Etheria and the Astral Sea

Fenris, obliviously, continued to walk straight ahead as the giants approached. His warg's hearing, smell, and general ability to detect huge creatures proved more effective; it stopped and set a paw in the road before Fenris. "...what is it?" He followed its line of sight to the servants of Ulm. If he was distressed by their appearance, it was well hidden.

"The All-father demands to know your business here."

"I have come to sequester his supply of adamant." Fenris saw no reason to lie. "I can't necessarily vouch for the intentions of my companions." The warg had maneuvered beside him, placing Mercutio between them, low to the ground like it was ready to pounce or flee. Fenris put a hand on its back. "If you promise not to harm my companions, I understand I am trespassing and will surrender myself to your custody. I would like to see that you let my friends-Mercutio and Recidiver-return home unharmed, however. While I do not doubt the majesty of Heimsted, I do doubt a semi-aquatic mammal or an overlarge wolf would enjoy the subterranean." He didn't expect to like it very much himself, but he wasn't trying to negotiate for his own comfort.

"Nymeria might be an accomplished swordsman, but she stomps around clad in armor carrying weapons. Fenris? He sacrifices himself immediately for the good of his friends. You may have made a demi-goddess, but Fenris made himself a paragon for selflessness. How much are you willing to bet your daughter wouldn't even stub her toe to save an orphanage, Lycaon?"

As Fenris spoke Nymeira put her palm to he head. Borne was able to talk the giants into letting them pass but it sounded as if Fenris was negotiating terms of surender. Why would he ever tell the massive giants that they planned on stealing Ulm's adamant? She appreciated his honesty but this was the time for deceit. She put her hands on her sheathed twin adamant swords and readied herself to draw her blades in a moments notice.

"I apologize about my friend here. He's a bit of am idiot normally and he has been hitting the mushrooms hard if you know what I mean. I too like my colege Borne have been sent by the gods to purely observe your adamant and potentially negotiate a trade. There is no trespassing involved since we have been sent as representatives of our masters and would only ever enter your magnificent lands with your permission."

As she spoke she sized her opponents up. The three regular giants were of little concern. There size made them easy to outmaneuver and a good trip could leave them incapacitated. It was te fourth figure that she was worried about. She had never seen a creature like Orest and she had trouble figuring out what the metal giant was until the truth dawned on her. To her horror Orest and her were two of a kind. He was a god made being designed to be the perfect soldier. They both had the same weapons, as far as she could tell the same fighting style, and worst of all they both had the same purpose. The bigest physical difference she noticed was how try were constructed. He was made of metal and flesh while she was composed of ichor and flesh. She wondered what was better. The giant was also different in that he lacked free will. Was that the biggest difference between them? She wondered.

Nymeria was for the most part unfamiliar with fear. She had experienced it before especially in her fight with Belirand but this was different. She was always comforted in knowing she was designed to do what she did. Now she faced another being designed to be a divine champion. The only question that remained was Lycaon or Ulm better at it?

Nymeria knew that fate would ordain that they would be forced to fight and determine who was better but she didn't want to foght him now and with her friends potentially in the crossfire. She hoped he would take he apology and let them go through without expecting any foul play.


Meanwhile far away at the Temple of the Minds Eye a lone travelr wanders on and stumbles to the gods gathered there and anounced that he had found an adamant apple in the woods with the inscription "To te fairest of the gods" inscribed on it. The man then fell dead leaving the apple to the gods themselves to settle.

Hazarmaveth had been silently watching and listening in on the party, as well as Klethi and Lycaon's discussion. It wasn't normally his part to get involved, or argue much of anything, this has been a rather exhausting time for him. His hands, or at least, equivalents thereof tremble ever so slightly as scans every moment with his eyes intensively.

"She needs to grow, that is indeed true, and so does Borne to settle his mind." He mumbles. "Often I don't know what he is thinking, but I know he'd do anything in his power to keep the others safe, keep them alive... being surrounded in death has made all life far more appealing."

