world. That they were merely separated, lost contact with each other. That not only he did not leave, but he came looking for his lost King.

Iskandar leaps to his feet, calling to the guards as him crosses the distance in what seems to be no time at all.

"Let him through!"

The guards are even more startled by his outburst than the sudden appearance of Waver. They obey regardless and step aside. He led them so far, he probably knows what he's doing. Iskandar doesn't waste time. He pulls Waver into his arms caring not for the spectacle they are causing nor if people see him crying.

"My boy, my sweet, dear boy... I feared that I lost you."

[tryhard]

The moment Iskandar appears and Waver hears his voice, he begins to push through, regardless of the spears. Thankfully, the Monsters move out of the way with Iskandar's order, quickly withdrawing their weapons when Waver begins to shove them away recklessly.

"Rider!"

He leaps into Iskandar's arms, his own winding tight as they can around him, pressing Waver's body close. He buries his face into Iskandar's chest, and the relief that crashes over his heart and soul leaves Waver's knees weak, his whole body shaking.

"Oh my god... Iskandar... Y-you're okay. You're okay..." His babbling is muffled, choked with the tears that coat his lashes and stain his cheeks when he looks up. One hand remains in a white-knuckled grip at the unfamiliar furs around Iskandar's waist, but the other finds his face, pulling Iskandar down closer as Waver comes up on his toes to meet him eye to eye, cupping his cheek. "Are you okay? Are you hurt? I c-couldn't feel-- Fuck, I was so- so scared..."

[towards_okeanos]

"It's nothing. It's nothing. It's okay. I'm fine."

Iskandar doesn't make much sense himself, his words in stark contrast to the state that he's in. Tears streaming down his face, leaving lines in the blood and dirt he didn't care enough to clean, while he grins like a madman.

"It's alright, my love. It's alright, now. I've got you. "

Nothing is fine here, and yet at the same time, everything is. Yes, the situation is dire. The magic still doesn't work. The danger has not diminished. But his greatest fear, the one thing that almost had him break down here in the darkness. That one thing turned out to be false. And it changes everything.
Iskandar leans down to kiss Waver; it feels like a drowning man finally coming up for air.

[tryhard]

Waver is beside himself with relief and joy, unable to keep still. His hands clutch at Iskandar's clothing, stroke his face and hair, and finally reach up to wrap his arms around Iskandar's neck and hoist himself up with newfound strength in his burst of happiness. He jumps up into Iskandar's embrace to cling to him with his whole body, legs around his waist.

Seeing him crying, Waver ends up just crying harder himself, half sobbing and half laughing into the kiss they share, messy and clumsy and elated. His tail wags madly and he doesn't even care that it looks stupid, or that others around them are watching. He doesn't think about anything except how real and warm and alive Iskandar feels in his arms, beneath his lips, and how the frayed, fragile threads of the torn Bond already feel so much stronger and more grounded. He hadn't realized how much of an anchor that feeling had been every day until it had so horribly vanished several days ago.

[towards_okeanos]

Not a soul is going to judge them now for they all are in a dire need of even a tiniest spark of hope, and what they get to witness no small spark at all but a furnace. It does nothing to heal the wounds the scouts have suffered but it lifts the mood of all around.

Iskandar doesn't notice, not until much later, too engrossed in his own joy and relief. He holds Waver in his arms until he tires and they have to sit. The fact that he tires at all is telling. Yet, even when they sit, he doesn't let go of his boy. Partly out of fear that's just another mirage, but Waver is solid and real in his arms and this is a miracle he cannot stop being grateful for.

"How did you find me?" he finally asks.

Judging only form the state Waver is in, it couldn't have been easy.

[tryhard]

When the rush of sheer elation subsides just a little, Waver remembers where they are, how dire the situation is. He can feel also that there are still issues with the magic connecting them, the Bond still feeling cracked and strange, the link between them failing to provide that constant feedback he'd gotten so used to it felt like breathing. It's like he can feel the echo of Iskandar's emotions and pain at a great distance, through static, dropping off on occasion like a bad phone signal.

