driftfleet | Just Keeping Swimming

[ Maglor walks/swims almost unseeing - or perhaps seeing what others don't.

He's humming a little, so soft as to almost be below hearing, and the sound blends into the currents around them. He moves like a ghost himself through the ghost town, and the song sounds a little like weeping, if you listen closely. As if he's following (followed) the ghosts of those long gone.

He is going to walk right through that temple door if someone doesn't stop him. ]

[At first he didn't notice the music because he was absorbed in reading and checking out the city. But then the hum starts to break through the quiet and the hairs on the back of Doudanuki's neck stand up, making it impossible to ignore. He leaves the house and catches a glimpse of someone moving out of his peripheral, like a wraith floating through this desolate area.

For a brief moment, he debates just leaving and getting the hell out of Dodge, but the song continues and it feels like it's breaking his heart. A few false starts later and he's following, awkwardly swimming through the houses trying to trail the "ghost."

When he gets to the temple, he realizes that it's Maglor - his forgemaster. And he's about to go straight into danger.]

Oi! Hey! Where're you going?!

[He speeds up, managing to just barely catch the hem of his sleeve before he fully walks through the temple doors.]

[ Maglor startles at the hand, spinning around to blink at Doudanuki with inhuman eyes. It takes a little while before he can find words. ]

...Doudanuki? What....?

[He lets go when Maglor starts and is ready to fight just in case. He doesn't know what's going on, but the look in his eyes isn't good.

He relaxes when the elf speaks, glad he doesn't have to rip open the bag protecting his sword again.]

I dunno. You were just wandering straight in there without a damn thing to arm yourself. You okay?

[ Slowly, the water in his eyes ebbs to something a little more normal as he focuses on Doudanuki ]

Wandering... I left the ship! [ He bites his lip ] I didn't mean to. Thank you for stopping me.

[It slowly dawns on him that Maglor had absolutely no idea what he was doing or where he was and Doudanuki's confusion turns to concern. Wandering off into the ocean for anyone was bad, but being unaware of it was so much worse.]

Did you not realize you were off the ship? What happened to you?

No. [ Maglor shakes his head, shoulders slumping ]

I ... when we landed, I knew it would be too risky for me to leave, but... I was following the Song, and I don't think I even realised I had left.

[That is hella dangerous, bro.

Doudanuki's frown deepens.]

Let me take you back to the ship. You're one hell of a long way off out here.

[A beat]

Wait. What song are you talkin' about?

Edited (html chose betray) 2017-03-09 06:30 (UTC)

Thank you. Keep talking to me. If I have something else to focus on, it isn't so bad.

[ Maglor grimaces and his hands move as he looks for words to explain ]

It... my world, they say it was born from music, and the Song of it's creation lingers still, if one knows how to hear it. I... was born with it ringing in my ears. Normally, it doesn't bother me much - for me, it is simply a part of life, to hear the hearbeat of everything that is, a whisper just below hearing. But these worlds... this world sings, Doudanuki. Loudly. And it sings of water, to which I have always been drawn. It is... very hard to block it out.

[Okay, he doesn't really get all that, but he understands the gist of it. There's a song on his planet and Maglor is attuned to the songs of things - like their spiritual voices. He can wrap his head around that and he nods.

But if he doesn't want to listen, then he won't let him. Doudanuki holds his sword out in the bag.]

Grab onto this. I don't know much about songs and worlds singing, but if you need an anchor, I got you.

I'll get you back safely.

[ Maglor blinks at him wide eyed and then smiles, gratefully ]

Thank you.

[ He murmurs, reaching for the blade ]

I do not wish to inconvience you, however? If you had something to do out here - with an anchor, I should be fine.

Nah, I was finished.

[Besides, it's kind of hard to leave someone out here when he looks as haunted as Maglor does. He saw what he needed to see and he'll ask the network later who this "Dark One" is.

Once Maglor has a hand on the sheath, Doudanuki starts leading him back toward where the ships are docked.]

How'd you get all the way out here without anyone noticin' you? It's one hell of a walk.

Alright - did you find ought interesting?

[ Maglor flushes and his tone is best described as sheepish ]

I... well. Especially when I walk in Song like that, I am very good at passing unnoticed. Most people... if they don't know me, their eyes will just... slide past.