He hunches over and his tone having a an uncertainty to it, it almost hints some kind of worry.

"Perhaps... too appealing." He says, a worrisome tone to his voice, he snaps and quickly tries to change the topic. "But yes, Fenris is, if nothing else, an admirably gentle soul, I hope he fares well."

I already said I'm coming, oaf. Fenris didn't dare say that aloud, more for fear of rudeness than repercussions. His slid his hand up to his mount's neck. "If you have any objections, Mercutio, now would be the time to voice them." Barring any resistance (or perhaps despite them), he began to walk, followed by the warg that carried Mercutio whether he liked it or not. "I offer no resistance." His fearless but careful stride put him in stomping distance quickly.

"'Room to grow?'" Klethi questioned with an eye-roll. "Yes, every mortal or demi-mortal has room, but the hole in her personality could drown a battleship. And every island within ten miles." She watched Fenris stride headfirst without Nymeria or any of the other competent combatants. "See now, how he fools these giants. Your daughter carries that gaudy sword but Fenris? His weapon is guile! There will be a garrote about Ulm's neck any minute at this pace." She rolled back on her heels and observed the mortals who had been invited to watch the proceedings as well. "Shame. Few of these spectators are from Azal." If there was one gift or favor she would trade at a loss for, it was a viewing portal for her own city. It was tiresome to personally update information. "Normally Fenris would be the one keeping tallies on something this important," she muttered. "Lycaon, in the spirit of a fair fight for Ulm, is it too late to substitute another elf for Fenris? He's not in Heimsted yet, and there's another elf-a woman-who would have a much easier time... eh... cooperating with Nymeria."

Fenris wasn't far ahead. The warg, who was far more hesitant about approaching the giants, caught up to him, and he ventured a comforting hand into the saddlebag. "I shall not let anything happen to you, Mercutio."

"Fenris really ought to be more concerned about himself." Klethi had ignored the business with the apple and the man being turned into an angel or whatever Hazarmaveth did with the dead; she had little interest in mortals once they were sent to realms she had a harder time influencing. "The platypus would have no trouble outmaneuvering such creatures. Not that Fenris would have much difficulty, either; he doesn't stumble over his feet as often as he does his words." She sat, arms crossed. "Lycaon, I was hoping by now your daughter would have killed something already. The're ten minutes into their adventure and I have seen nothing die. Does she disappoint often? Other than with her alcoholism and poor attitude."

(this may be a long-overdue and desperate attempt to resurrect this dead RP, but I'll try my best.)
Elvernia opened her eyes. The sky before her reached endlessly until even the faintest lights were still visible. She always loved the Etherial sky, the way it never stayed the way it was a moment before. She watched as hints of red came creeping around its edges, restlessly making their way to the center. Elvernia was unaware of the time that was passing, and couldn't care less. With tones of purple, the red began to make its way to the center of the sky, enveloping her senses with a deep sense of awakening and renewal. The twinkling stars began to give off a faint orange light. Soon, she could see spots of gold and yellow gently lining the horizon. It was sunrise. As the lights began to fade, a silence fell, almost as if the sky were hushed, waiting. The sun was soon to come. As if in an instant, a bright blue light, shot across the sky, wisping its way around the celestia. Soon, the whole sky was enveloped in a shade of brilliant blue, and as if on command, the sun rose in full splendor over the horizon. Golden beams reached across the sky, delicately stroking the newly formed clouds. The sun was hardly halfway risen; yet its majesty was incomparable to anything else in the sky. Elvernia sighed. It was beautiful. How she wished she could reach up and touch that majestic orb of light and feel the warmth and love it possessed. She closed her eyes again, letting the rays of morning sun dance across her face. After standing in the same position for quite some time, she opened her eyes and gazed around the scenery. "Good morning, Etheria. I'm glad you are awake."