At least when they're together, it feels more solid. Maybe it will help, Waver hopes. Not that it'd be the only reason he doesn't want to let go.

He settles into Iskandar's lap more comfortably when they sit, the weight of the exhaustion settling over him suddenly now that anxious desperation and worry aren't the only thoughts constantly at the forefront of his mind. Waver sighs, resting his cheek and pressing his ear to Iskandar's chest, over his heart.

"I searched," he responds, absently reaching up to scrub at his eyes and the tear tracks drying on his cheeks. "Joined another expedition to come down here and asked around."

[towards_okeanos]

His sudden leap has cost him greatly and no matter how much Iskandar wishes to ignore this, he can't. Even if it's better when they sit. He can feel fresh blood seeping into his makeshift bandages, rough fabric scratching the already sore edges of his wounds. He'd used all the good ones on the scouts, and left too little for himself. He'll live, and they were in worse condition anyway.
But he cannot regret his outburst. To hold his boy in his arms is worth every drop of his blood.

Waver's words make him smile. He searched. Just like that. He makes it sound so simple, but nothing in what he did is. To go straight into the danger, with no hesitation, just because he was looking for him. That's virtue. That's true courage.

"My beautiful brave boy"

Iskandar leans down to leave a kiss on the top of his head, and just stays there, face buried in Waver's hair. Soon they'll have to move, but not yet, they can still have a moment to rest. And for the first time from the start of this accursed expedition Iskandar believes he will be able to rest.

[tryhard]

Waver hugs him tighter, pressing his face against the base of Iskandar's throat and taking in his scent with every deep breath. He doesn't even care about the mud or blood or anything else. Yet.

"I'm just... so happy I found you. I don't know what--" He can't even say it. Iskandar calls him brave, but Waver doesn't remember courage. Only the sick worry and terror pushing him forward, hours and days blurring together unrecognizably, marked only by Iskandar's absence.

"I love you," he whispers, voice quivering again. "There's nothing that could scare me more than losing you. When- when I couldn't reach you on the Watch, and the Bond felt so messed up... the only thing I could think about was needing to see you in front of me."

[towards_okeanos]

Iskandar lifts his hand from Waver's waist to stroke his back, slow and soothing. He thought it was bad only on his side. That something deep down here was messing with magic and blocking his Bond. It worries him to hear that he was wrong.

"And I love you, my treasure" he replies. There are no other words he could say. None that could express his joy and relief better. "I'm glad that you came. I missed you terribly."

It was supposed to take only a few days, how many passed, Iskandar lost count. No wound has caused him more pain than waking up, reaching for Waver only to realize he's not there. That he cannot be there, because Iskandar left him in the city. It feels selfish to be happy to have him here. His boy was probably safer back in Aefenglom but Iskandar cannot, will not ever wish for them to be separated for long. It just feels wrong. In safety or in danger, they belong together.

[tryhard]

"I missed you too," Waver whispers, lips damp with tears against Iskandar's throat. Waver presses a kiss to his pulse, eyes closed, and slowly his shaking steadies and dies away, the tears quieting down.

It's only then that he begins to realize that the scent of blood is fresher than he'd noticed at first, not simply a result of the many wounded around them. No, it smells like Iskandar's blood. And it's sharper than before.

Waver lifts his head, wiping his face on his sleeve and leaving streaks of tears and dirt.

"Y-you're hurt..."

[towards_okeanos]

"Hush, my love. Only a little. Nothing for you to worry about."

It's more serious than Iskandar is willing to admit. But he was always reckless like that. That's why he learned the healing magic in the first place. The one he cannot use now. And he knows Waver will worry no matter what he says.

"Magic is all twisted down here. I couldn't heal anyone. I couldn't even heal myself. So I had to go about it the traditional way."

It's not even that it stopped working. It's worse. Some of his wounds are from his own healing magic backfiring. Small scratches aggravated into serious problems by his failed attempts to get rid of them until he realized what is happening.

"But it's nothing a few hours of rest won't help with."

