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It's easy to attack and destroy an act of creation. It's a lot more difficult to perform one. - Chuck Palahniuk

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Sailing the Sea of Vitr



The Sea of Vitr.

Temporal Distortion lay before them.

Atticus was nervous, but his path had long been set; that might seem questionable given the strength of their relationship still being so new. She'd given him so much, made him feel so welcome in the place she called home - and after he'd arrived on her doorstep as all but a harbinger of darkness. Who could really say, after all, who preceded Dy'Hauc's arrival, and how succeeded it. He banished the thoughts from his mind as he guided her, arm in arm, his fingers laced tightly into hers.

The nature of their preparation for this likely seemed odd to her; barefoot and dressed lightly - as if the cold which gusted its last breaths of winter outside the Coven's walls were of no importance. That, after having fallen - in more than one way - together in the snow that the attire he had requested would some how be fitting of this new venture. He'd requested that she remain in darkness until their destination was reached, in part because....he wanted to gift her with a welcome surprise, and in part because the journey itself, though brief, could be considered harrowing on the mind of a magic user who was not familiar with the ways of his travel.

From the cool stone of the Coven, with its dry heat keeping winter at bay, the change was significant. Utter pleasurable warmth beneath their feet, soft to the point that the granules were almost powdered, and able to be heard not far from where they stood waves lapped upon some shore. "You can open your eyes now, Lady Miranda."

He hadn't been looking at her face until after he'd expelled the words and so had no way to determine if there was even need for them, or if she had been aware that Arcfire had woven its gate to bring them to the far shore of creation itself. From some mysterious vantage above them, one or more suns shone - all warm hued rays - down upon the almost impossibly white beach. Everything within site seemed almost overflowing with radiance - as if it held too much of it's own essence.

Each soft trill rolling along with the waves; the drums keeping a steady beat as each wave lapped at the shoreline. Hand held tight to his, she held her breath, afraid that the tiniest of movements would shatter this lovely dream and she would find a ceiling above her and an empty hand. As she licked lips, her words came breathy and delicate as the salt water, warmed sand to on a new life that nearly smelled like sugar laced with some tart aroma drifting in between. "This is inside the coven?"

A smile had been slowly forming on his lips as he watched her, which truth be told was always the case when he looked at her. At this specific moment, however, it was due to her reaction, "In a manner of speaking, yes," he still held her hand tightly and began to walk, guiding them down along the beach - a seemingly endless beach, that stretched on out of sight; a vast, white peninsula that was constantly being stroked by an equally vast and endless sea of not light blue - but blue and pale none the less. Its properties in many ways the same as a regular ocean, but with some differences unique to this realm.

"It's....hard to explain, or understand perhaps....but," he frowned, only for a moment, considering, "Imagine....reality as a building with many, many floors. The Coven....is on....a low to middling floor - not the bottom, but not nearly the top either. This realm....is much closer to the top. Somewhere - neither up nor down, but beside us now - are the realms that what some call Angels and the like inhabit. Even closer to us now, are the lands of those you would likely term 'Fey'. This place," his free hand gestured out in front, and to the side of them as he gently encouraged he to walk beside him., "Is....a bastion of creation; the forces of chaos - as seen through something perhaps best described as....the 'imagination' of the universe or multiverse - gathered here. It is a place of energy, and light....and creation."

The warmth of the place - the plane - was broken in its monotony by a breeze that while humid, was also cooling, as if carrying spray from the surf. Just the same, his skin visibly prickled in goose bumps as her hand touched his face. Truth be told, such sudden displays of affection from nowhere from her - even the slightest touch, such as her thumb stroking the side of his as they walked hand in hand - created the same brilliant awe in his own mind's eye as she saw in this place.

If not more.

"Any place that I am, that I can go - especially that is safe - is for you." He'd turned on her as well now, even as she had faced him, and his own hand mimicked hers, except placed on her neck, fingers teasing into her hair even as his palm slid forward so that he was now cupping her cheek. "Please know that....I don't wish to break the 'mood' by bringing up such things, I would sooner....just ignore the bad things, and make you smile, but I can't; whatever darkness was in your past, please....forgive me, but....my version of that is in my present. And some in my future, I fear as well." He spoke softly as he leaned forward to let his forehead fall softly against hers. It was bold, for him. But, after he had walked her home - kissed her, finally - perhaps....it was just....normal, now. Touching her, like this. Of course, coming into the Inn in time to hear himself referred to somewhat as a bed warmer hadn't hurt, exactly.

He wasn't totally stupid, though he knew the statement had been....somewhat erroneous.

