[Molly nods.] At least, that's the last very clear memory I have. There are flashes that we left that place afterward but I can't put my finger on anything specific.
[And it's now that Molly looks worried himself, his expression clearly showing he's thinking about THE THING- when he woke up in the earth and got out and had no memories of anything whatsoever.]
[Caleb nods along, walking them gently along the gardens and thinking.
How should he start.... He keeps his voice low and tries to be calm about it.]
We kept going a bit after that. Woke up one morning and... Fjord, Jester, and Yasha were missing. Found out they had been taken by slave traders. We met a dwarf named Keg who was trying to find the group as well. We... Went after them. Fought them. It... didn't go well.
[Despite his efforts, Molly can still hear that tremor in the voice, and his eyes only narrow even more. This is not good. And as the story progresses, it turns out it's a real shitshow, as suspected.
Slave traders, Keg, fight... he has a really bad feeling about this and he can feel his gut turn a little. No, it didn't go well at all, it went very, horribly wrong. Caleb is just toning it down-
Molly stops walking-] Please tell me the fuckers didn't kill them. [By them he means Fjord, Jester, and Yasha. He doesn't even consider the possibility of himself being in danger.]
No. No, we got to them before the worst could happen.
They're fine. It's just...
[God. How does he get into this?]
Their leader was some kind of demon. And more powerful than we were prepared for. I- [He hesitates, his voice catching. Caleb remembers that night so clearly. The blood. The scream. Molly spitting in Lorenzo's face before the final twist of the scythe.]
[His expression softens when Caleb confirms the others are fine. Things would not be fine if Yasha was dead. Or Jester. Or Fjord. Or Caleb!
But something did happen and he keeps silent, waiting for his wizard man to spill it out. He's never seen him hesitate this much before- and then-]
Me? [Molly blinks at Caleb, as if the guy just told him some kind of fairytale with an ending even he couldn't make up. He's not conceited enough to think he can't die, but still, the thought of it is kind of ridiculous.
There's a long period where Molly just stares at Caleb, trying to make any sense of what he's just heard, and you can almost hear the click in his head as he sighs.] ...hmpf. No wonder I didn't recognize the drow. You met him after. [Then his brain finally catches up with 'I watched you die' and crap- he walks up to him and pats Caleb's cheek to make him look up at him.]
[He has lost himself, just a bit. At the pat to his cheek, Caleb looks up to Molly, regret and pain in those blue eyes. He'd moved past that night with everyone else, but a part of him always lingered there. Lucien had not helped the hurt.]
I killed the demon that killed you. I have not heard of the Iron Shepherds since that night. But yes, I. I buried you. Beau took your tapestry until we could give it to Yasha.
We went through our journeys together after we got the others back. But about a year later, we found out Cree had performed some. Ritual of some kind and brought you back. Except it wasn't you.
Then that's fine with me. Don't beat yourself over it.
[Because he can see it, and yet there's nothing he can do than offer this reassurance. He's not sure if the fact that he believes in it fully helps the case or not.
His eyes narrow as Caleb continues to talk- he doesn't care about the items, they could've taken his underwear too if they needed it. It's the last part that's making him narrow his eyes.]
I figured that whatever past I had would catch up somehow but not like that. [He doesn't look very happy with what he's hearing.] What did those guys do? [Caleb wouldn't bring them up if everything after went all peachy.]
[Now that he's getting to the bits of the present, Caleb is having to actually process it all. The fight in the snow, the dragon, the little murder spree at the asylum and running from Trent.
Gods. He runs a hand down his face trying to think what's the most important to talk about here.]
Whoever you were before you were you took your body back. And he was - is trying to bring a floating city in the astral sea to our plane.
[It will help both Molly to process what he just heard and Caleb to catch himself because he looks like he's on the verge of breaking. He slips his hand around his elbow and leads them away from the busy docks where people are getting on and off the flying whales. If Caleb wasn't sure if it was Molly before, the flashes through their small, but still there, synchrony should help- the feeling of an open campfire, flickering colorful lanterns, swaying in the wind, mixed now with slight worry- not for himself, but for Caleb.
He doesn't comment on anything until he finds them a spot to sit down, secluded from other people and gems passing by, in one of the alleys, urging Caleb to sit on one of the crates.]
So you're saying that whoever was in this body was a fucker on a massive scale and is proceeding to be just that on an even bigger scale?
It's hard to tell sometimes in this place. He's tugged along easily with Molly, now no longer questioning if it's him or not. It has to be. Sitting is good though, because once he realized he needed to breathe, it's coming with some force.]
To put it lightly, yes. He killed someone we were charged with protecting, and has almost killed us a couple of times now.
[He takes a seat next to him, giving him a pat on the back or two from time to time. It's only when he sees him that he's collected a little bit that he speaks up finally.]
Well, you have my full permission to scatter him to the wind. I'd do it myself if it weren't for [his face scrunches up] well, the circumstances.