I...found [A breath] stuff, I guess.

[Honestly the entire town is haunting to him. Like it's waiting for people to come back, but it's slowly dying as it realizes there's no one coming.]

But is it like some kinda magic that keeps people from seein' you?

[Because Maglor, no offense, but you're huge and there is no way anyone could miss seeing a guy as tall as you wandering into the wilderness unless disguised as a tree.]

Nothing good, by the sound of things. [ Maglor murmurs softly in understanding. ]

Would speaking of it help?

[ He shakes his head and then pauses and shrugs ]

Not... I would not call it magic, but I suppose it might seem that way? I... I do not just hear the Song, but I echo it. This is what made me such a great bard, you see, that I could reproduce what I hear so that others could also. So... when the Song around me is of Water, that is also what I sing. Anyone who looks at me without knowing, but hearing only... their eyes see me, but what they hear tells them there is only water there, and they pass me by.

So you pretty much become invisible.

[Well, damn. Good thing Doudanuki is A) attuned to Spirit Stuff and B) knows Maglor then.]

That'd be useful, if it hadn't almost sent you to a monster-infested temple. Because that's all that's out here anymore - monsters. The town's dead silent, which is why I heard you moving around out there. The entire thing's just...

[He glances over his shoulder as the buildings recede slowly into the background]

...Hollow.

Unless you know to look for me, yes. [ Maglor agrees ]

I learnt to do it deliberately, although I do not usually bother. But when I'm caught in the Song like this... it's entirely involuntary. My family knows what to expect, but most other people won't.

[ He frowns, looking back, and his eyes are sad ]

That explains why the Song that drew me out was so sad. The city mourns it's people. Are the monsters responsible? Or is something else going on?

You might want t'let your crew in on that. You don't want them to miss you leaving the ship again.

[Who knows what could have happened if Doudanuki hadn't spotted him after all?]

And as for all... [He gestures with his free hand to the city] that? Something else. There was writing about the sickness you see in the big city. Something about visiting the "resting place of the Dark One." Not sure what that meant.

[ Maglor nods ]

Nelyo... that is, my brother Maedhros knows, Fingon too. But I ... I suppose I should mention it to the others.

[ He frowns at that ] It might be a way of saying 'death', I suppose. But did it reference where they went before they became ill?

Yeeeah. Might wanna do that.

[Because he can't always guarantee he'll be around to catch Maglor the next time he wanders off. Hopefully there won't be a next time, but he doesn't want to take that chance.]

That's where they went - to the Dark One's resting place. After that, they came back sick according to one message. Most of 'em just talked about leaving the city, but that one? That one stuck out.

[ Maglor frowns, thoughtfully ]

Hmph. So... an illness from a place... something touched, or breathed, maybe, or ... [ Or deliberately inflicted, like the creeping maladies that came on the fumes of Angband and Mordor, or in the bodies of those taken and then returned ]

.... you think it was the temples?

[He stops walking as that realization hits him. Could it be the temples? He went inside one - will that cause him to come down the same illness? Can a sword even get sick?]

....I dunno, but with all of us going in and out of 'em, maybe we should warn people.

[He looks up at Maglor.]

Was that why you were heading straight for one?

[ Maglor frowns, feeling carefully through the memory and trying not to get lost in the song again ]

I... am not sure. Maybe? Perhaps it was not the temple itself but something beyond it or within it?

[He shakes the sword, rattling it within Maglor's grasp.]

Don't go back there.

If you aren't sure, just leave it be for now. When we get back to the ship, maybe back to the Iskaulit away from the water, then we can figure that out.

[He doesn't want Maglor to disappear back into the trance.]

[ Maglor starts, blinking briefly before nodding ]

Thank you. I suppose it would be better to wait. [ He shakes his head ]

But I worry for the young ones...

come tank for your forgemaster who currently is more than a little insane

maglor. buddy. what happened bro

he's got this wee problem where he gets lost in the song of water....

bro we're buying you some ear plugs

he would be very grateful!

dudebro, he got u

swordbro, u the best

fistbump

html why u do dis

bc it's a rude butt

smacks it for u

;; thx

<3

<3 <3

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