| Logs |
2010-01-17
| Dreams |
| Realms |
Retired
| Reality Fault |
General Info
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The Diviner's Chair
Jason sits on a giant hill lush with grass that rolls all the way down several dozen yards below to a small plateau guarded by a metal fence. To one side the hill lets out to a playground with children and parents watching them intently. In the far distance is a majestic cityscape. "This is where I want my ashes to be scattered, some day." says the older man beside him, as they sit together. Jason nods in agreement. "It's quite a setting." The man smiles. "Many happy memories here as a kid. Magical place, almost."
"Are you afraid of dying, in all this mess you're into?" the man finally asks of Jason. Jason shakes his head. "Why not?"
Jason considers the question. "I don't want to die. But more importantly, I don't want to die badly. I want to matter. I want to keep my friends and family safe. This journey I'm on... helps me to be the kind of person I want to be. Not just someone else working a job, living, existing. And if you're on an adventure, there has to be risk. Risk of doing wrong, of making mistakes... of dying. Otherwise there's no point."
The man nods. "There's a risk of dying badly, though. Having Joe shoot you would be easy. But you're a walking lollipop, as Diana might put it. Worse if they eat you... even worse than that if they keep you alive, slowly devouring you."
Jason grimaces. "That is going to always be a risk. I was born this way. At least by doing what I'm doing, I'm not just hiding away from life."
The man shakes his head, rueful. "Ouch."
Jason tsks. "It wasn't meant as a dig."
"What are you afraid of, then?" Jason's companion queries after a moment.
The young wanderer scratches his chin, giving some serious thought. "People in my life keep giving me warnings. Trying to show me that I need to be careful, less giving of myself, that I need to be canny and clever. And I feel often like I fall short of the mark. That I don't see what I need to see."
The man nods, rubbing his balding forehead. "You're afraid of failing. More than that, you're afraid of failing when it seems it would be so easy to succeed." Jason nods, quiet. "Yeah, I can see where that's a problem. It implies you're not learning. But I think you are. I think you're more powerful than you give yourself credit for. And if there are things you don't learn, then what you need to figure out is why you keep making those mistakes."
The older man squeezes Jason's shoulder. Jason looks at the hand as if uncomfortable, but does not remove it. "You're doing things I am unable to do, myself. You live in a world I do not, a world of myth and greater possibility. And there are things I learn from you, things that I take away from your daring, your journey. And you will make mistakes, just as I make mistakes... but you will keep going. You have a spirit inside you that I envy."
Jason shakes his head, then. "We're two sides of the same coin. Anything that is in me is also in you. The good and the bad... but the bad doesn't need to hold you back. One day when you go on your own journey, you'll see that." Jason places his hand over the man's. "I can see you're afraid, too. I can feel it, inside you. And if my story helps you in any way with the darkness you have inside of you, that you cling to far more tightly than you should, then I am glad of it." The nameless man says nothing for a long time, and when Jason looks out of the corner of his eye, he sees his companion with his head down, tears rolling down his cheeks. "It's okay." he whispers, squeezing his hand, and receiving a squeeze in return. There's a whuff, and a husky nuzzles between the two of them, licking away tears. "We'll get through this together." Jason encourages. "And you will be stronger for it."
The balding man coughs and smiles weakly. "I'm sorry. I don't know why..."
Jason shakes his head. "I understand. It's hard for you. You're tired of feeling weak. But it's okay. You can be vulnerable in front of me. I don't judge you." Jason embraces his counterpart, and the other man squeezes tightly back. The two touch foreheads in silent communion. "I'm sorry that life pains you; that there are some days you crave a release from it. And I'm sorry if something in my story puts that pain into stark contrast. But I think you gain more from it than you realize. And that sometimes pain is needful to live. Don't be afraid of that, or of me." Jason whispers.
The other man looks doubtful, but nods. "It's time to wake up, now. There's things that need doing." he responds, touching his cheek to Jason's -- and Jason awakens, and sits for a time on his bed in the quiet of the room, gathering himself with the dregs of the dream still clinging to him.
Jason checks his watch. It's a more suitable hour, now, and he grabs his phone, and redials the phone number to Dante's. Even though it's a more suitable hour, it's just as Dante's is opening, and Jason hears a stifled yawn before a male voice mumbles, "Dante's. Shoot."