[He wishes he had some of the memories from the guy that inhabited this body but sadly, he's coming up with blanks.]
Honestly, I think some of the others are still a bit hung up that he looks like you.
[Ever the shrewd one, even along with all the emotion he has. No, after the first couple of confrontations, Caleb had come to terms with Lucien not being anywhere near close to reminiscent of Molly at all and was going for the kill.]
You understand though? Why I was a bit... cautious seeing you here.
Well, I'll be counting on you to make them see the logic.
[Because Caleb is very good at that. Even Molly falls short on it sometimes and just goes with whatever feels good. But this- this is too important.]
Yes, don't worry. This place is weird, to begin with, I cannot judge you for judging me. I should've been more careful myself, now that you mention it. [He says it, with a tone to cheer up the situation a little.]
[Molly leans slightly back, head resting on the wall of the house nearby where they are hiding resting. He tries to keep his face looking passive, but there's a wrinkle of... something between his eyebrows as he thinks.
And eventually sighs,] I've no clue. There's nothing much I can do, seeing we're here, [he motions with his hands vaguely at the surroundings,] but I do wonder if me knowing of what's to come can change it. You know, like in those stories of predicting the future- if you know it, it can't happen!
[He tries to sound lighthearted about it, but there's an underlined tone of worry behind his words.]
I still have more time, so I'll get whatever this place gives me, [he gives Caleb a small smile as he chuckles.] It's been rather generous these days.
I'm listening, [he shrugs. Molly doesn't always understand the intricate details of magic and stuff Caleb goes on about, but he does listen and ends up catching the basic gist of it.
Also, he doesn't really want to die; he's fine with it, but he'd like to avoid it if there's a chance.]
Yeah, it's weird; I grew devil's wings which is like "yes, thanks, I know". This place is more dangerous than it lets on.
[He doesn't want to delve too far into theories; it would just let on a lot more of his thoughts that he's been planning for some time now. He has no interest in divulging those secrets he keeps to himself.]
[He can feel a bit of awkwardness lingering around now that's established he's Molly Molly, not the asshole Molly apparently, but not-so-dead Molly. So he tries his best to keep the conversation off that topic.]
It's like this place is going 'I know all about you' in a not very subtle way. Thankfully, not many people here know details- they just assume it's transformation.
[While he's definitely gotten a little stronger since Molly died, he's still unused to being hit in the back, so he stumbles half a step forward but catches himself.]
I- possibly, yes. I meant more if the wings were as flamboyant as yourself, but I suppose that is quite personal to ask.
[He just keeps grinning- wizard people will be wizard people.]
Sadly, no. I wanted them to glitter like gold or at least have a pattern of my coat. But they weren't even purple! I was so disappointed. And no- it's not personal. You would've seen them. It's not like I could hide them.
They do! Something about three moons going through three phases. Honestly, I thought we were being extra with having two moons, but this place takes the cake and eats it too.
Speaking of- food? [Yes, he's offering to buy some for them. There are some food shops around and it smells pretty good. No they are not bakeries. It smells of grilled meat.]
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[And it's now that Molly looks worried himself, his expression clearly showing he's thinking about THE THING- when he woke up in the earth and got out and had no memories of anything whatsoever.]
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How should he start.... He keeps his voice low and tries to be calm about it.]
We kept going a bit after that. Woke up one morning and... Fjord, Jester, and Yasha were missing. Found out they had been taken by slave traders. We met a dwarf named Keg who was trying to find the group as well. We... Went after them. Fought them. It... didn't go well.
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Slave traders, Keg, fight... he has a really bad feeling about this and he can feel his gut turn a little. No, it didn't go well at all, it went very, horribly wrong. Caleb is just toning it down-
Molly stops walking-] Please tell me the fuckers didn't kill them. [By them he means Fjord, Jester, and Yasha. He doesn't even consider the possibility of himself being in danger.]
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They're fine. It's just...
[God. How does he get into this?]
Their leader was some kind of demon. And more powerful than we were prepared for. I- [He hesitates, his voice catching. Caleb remembers that night so clearly. The blood. The scream. Molly spitting in Lorenzo's face before the final twist of the scythe.]
I watched him kill you.
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But something did happen and he keeps silent, waiting for his wizard man to spill it out. He's never seen him hesitate this much before- and then-]
Me? [Molly blinks at Caleb, as if the guy just told him some kind of fairytale with an ending even he couldn't make up. He's not conceited enough to think he can't die, but still, the thought of it is kind of ridiculous.
There's a long period where Molly just stares at Caleb, trying to make any sense of what he's just heard, and you can almost hear the click in his head as he sighs.] ...hmpf. No wonder I didn't recognize the drow. You met him after. [Then his brain finally catches up with 'I watched you die' and crap- he walks up to him and pats Caleb's cheek to make him look up at him.]
But you lived, right?
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[He has lost himself, just a bit. At the pat to his cheek, Caleb looks up to Molly, regret and pain in those blue eyes. He'd moved past that night with everyone else, but a part of him always lingered there. Lucien had not helped the hurt.]