The burns on his hands are another matter altogether.

[tryhard]

Waver looks up at him, uncertain. He cups Iskandar's cheek again briefly, looking into his eyes as if he can see the lie, but they both know there's little to be done about it in this situation. No matter what he says, Waver will worry.

"It isn't just down here," Waver finally says, letting his hand drop to Iskandar's chest.

"The Matriarch of the Underground sent word to Aefenglom's Coven about the problems here. But shortly after that, they reached the city. The Northern Outpost is even worse. Spells misfiring, Witches losing control. It's even affecting some of the nonhuman population, from what I saw."

And so, Waver came prepared. Iskandar might notice he's not wearing his bracelets, where dark jewels and obsidian are usually wrapped around his wrist in leather straps to fuel his borrowed magic. The tattoos on their own are inert. He brought his bow, arrows, and a dagger instead, along with a few other basic supplies, including water and... first aid and healing items.

Waver sits back, putting a little space between them without moving off of Iskandar's lap. His head ducks under the strap of his satchel when he tugs it off, putting the leather bag between them so he can rifle through the many pockets.

"I heard that no matter how much teams down here tried to clear the leylines, it doesn't work as intended. Whatever's messing with them, it needs to be eliminated before-- aha."

From one of the bigger pockets, Waver pulls out a metal box, some sort of packaging he's repurposed for storing his thrown-together first aid kit. Even if he had rushed down here as quickly as he could manage, he'd at least taken the time to prepare for the journey. It's a good thing he thought ahead.

Waver opens the box, which turns out to be stuffed with rolls of bandages, tape, scissors and tweezers, and -- most importantly -- smaller tins and bottles wrapped up in the bandages so they won't break or clink around.

"I have some painkillers, antiseptic solution, and healing poultices for a few different types of wounds. Nothing here will work as well as healing magic would, but since that's not an option... Let me help with what little I can."

[towards_okeanos]

"Then you have heard correctly. This is exactly what we were looking for. The source. It's there somewhere but well guarded. Everything goes gradually more crazy the further from the underground city we venture, but I'd risk a guess we must be going in the right direction. Otherwise, the opposition wouldn't be so strong."

His first instinct would have him send Waver with his priceless medical supplies to help the scouts. He's strong, survived wounds worse than those he got now, and they need help more. But it would be ungrateful to Waver who came here carrying all this with a purpose to help him, his King, and not to be sent away like some errand boy. So he lets the thought pass and instead extends his both hands wrapped in makeshift bandages for Waver to examine. The palms of his hands were most affected by the blast, but reddened skin goes as high as his elbows.

"Do you have anything for burns there?"

[tryhard]

"Y-yeah. Hold on."

Waver digs around amongst the salves and potions and holds up a jar after a moment.

"This should work for burns. What happened?"

He tries not to sound too upset. He's not angry or upset with Iskandar, after all -- just sad to see him hurt.

[towards_okeanos]

Iskandar exhales. There's no good way to explain what happened so he tries at least to be short with it.

"We encountered some infected insects. A swarm. There were too many for us to take, not with all the wounded. It was a gamble. I knew it could blow up. It did. Fortunately, in the right direction."

That's why he keeps his sword sheathed too. The runes on the blade would activate the moment he takes it out. He saves it for time he needs another explosion.

[tryhard]

"That bad, huh...?" Waver sighs, setting the bag and box aside for now and taking Iskandar's hands into his lap instead to start gently unwrapping the bandages. He's learned a thing or two about first aid after all his time here, especially with Iskandar specializing in healing magic, even if he's not exactly proficient. He knows enough to clean a wound and wrap it up.

He winces slightly when he sees the damage but doesn't say anything. After using a little of the alcohol solution to disinfect his own hands, Waver silently begins to rub the lotion into Iskandar's red palms.

[towards_okeanos]

Taking off the bandages is a painful process, no matter how much effort Waver puts into being delicate, so Iskandar chooses to concentrate on talking.

"It is. Every inch of progress takes a toll I wouldn't have deemed acceptable in any other circumstances."