Jason perks. "Hey, Joe, is that you? It's Jason. I didn't wake you, did I?"
The voice is a bit more alert now, "Jason? Hey, guy. Nah, been awake for a bit. What's up?" Jason can hear a bone-deep rumble in the background, and Joe adds with a grin, "Croaker sends his love." A moment later he adds, "Oh, yeah -- Croaker says thanks for introducing him and BJ, too."
This reminds Jason of another duty he has to perform. "Tell him... tell him I know his name. He was Asterius. I originally dreamed it, but I had a chance to research it later: that was the given name of the mighty bull-man of Crete. I know... I know the name he chooses for himself is the one that is most important. But I wanted tell him, because I saw it in a dream of the future. I thought it might give him some closure to know it."
Joe is silent for a moment before he says quietly, "I'm giving the phone to Croaker, son. Go ahead and tell him, okay?" There's a moment of muffled murmuring, and then the deep rumble of Croaker's voice comes on, "Seer? You wished to speak with me?"
Jason looks fascinated. He wasn't sure if he'd be able to understand the big man's voice over technology... now he knows. Whatever it is, it must be that his mind translates the sounds the minotaur makes in his own language. With his friend on the phone, he relates the dream to Croaker, of his memory of Croaker's given name. "The dream might not be a true seeing," he admits. "I don't know if Diana and I can truly have children. But I looked it up in books and found out that your name, at least, has basis in history."
There is a long silence before the minotaur rumbles slowly, "I... have a name. A proper name..." He sounds almost stunned.
Jason beams into the phone. "You do, my friend. Indeed you do." This is one of the happier moments of his life. "You and Bonnie-Jean are well?" he queries, curious. "No more hiccups in your relationship?"
"Oh!" The minotaur sounds a bit abstracted, as if he's still considering the ramifications of a name, but he rumbles proudly, "We are quite well together, Seer. Thank you so much!" A bit shyly he adds, "She seems to not be afraid of me now. It is quite..." He's silent for a moment, then in a slightly frustrated tone he adds a word in a foreign language, adding, "Like that, yes?"
Jason blinks. "I'n sorry, I didn't... I didn't get that last word?" he queries.
There's a slightly frustrated snort, and Jason can hear Joe laugh in the background as Croaker rumbles a muffled query to him. Finally the big minotaur comes back to the phone and sadly rumbles, "No one speaks Greek properly any more, alas. I mean she is happy with me as a companion and bed partner, and it gives my heart joy. There is no good word for that in this language."
Jason finds himself weirdly blushing. He knows that Croaker and BJ were being intimate -- hell, he all but threw Croaker and Diana together -- but it feels weird to be talking about it. "I am glad of it, my friend. But I have one more question to ask of you... I do not know if you know the answer, but I don't want to disturb Beatrice at this early hour. You knew of Diana when she was very young, yes? You carried her on your shoulders, you said, I think?"
Croaker rumbles proudly, "Yes, indeed! She was no weight at all, especially when she was laughing and happy. She used to hold onto my horns." He sounds a little wistful on that last comment for a moment... and then he adds curiously, "Why do you ask, Seer?"
Jason clears his throat. This is difficult enough, but it's weirder with Croaker being so lively and chatty. BJ is good for the minotaur, clearly, but it takes some getting used to. "I was... I was sure someone had said that she was the daughter of Beatrice and the man she stayed with, the one she called husband. But there are those telling me that her breeding with a mortal should be next to impossible. Tell me, do you know if she is half mortal? Or was Beatrice pregnant before ever meeting him?"
Croaker rumbles puzzledly, "I know only what I saw and was told, Seer. She was a toddler when Beatrice tamed me. It was several years before my lady trusted me implicitly, and that was when I heard the story of her mortal lover, Diana's sire. Er... why would Diana not believe her dam about who her sire was, though?"
Jason shakes his head, forgetting Croaker cannot see it. "She's not the one asking questions, Croaker. Things have gotten... more complicated since we last saw each other. I had to leave Mike and Diana in safe company to go out on a mission of grave import... and others I have met are disbelieving of Diana's heritage." He hesitates... Croaker's word should be enough. And Jason's not sure he wants to tell Beatrice directly that he left Diana, even if she is not alone. "Would you please tell Lady Beatrice to call me when it's convenient? I need to be sure. It could be important." Jason ahems! "Please... ask her to call, I mean."