"I just wanted to show you....to ever show you....that," he smiled; full on even as his eyes closed, "I think you said it best. Where there is one, there must be the other. Darkness and light. I will do anything....anything, to protect you, and Angel. And I'll try to keep the darkness away from you, but when you see it....filling in the shadows, blotting out the moon, and causing an eclipse....remember....there's still light." She had totally distracted him and he wasn't sure if he was making sense any longer; he'd had more of a purpose in bringing her here - specifically to this place. Now, it was a matter of memory.

His tone softened slightly, and became less a lecture of forgotten uncared for lore, "Some speculate....me, that is. That even this beach wouldn't be here, that it would all be endless ocean, were it not for our presence. Endless potential creation." He frowned a touch, "The man....the other man, who....had you pursued, that night we met....that feels so long ago now. He serves....that which is the opposite of....this." The notion he was saying too much too quickly for her to assimilate flashed briefly in his minds eye, and he shut up, with a look of regret upon his face.

As she watched as the water burst to life into the sky and soar off her eyes widened in wonder. Part of her swore she had never seen colors like this. Maybe it was the pure essence of creation after all. Miranda looked deep into his eyes wondering if she was hearing him correctly. Mint green slowly turned to silver as she pulled her feet out of the sand and gingerly moved to sit in the sand at the waters edge.

"You sound like an old story my father use to tell me. There were once two brothers, both handsome and zealous about their beliefs. One thought everything should be created anew. Constant change, the other was destruction. New for the sake of being new is waste. What is will be and continue so. Their very natures drove them to battle until the earth was nothing recognizable. The island they shared had become many; all different shapes, weather, animals, and even people. Bits and pieces seemed familiar, but they had lost the world they knew. And so with a heavy heart they took to the sky; their battles creating, destroying, but each battle marked by its sign. They never stayed in the same place in the sky so that all might hear the news and tell the tales." Each of her fingertips splayed and contracted drawing spirals in the sand and it was only while standing could the constellations be seen clear. "But the trick to every tale, Atticus..." She smiled at him with the world and him dead center of those silver eyes. "Is that every tale has a grain of truth to it."

He hadn't immediately noticed her toes touching the water; if he had, he would have stopped her at that moment. No, his attention was only drawn to the fact as she reached down and sent a spray of the 'water' up across him. His heart immediately hammered in his chest as his breath came in a gasp - and he prepared for the worst, "WAIT, DON'T-" he felt the drops patter his face, across his closed eyelids even. After a brief moment - a second, three perhaps - his eyes opened, and his face ashen, he reached down under Miranda's knees and scooped her up - as much as he could kneeling, and in one sudden flurry of activity lunged them a foot further from the 'water'. "That....is not water," his face still ashen, eyes unblinking as he stared into her mint green orbs, "....again, distractions."

It was subtle, but despite the heat, he was shivering. He braced her close to his chest and adjusted his hold, one hand slid down the length of her skirt cupping her ankles to bring her feet into view. All ten toes accounted for. "If....without....the proper enchantments, anything submerged in the Vitr is....consumed. After a fashion. It's not something evil, its just what happens; like when you heat metal....what it was before the heat was applied and what comes after is different - even when its in the smallest of bonds that give the metal its strength, and not something that can be easily seen."

His breathing returned to normal. "It's....it behaves....like water, but there's so much more that can be done with it. And that it can do....in this case, unfortunately..." His cheeks colored as he calmed, "I didn't mean to over react; but it behaves to degree according to....will. That you thought it was what it was made it behave....more like water than it normally would." As water is the universal solvent, so is the Vitr a universal solvent of ....reality, in a way. He was rushing through his words, he couldn't help himself.

When he felt the heat rising to his face, he felt the need to plod on - even if it gained him no ground, "I had actually given thought to asking you to swim, which can be done safely....but..." he looked away, out the sea again.

He was a soldier after a fashion as well, and it was impossible to not have camp followers or the like thrust upon you by your fellow soldiers seeking only for you to enjoy yourself, despite a life of bloodshed. He had known women before; not many and certainly none who - even after learning their intentions with him, good times intended or not - were usually thereafter seen in his presence. They had sought to know him physically, but only in the carnal sense " and likely only because someone had paid them to help him "loosen up?. There was no comforting embrace after the fact, nothing of affection; simply the satiation of a physical urge.

And holding her, as he was now, was the only time he had felt that particular comfort. "Some time ago, when you happened into my room....I was experimenting with runes, and was unclothed to the waist; some of the runes that adorned my chest were....protective enchantments made specifically against this....energy, substance; whatever you wish to call it. They must be," suddenly aware of just how soft, yet firm, supple, she felt against him, in all the right places, "...applied to most of the body, though after applied they can seldom be seen....invisible tattoos, if you will."

