your eyes are like starlight now | Glowfic Constellation

to-the-river

His people are safe. That's what matters.

Druig stands alone on a rise outside the village where his people dwell, watching over them as they complete the final touches on a new home, built for the newest young family among them.

it has been three generations since he last saw the others, atop that temple in Tenochtitlan. Decades he's spent among his people as their leader, their shepherd. He is invested here.

Of course he's invested here.

His people love him, of course they do. He who saved their ancestors, and brought them in peace to these deep forests where they have made their home. To them, he is as a god. The Eternals always have been.

Once, they feared him, also. In the aftermath of the city's fall, there had been fury, there had been terror. Demon, some of them had called him. Some had lashed out. Those, he took control of until they saw reason - and many never did. Some innocents died while he was still learning that the dissenters would not change.

There are no dissenters, now. The last died some months ago, the last of those taken when they had arrived in these woods, raiders seeking to prey on a village still being established. Those raiders had been the last he'd taken, all other visitors or 'visitors' since killed, or turned away unknowing.

No one attacks them now. Few even know they exist.

But therein lies the problem. What can he do for them, when they aren't at war? He isn't like Phastos, who could shepherd them to great heights of technology - nor does he want to be. He isn't like Ajak, who could heal them of their wounds and their illnesses. All he has is control - control which goes mostly unneeded, now. He hasn't needed to step in to break up a conflict in decades. He tries to lead them wisely, but he hasn't done much leading in the past, forced to rely on the advice his own mind believes his fellows might give.

And, of course, none of his fellows would agree with what he's doing. None of them did. Not even-

He steps back, away from the edge of the rise. The home is complete, the trio moved in. There is nothing he needs to watch over, now. He turns his back and walks into the woods, seeking... something. Some answer to his troubled mind.

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my-whole-heart

August sits down too. "We were warned against it. And we left the school where we were boarding without permission." She pauses. "And lied about the incident after the fact."

to-the-river

"But they found out and imprisoned you."

my-whole-heart

Nod. "I don't believe the man that ran the school meant for us to be locked away for so long, something must have happened."

to-the-river

"And now this," he gestures around the room, "You said you came in from - north west? 'Canada'," whatever that is, a sentiment that is fairly clear in this expression. "And the weather came along," he adds, a nod to the decorations and indoor snowfall.

my-whole-heart

"I suppose it could be Christmas time on Earth. We're stuck in October 2nd 2024, the day of a solar eclipse. They used the eclipse to power the spell that sent us to the prison world, so it keeps repeating that day."

to-the-river

"...2024?"

He taps the table for a moment, rhythmically, tap-tap-tap-tap.

"...By what calendar?"

my-whole-heart

She eyes him carefully, eyes his hands.

"Gregorian." She thinks back to her knowledge of other calendars. "The Assyrian year is 6774 and I think the Byzantine calendar would mark this year as 7533."

to-the-river

"-mm. I'd been assuming we came from the same time if not the same place. Silly me."

my-whole-heart

She would usually follow that as a conversational thread, but...

"I could possible call the others and summon them here. Though that depends on whether either of them still have their phones on them."

to-the-river

She receives a raised eyebrow and a wave inviting her to do just that. He watches with interest.

my-whole-heart

She reaches down under the table to grab her phone and attempts to dial Noah, first.

Milliways

transitional-space

But she has no service!

my-whole-heart

"Guess the Canadian wilderness isn't great for phone reception. Or bars at the end of the universe."

Or he's blocking her for some reason? Or this is all in her head, which... could also be his doing.

to-the-river

"...you're going to have to explain 'bars at the end of the universe'."

my-whole-heart

"That's how it was explained to me. Apparently this bar is outside of time and space. Or perhaps at the end of all time and space. It appears to patrons across the universe and offers them comfort and a meal. Company. Time moves differently here, so if you were to walk out the door now, no time will have passed in your original world."

He could actually be ignorant. Or this also could be another possible fabrication. Either way, there's no real downside to explaining what she knows.

to-the-river

...He tilts his head, looking back towards the door he'd come in through for a long moment, expression going distant.

Then he sits up straight, looking around the festive room with more interest, "Who explained it to you?"

my-whole-heart

"The bar itself. Napkins appeared when I approached and she introduced herself through them. A non-corporeal entity, maybe? Or perhaps she is actually the literal bar. Unclear."

to-the-river

He stands to go investigate!

Milliways

transitional-space

A napkin appears once he gets close.

Hello, it says, Welcome to Milliways. Would you care for a drink? Your first is free, along with any subsequent hot drinks during the winter holiday event.

to-the-river

He picks up the napkin, reading it over.

"...do you have Kurunnītu?"

Milliways

transitional-space

A tall bronze pot appears on the bartop before him, artfully etched with the image of a man and a woman drinking together from a pot through long straws. A long straw of his own appears beside it, made of some kind of reed, along with a napkin. It smells strongly of herbs and heady alcohol.

I have everything, says the new napkin, not a little smug.

to-the-river

He lifts the straw and slides it into the top of the pot, taking a cautious sip. He can't help a smile in response to the flavour.

"You really do," he compliments her. "I haven't tasted anything so close in three thousand years."

my-whole-heart

August watches distantly, but gives him privacy. Takes another bite of... whatever she was served.

to-the-river

His following conversation with Bar is short and fairly quiet on his end. She confirms what the girl had said, and even consents to allow him to attempt to use his power on her, briefly, with little in the way of result. He can sense a mind to interact with, but no method of interaction - he isn't telepathic, and she's immune to his control.

Thanking her, he takes his drink and rejoins his fellow patron at the table.

"My name is Druig," he tells her as he takes his seat. "Apologies for the lack of manners, before."

He takes a sip of his drink.

my-whole-heart