Croaker sounds slightly surprised -- which is, for Croaker, positively shocked, "You... left your lady?"
Jason cringes. "Not happily. And not permanently, I assure you. But there is a great danger looming that I would not dare expose her to. I'm... expendable." What a grim way to put it.
Croaker is silent for a long moment, and Jason can hear muffled, surprised-sounding commentary from what he'd guess is Joe. Finally Croaker carefully rumbles, "Um... Joe and I agree that you... might not wish to tell her ladyship that... just now?"
Jason rubs his forehead. Oh, the slippery slope we tread. On the one hand, he's just a pet. Beatrice will always care more about her daughter than him. But if she thinks he's hurt Diana emotionally by leaving her... yeah. "Yeah, I can see why you'd say that. Okay, just, uhm... keep this conversation under your hat, then." He pauses. "I mean... keep quiet about it."
Croaker makes a small snorting noise which, a moment later, Jason realizes is laughter. "Do you need assistance, Seer? Is she well and safe?"
"Safe and happy. I hope. If you want, I can leave you the number to where she's staying in Las Vegas. I know she would be comforted to hear from you," Jason assures. "But no... I'm well for now. I have allies on my mission. It is helpful enough to hear you doing so well."
Croaker rumbles thoughtfully, "Yes, that might be wise. I suspect the lady can be best trusted to break the news to her dam, as well." He adds a bit worriedly, "But you will be returning to her, aye?"
Jason rattles off the number then... it's the least he can do to help see to his lady's well being. "I have every intention, Croaker. Only death would keep me away," he replies, a little bit too seriously.
Croaker repeats the number carefully, then rumbles calmly, "It is what we do, I suppose: serve our ladies unto our deaths, if necessary." He adds with a touch of pride, "It is my honor to do so, at least. I am glad to hear you are well; I will tell BJ of your call, as I know it would please her. Do you wish to speak with Joe once more?"
Jason considers. "Yes, please."
There's a moment of silence, then Joe's voice -- which is completely alert now. "Jase, dude, why'd you leave her?!"
Jason takes a deep breath. "Because the Sphynx told me I had to." He lets that sink in. "A lot has changed since we left, Joe. I did not leave her unprotected. But there's bad things in the wind... and a vision saw me at the center of it. I had to go on without her if I was going to help make things right."
Joe's voice is grave, "How did she feel about it, guy?"
Jason shakes his head. "Unhappy. She wanted to protect me. She didn't want to be without me, either. Feeling a little vulnerable, maybe. But absence can be gotten over. I'm doing this to make sure her, and all those like her, stay safe. We've already come across one supernatural hunter."
Joe is silent for a while. Finally he says a bit dubiously, "Well... it's you guys's life. We wish you the best. Call if you need help, all right? We're not the answer to all ills, but there are some things we can help with, maybe."
Jason nods. "Yeah. I'll remember that." There's so much more he'd say, but he doesn't want to scare Joe unnecessarily. "Is Beatrice doing okay?"
Joe smiles quietly, "She's fine. Feeling a little... well, I think she misses Diana, and worries about her, and she's a bit twitchy about Croaker and this girl of his. She needs to pick up another donor or two as well, but she'll find them in her own good time."
Jason grins. "IS she still dancing? I mean... not on the stage. Like she did at the party?" he queries hopefully. That experience was good for her, and he hopes it took.
Joe laughs, then says quietly, "I think Beatrice will always dance. She needs it -- it's like it's part of her, you know?"
Jason nods sagely. "I surely do," he murmurs. "Listen, I'd better let you go... it's good to hear from you. But miles to go and all that, yeah?"
Joe chuckles quietly, "Yeah, yeah. Take care, guy." His voice is ruefully amused as he adds, "Get back with your lady soon, kid. Later." He hangs up, already talking to someone else as he does so; Jason remembers the bar should open soon. Jason puts the phone aside, and cracks his knuckles, looking thoughtful.