Again, he cleared his throat and the thought that had been running through his mind since she tumbled into his arms at the inn spilled out. "When I came into the Inn, not long ago, you were talking about....something you called a bed warmer, or perhaps it was the one you were keeping company, the one with the hat....I was....distracted." He allowed himself a smile as he shook his head at his choices of words, "I'm not so innocent, you know, to not know what that means," his eyes met hers again, and mixed in with what some people thought was shyness, was something else; the conscious leashing of his desire, reflected in his blue eyes as he looked at her. "That you would joke about me warming your bed, and I did at least hear you laugh - mark me there," he made a point of noticing though from his expression....something not entirely good humor and....Something else...."Does not necessarily mean you wish me to see you....disrobed."

Atticus leaned down just as she sought his face, and in doing so felt their lips brush, but only that, as he willed himself from succumbing from his desire to kiss her; indeed as his concentration on what was going on around them faded into desire for her, the outskirts of the stretch of beach they were on began to grow darker, and far in the distance the sound of thunder rumbled. He inhaled deeply as he pulled his face away from hers; the regard he held for her was written in his eyes, even if his desire was muted - at least at the moment. He cleared his throat, and forced himself to focus. "Best be careful," he began somewhat hoarse, and quickly clearing, "How much you distract me here."

Without realizing it, his gaze was - albeit subtly - admired her from head to foot, and back again with a slight, impish smile, that was both humorous and endearing in it's place on his lips. Again, he cleared his throat, his grin turning sheepish, and muting itself as well. "What you see here is only called into existence through the mind of the caster who opens the way; parts of the casters mind, ideas, bound into the ritual of opening performed when you first establish your link with the realm..." he trailed off, and frowned slightly after a moment. "Most of my mind is carefully compartmentalized. I'm tempted to claim all of it is so; whenever I reach for....a file in it....to share with you, I can't help but feel I let it fall to the floor, pages scattering everywhere, in my attempts to share it with you."

His eyes grayed slightly, looking remotely metallic, even as the surrounding scenery became more real. It only lasted a moment. "Oh, yes." His eyes snapped back to their urgent blue, "I was making us blush." His tone was so matter of fact, "I merely meant that....I -do- know what a bed warmer is," his eyes locked onto hers, and he continued on, matter of fact, "I only meant to imply that I'm sometimes at a loss for social cues, but I'm not," he paused - and as if thinking about what exactly he was using the word as a metaphor for was enough, he blushed, "Innocent."

His face had adopted a mask of confusion for the moment, and then slow dawning realization as he considered, "That probably seems, romantic, or something, that my subconscious would allow for your will to narrate the nature of bindings that the magic forces on the chaos of this realm; I suppose, it is....but you have no idea how dangerous. Imagine, if under subterfuge, the wrong person drew....'close' to a caster, who showed them this place" From these waters comes the energy, manifested into the world, and drawn back to itself through entropy, of the multiverse. It will be the last place to Fall, if Fall it does..."

He squeezed his eyes together, taking a deep breath, and starting again - this time grabbing her hand firmly before opening his eyes, and looking into hers. "I don't control anything. I just....know what things can do, and know how to -ask- them to do it. Here, I - we - could do almost anything. But it would be temporary, because as soon as we left....the natural chaotic nature of the place would wash it away, unless it was bound with powerful wards to bind it into reality." He added with some emphasis, "That's what most have issue with, the inability to make permanent fixtures - it's not easy to discover the code for how to keep them from dissolving in the Vitr," he grinned suddenly, "one thing I am fortunate of is not having the sense to not be blunt to people - or things - no matter how grand, in asking about themselves, and what they know."

His voice trailed off, slightly, and he smiled - more than a touch of warmth breaking through it now, nervousness somehow, somewhere forgotten, as the compartment within his mind that bore her name as a label was opened, "It's not that you're the distraction, necessarily....it's that, your presence feels so....natural" That's what distracts me," his hand had taken hers, his fingers hadn't entwined but instead palm slide slowly against palm, "....mostly."

Pondering the weight of his words, it was rather disheartening to think that one could be dissolved in the rich splendor that made the ocean or sea of Vitr and even more so that this could fall. That he could fall. Out of the depths of her thoughts her father's voice drifted forward. "Everything must fall. Whether that is to the next generation or by other means and all you can do is enjoy it while it is within your grasp, my little coal." It was a grand honor to be trusted by Atticus to be some place so intimate and precious to more than just him. Remembering the sea made her chuckle a bit and her hand eagerly took his. "We do seem to work rather well with each other or at least that was the case in my forge. Would it help you any if at all if we tried to work together here?"