I killed the demon that killed you. I have not heard of the Iron Shepherds since that night. But yes, I. I buried you. Beau took your tapestry until we could give it to Yasha.
We went through our journeys together after we got the others back. But about a year later, we found out Cree had performed some. Ritual of some kind and brought you back. Except it wasn't you.
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[Because he can see it, and yet there's nothing he can do than offer this reassurance. He's not sure if the fact that he believes in it fully helps the case or not.
His eyes narrow as Caleb continues to talk- he doesn't care about the items, they could've taken his underwear too if they needed it. It's the last part that's making him narrow his eyes.]
I figured that whatever past I had would catch up somehow but not like that. [He doesn't look very happy with what he's hearing.] What did those guys do? [Caleb wouldn't bring them up if everything after went all peachy.]
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Gods. He runs a hand down his face trying to think what's the most important to talk about here.]
Whoever you were before you were you took your body back. And he was - is trying to bring a floating city in the astral sea to our plane.
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[It will help both Molly to process what he just heard and Caleb to catch himself because he looks like he's on the verge of breaking. He slips his hand around his elbow and leads them away from the busy docks where people are getting on and off the flying whales. If Caleb wasn't sure if it was Molly before, the flashes through their small, but still there, synchrony should help- the feeling of an open campfire, flickering colorful lanterns, swaying in the wind, mixed now with slight worry- not for himself, but for Caleb.
He doesn't comment on anything until he finds them a spot to sit down, secluded from other people and gems passing by, in one of the alleys, urging Caleb to sit on one of the crates.]
So you're saying that whoever was in this body was a fucker on a massive scale and is proceeding to be just that on an even bigger scale?
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Was he breathing?
It's hard to tell sometimes in this place. He's tugged along easily with Molly, now no longer questioning if it's him or not. It has to be. Sitting is good though, because once he realized he needed to breathe, it's coming with some force.]
To put it lightly, yes. He killed someone we were charged with protecting, and has almost killed us a couple of times now.
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Well, you have my full permission to scatter him to the wind. I'd do it myself if it weren't for [his face scrunches up] well, the circumstances.
[He wishes he had some of the memories from the guy that inhabited this body but sadly, he's coming up with blanks.]
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[Ever the shrewd one, even along with all the emotion he has. No, after the first couple of confrontations, Caleb had come to terms with Lucien not being anywhere near close to reminiscent of Molly at all and was going for the kill.]
You understand though? Why I was a bit... cautious seeing you here.
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[Because Caleb is very good at that. Even Molly falls short on it sometimes and just goes with whatever feels good. But this- this is too important.]
Yes, don't worry. This place is weird, to begin with, I cannot judge you for judging me. I should've been more careful myself, now that you mention it. [He says it, with a tone to cheer up the situation a little.]
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[He looks up at the whales they've walked past; he can't hear them now.]
So what are you going to do?
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hidingresting. He tries to keep his face looking passive, but there's a wrinkle of... something between his eyebrows as he thinks.And eventually sighs,] I've no clue. There's nothing much I can do, seeing we're here, [he motions with his hands vaguely at the surroundings,] but I do wonder if me knowing of what's to come can change it. You know, like in those stories of predicting the future- if you know it, it can't happen!
[He tries to sound lighthearted about it, but there's an underlined tone of worry behind his words.]
I still have more time, so I'll get whatever this place gives me, [he gives Caleb a small smile as he chuckles.] It's been rather generous these days.
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[There's a gleam of something in his eyes thinking about it. Caleb definitely has more defined thoughts of the possibilities than he's letting on.]
There are always different theories of what could happen. But for now, I suppose we won't know and should focus on the here.
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Also, he doesn't really want to die; he's fine with it, but he'd like to avoid it if there's a chance.]
Yeah, it's weird; I grew devil's wings which is like "yes, thanks, I know". This place is more dangerous than it lets on.
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Devil's wings? That is... A bit on the nose, ja.
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It's like this place is going 'I know all about you' in a not very subtle way. Thankfully, not many people here know details- they just assume it's transformation.
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[He looks around again, and... Wants to see more. He motions for Molly to follow. He doesn't know where they're going yet, but he wants to walk.]
Were they at least as flamboyant as the rest of you?
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Not at all! You'll never see another one of me around; the world would explode!
[He does enjoy being unique and standing out.]
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I- possibly, yes. I meant more if the wings were as flamboyant as yourself, but I suppose that is quite personal to ask.
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Sadly, no. I wanted them to glitter like gold or at least have a pattern of my coat. But they weren't even purple! I was so disappointed. And no- it's not personal. You would've seen them. It's not like I could hide them.
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Hm. Maybe next time. If I understand things correctly, these transformations happen in recurring cycles.
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Speaking of- food? [Yes, he's offering to buy some for them. There are some food shops around and it smells pretty good. No they are not bakeries. It smells of grilled meat.]
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