Jason eyeballs the phone. He wants to check in with Kira to share what he's learned, but he promised to keep silent unless Hepsi approved it. While he was never enjoined to report back to the wolf lady and to Phyx, he feels he should warn them about the Eastern Dragon. And now that she's brought to the fore of his brain again, he wants to speak to Diana. But he should clear it with Hepsi first. He instead takes a moment to calm himself and freshen himself in the shower. Finally he goes in search of the Riders and his patron lady Hepsiburadayunaca, hoping there hasn't been any conflict while he's slept.
When Jason taps on the door of the room Remiel is in, it is the angel himself who opens the door and welcomes Jason in with a finger across his lips in a shushing gesture. Seated at the little round table are Herfjotur, Guthrum, and Hepsi, and scattered across the table are a handful of what look like small chips of wood with dark marks on them. The three entities are staring at the wood chips, and Hepsi has her wings spread out, almost looming over them as Herfi chants something quietly in a foreign language. Jason looks relieved that everyone's intact. He sends mental thanks to Guthrum, who seems to have done a marvelous job of peacekeeping between Hepsi and Herfjotr. He sits next to Remiel and looks inquiringly at the angel, hoping he's not upset from earlier... he knows the angel had a number of shocks to his system in rapid order within the last few moments of conversation, before they all went off to forge runes -- not the least of which was the revelation that Jason had had contact with Lilith, even if it was in a dream.
The angel leans to whisper in Jason's ear, "They're focusing over the runes on the questions, to get a better reading. Apparently the runes aren't responding well just now, despite some meditation earlier."
Jason leans back over. "Do we know why?" He doesn't know anything about runes, after all, aside from the fact that you throw them into a bowl. "Has it been a while since they've tried doing this?"
Remiel nods quietly, "Some years now, apparently, and this was never Herfi's specialty either -- she was more the warrior than the wisewoman." Jason can absolutely see that. Remiel looks up as the Valkyrie's voice rises strongly, and she starts sweeping the rune chips off the table and into a small leather bag. She continues chanting as she pulls the drawstring closed, shakes it once, then opens it and holds it out to the glittering winged snake. "Try again." Her voice is a bit harsh with tiredness.
Jason doesn't want to interrupt, so he focuses instead on Remiel. "Are we okay? I didn't freak you out, did I?" he queries quietly, putting his hand on Remiel's.
The angel brings his distracted gaze from the three at the table and smiles at Jason, turning his hand over so he holds Jason's hand. When he's smiling, Remiel's whole face lights up, and he looks just like what he is. It's a little startling to have all that "smile-wattage" focused directly upon Jason, in fact -- like being suddenly kissed! Jason stares, a little deer-in-headlights, back at Remiel in response, blushing horribly. "Uhm," he mumbles intelligently. Remiel's certainly too beautiful for this earth.
Remiel dimples adorably as he pats Jason's hand, and that's when Jason notices the angel is actually speaking as well -- or rather, whispering very slowly and clearly, "I said, of course we're fine, and how are you?" He's still grinning as he politely turns his gaze slightly to one side, so he's not quite so focused on Jason.
Jason remembers that breathing is a good thing, ducking his head shyly away now he's no longer enraptured by Remiel's perfection. Pleasing Hepsi was fun, certainly. Pleasing Remiel, he thinks absently, would probably be as close to Diana as he's had in weeks. "Hem. I'm alright," he assures, adjusting himself. "Just wondering... didn't want to be... yannow. Anathema, and all," he explains, checking on the progress of the others as he squeezes Remiel's hand. That hand feels good, mmm. Remiel laughs softly, patting Jason's hand gently again, then turns and looks at the others. Guthrum has just pulled some runes from the bag and is casting them on the table -- and there's a united exclamation of disgust in several languages. Hepsi flops her chin down on the table with a frustrated hiss, Guthrum snarls and pounds his fist against his thigh, and Herfi swears tiredly, "Blank again! The svartaelfar take it -- vhat is vrong here?!"
Jason clears his throat to get the attention of the others. "What exactly is the problem, my friends? What specifically is not working?"
Guthrum glowers at Jason; Herfi just glowers at the runes, resting her chin on one fist and slowly waving the other hand over the three wooden chips on the table. Hepsi tilts her serpentine head slightly so she can slant her gaze towards Jason, hissing frustratedly, "Can't get a clear read. Guthrum's drawing for me and-" She cuts off, her head coming up suddenly as she stares at Jason for an instant, her tongue flickering out with a touch of excitement -- then she hisses, "You! Come here, child -- you're sworn to my service. You can pull for me!"