This time, they got lucky. It may not look like it given the critical state of some in their little party, but they left no dead behind. It was worse a few last rounds.

"From what you have just told me, we cannot simply stop. When this was still limited to the tunnels, in the worst scenario the Matriarch could have evacuated her people somewhere. Maybe even above ground. Now that its influence has spread they really have nowhere to go."

And neither do they. If even Aefenglom is affected...

[tryhard]

Waver does his best, knowing there's nothing to be done about causing his lover pain. Honestly, where he would have flinched from the echo of it in their Bond recently, now it's actually a relief. Feeling anything and knowing it's because Iskandar is still alive and connected to him -- even if it's distress, pain and frustration -- is miles better than the scattered almost-nothingness before. It still feels like the Bond goes uncomfortably fuzzy sometimes, like static on a faraway radio channel, but sustained physical touch seems to be making it better. Or maybe Waver just feels better, regardless.

Even if the outlook appears bleak.

"We know that something is causing this. We know we're close to it. There are people searching and fighting through a bunch of these tunnels. It's only a matter of time."

[towards_okeanos]

Iskandar is so used to pain that he always feels more strongly its absence than its presence. Waver's touch, his closeness, is all he needs to shield him from any discomfort. Even with their Bond frayed and unstable, the very fact his boy is here makes the despair that besieged him for days go away.

"Yes, and I always prefer a concrete enemy to a nebulous force." Looking at Waver is all he needs to smile. "The progress might be slow, but it's still progress. We are getting closer to whatever is causing this. We will find it eventually and make it stop."

It's that unshakable conviction that let his current party escape the darkness below. In no small part aided by his own stubborn refusal to be defeated. Even if he lost hope for a while.

"Right now, we need to regroup, rest, let the medics take care of the wounded. Then we can try again."

[tryhard]

"Yeah... agreed. We're certainly not going anywhere tonight."

He doesn't feel right complaining about how tired he is himself, not when everyone else here is much worse off, but Waver is exhausted as well. He's sure that even underground in these conditions, he's going to sleep much better with Iskandar beside him once more.

He finishes rubbing the ointment into Iskandar's palms, then turns his hands over to gently press a kiss to each knuckle. More tears sting his eyes, the relief still hitting him in waves.

[towards_okeanos]

"Not in a few hours at least. People need rest. You need rest."

He doesn't know if it's day or night. It's impossible to tell once one has been underground for long enough. The natives have their internal clock, a way of counting the passage of time that he was unable to grasp. Maybe they were born with it.

But it is a good sign that he can let his thoughts wander like that. They're not safe yet but already feels like he can breathe again. Iskandar wants to pull Waver into his arms again, but that needs to wait until Waver finishes bandaging his hands, so he leans down to kiss his head instead. If only to remind himself that his precious boy is really here with him.

[tryhard]

Just that simple kiss seems to send a wave of warmth through his body from the crown of his head to the tip of his tail. Waver sighs, pressing his lips to the back of Iskandar's hand.

"I know I'll rest much better with you beside me again. I'm sorry it took me so long to find you."

Waver knows it's not really his fault, but he still wishes he could have gotten here sooner. Maybe he could have helped balance Iskandar's magic; maybe the Bond wouldn't have deteriorated so badly if they were close; maybe he could have prevented some of these injuries somehow.

But still, he reminds himself: the most important fact is that they're both alive and well, if just a little banged up.

[towards_okeanos]

With their Bond flickering and unstable, like a campfire he tries to shield again the strong winds, it's the touch that brings him peace.

"There's nothing to be sorry about, my love. Those are treacherous tunnels. I'm proud of your courage, and even more glad you were not seriously injured on your journey."

It is selfish for him to be so happy to have his boy with him here, where they both are in danger. Yet he simply cannot stop being overjoyed by his presence. Iskandar never wishes for them to be separated for long, but now he realized, with no surprise, that being apart actively harms him. It always had. The current situation only amplified what was already there. He is, as this has so clearly shown, as much dependent on Waver as Waver is on him.