Jason almost doesn't hear Hepsi at first; having a giant angry at you is not a pleasant experience. It makes him recall the first time he met the fierce man, while taking interest in his mount. "Huh, what?" and then her words sink in. "What... you mean my sacrifice to you makes me, like... your shaman?"
Suddenly all four supernaturals are staring with dawning interest at Jason -- it's a bit unnerving! Hepsi laughs hissingly, "No, no, it means I can work my will through you more than I can with Guthrum. Come!" She turns her head to stare at Herfi, her wings flaring out and shimmering with suppressed excitement, "One more time, please?" Jason hurries to kneel at Hepsi's... hmm. No feet. Well, under her presence at least, curious to see what will happen next. He admits he's only slightly disappointed. After Remiel's commentary about Herfi being more warrior than holy woman, he almost thought to a certain extent that was what he was. Being called Seer and all by Croaker - or Asterius, that is. But he supposes he makes too much out of it. He is who he is, and no outside label will change that.
Herfjotur studies Jason thoughtfully for a moment... then nods slowly as she scoops up the three rune chips, "Aye, ve vill try von more time." Her accent seems to be thickening as she tires, but she scatters all the runes over the table, carefully placing them all face up and instructing both Jason and Hepsi to meditate on the runes. "Hold your hands slightly above them, still, so you can feel pull also if any there is." She slides smoothly into chanting after that, and Hepsi once again takes that intent, spread-winged stance she'd had earlier. Jason does as requested, unsure what the valkyrie means by 'pull' but figures it will be obvious one way or another. He'd certainly mention anything strange that happened, anyway. Holding out his arms, he closes his eyes and tries to relax, listening to the beat of his own heart and breathing steadily to its rhythm.
There doesn't seem to be any pull that's noticeable to him, but at some point he can feel a hand on his shoulder and a voice in his ear murmuring, "Jason... Jason. Keep your eyes closed. Put your right hand down and pick up three runes." Jason does as requested and feels around for where the runes should be, taking each in turn -- whatever comes most easily to him, though from three different areas each time. He doesn't have to fumble at all -- every time his hand comes down, there's a rune under it. He can hear a small, awed sound from someone close by, and Herfi sounds oddly pleased as she says, "Excellent! Now, drop the runes, boy, and open your eyes." Jason opens his hand and turns it over, looking down at his prize with clear interest as the runes fall.
Jason sees three chips of wood with the runes branded onto them. One looks a bit like a diamond, but with the bottom two lines extended past the point; one looks like a P written with only straight lines. The final one looks a bit like a capital F, with the crossbars angled upwards. Everyone leans forward in fascination, and when they spot the runes there's a universal sigh of relief -- along with several congratulations and heartfelt pats on the back for Jason! Herfjotur smiles, "There we go -- the answer to the query about your quest. Now, let me think..." She stares at the runes for a moment while the others grin in relief at Jason. He wonders what exactly he did. It certainly didn't feel mystical or special. But he'll take everyone's word for it. Although in retrospect, this makes a certain amount of sense. Since the question was strongly related to him, he should be the one picking the runes. Isn't that the way tarot reading works?
Herfi rests her fingers lightly on the rune that looks like a capital F, "This is Fehu, signifying possessions, cattle, nourishment. It is reversed; beware of the frustrations of being not quite enough for the job at hand." She rests her fingers lightly on the diamond-like-shaped rune, "Here, Othila, or separation. Also meaning inheritance, old skins shed, outmoded relationships discarded. It too is reversed: take pains to not be unaware, mechanical in your dealings with others. Finally," she rests her fingers on the last rune, "we have Wunjo." She smiles, "Joy, light, success, new energy."
Jason looks rueful. "Those first two sound all too familiar," he admits to a certain extent, remembering what Phyx has said about awareness, and about his own feelings of inadequacy. "But it is reassuring that a positive outcome is strongly suggested."
Herfi tilts her head inquiringly at Jason, "That was actually a casting for Hepsi, regarding the quest. Would you like a casting for you yourself? Do you have a question?"