May Event

[asgardmods]

something new inside & the storm something new inside may 11th-13th ↴ something new inside It's been a few days since the kite festival ended, and Wanderers and locals alike seem pleased to have passed time together in such a lovely festival. The weather is mild and the smell of flowers on the air sweet, and it seems that for once, Asgard might enjoy a spell of peace. On the morning of the 11th, some of you wake with a new itch beneath your skin. It's a sensation not unlike the one you felt when your god first granted you powers, and indeed, those of you who flew a runed kite during the festival discover that you have new abilities at your disposal! These new abilities start small, but each time a you use your power you find that your abilities grow in strength. Soon you can do more, and for longer before growing tired. In fact, you soon find that using your power is so fascinating that you don't want to stop. As you use them more and more, you might even find you can't stop, not for food, for sleep, or even to see the dear faces of your friends. And, hidden away in the clutches of the children who found them, the rune stones begin to pulse with a strange, blue light, one that grows in intensity the longer each of you uses your newfound powers. More information about the runes and their associated powers can be found in the infopost here! the storm may 14th-20th ↴ the storm As each of you use your rune granted powers more and more, the stones glow brighter and brighter, until at last they're nearly blinding to look at, and the air around them crackles with new energy that spreads outward and up. The children who found the runes grow fearful and hide them in the woods, but the damage is done. The storm summoned by all who used the runes has begun. With the storm now born, you no longer feel compelled to use your new power, but it sure would be helpful of you to use it to combat the intensity of the storm! Like the rune powers themselves, the storm starts small, with rain and occasional thunder, but it's clearly growing in strength. Wanders and locals like take shelter indoors, hoping for it to pass, but it soon becomes clear that the storm isn't going anywhere anytime soon. In fact, after several days, strange weather events begin taking place. Rain suddenly seems to flow upward, snowflakes begin to fall in otherwise warm air, and lightning springs up from the ground. As each day passes, the storm grows more violent, sending the local wildlife into a frenzy as the animals try to shelter from the sudden and unpredictable storm. Though you no longer feel the runes' pull, many of you soon realize that not only can your powers aid in weathering the storm, even those without powers can help to stop it. If runes brought the storm about, then destroying the runes will surely end it. Now where did those children put those stones, and how can they be convinced to show you for the good of all? It will surely take someone skilled in coaxing unwilling individuals - perhaps one of Tyr's ambassadors is up to the task... If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to refer to the infopost and the questions section below!

Comments

[yiling_laozu]

Wei Wuxian's nose wrinkles. There's a new sound on the air, one that isn't wind or rain or distant thunder, one he has no desire to grant his attention just now, but his eyes widen when he turns and finally sees Lan Wangji.

"Lan Zhan," he says, immediately parting the flow of rain around him, too. Lan Zhan rises before the sun, but it can't be morning already? "You are up so late, go to sleep!"

[lan_wangji]

"No," he mutters, raising an eyebrow as the rain suddenly parts around him. He walks over, clamping his hand on Wei Ying's shoulder that feels bonier than it ought to, even after only a few days of neglect.

"You come with me. Did not eat a proper meal the entire day. Did not come to bed last night. Enough, Wei Ying. Stop the rain."

[yiling_laozu]

"But I am helping the rice to grow," Wei Wuxian protests, directing another soft fail of rain towards the most distant stretch of the paddy. He watches it soak down, forgetting what he was going to add as he summons another. Fingers bear down on him, and Wei Wuxian blinks.
"It's perfect. Now we don't have to try diverting some of the river when it's too dry out."

[lan_wangji]

"The rice is fine, will be fine," he insists, dropping down to a crouch to try and catch Wei Ying's gaze.

"You have been doing this for three days. Enough," he says, looking over their drenched paddy. It is too much, this type of power. They aren't meant to have control of nature to this level but his more immediate concern is Wei Ying himself.

"Come inside and eat and go to bed. Wei Ying, now."

[yiling_laozu]

Has it been three days? It feels as if he woke up with these powers only this morning. Lan Zhan is likely mistaken, diligent though he is. Wei Wuxian would be far hungrier if it had been three entire days.

"I don't want to," he says, frowning as he pushes Lan Zhan's hand away. It's rude in a way he hasn't been towards him in some time, but he doesn't want to stop. "This is far better than sleep." He looks at him through his lashes. "Do you want me to make you a snowflake?"

[lan_wangji]

His eyes widen as he's pushed away and he snatches Wei Ying's wrist, pushing back into his space.

This is wrong; this is like before and he can't understand how Wei Ying cannot see it.

"Inside, or I will carry you in," Lan Zhan warns, jaw clenched as he prepares to do it. "There is something wrong with you."

[yiling_laozu]

This, at least, grabs Wei Wuxian's attention, and his softly narrowed eyes widen, an obvious sheen of hurt in them despite the dim light. "Nothing is wrong with me," he says, pushing again at Lan Zhan's hand.

"You are being cruel and I don't know why!" A dark thought occurs to him, one surprising enough that he doesn't want to give voice to it, even to himself. Is Lan Zhan jealous that Wei Wuxian has powers he does not? He whirls to stomp away, boots squelching in the mud.
"Just - go to bed, Lan Zhan!"

[lan_wangji]

Lan Zhan never, never wants to be the reason to put such a look on Wei Ying's face but he doesn not know what else to do.

"No!," he bites out, lunging to grab at Wei Ying's arm.

"Please, just," he chokes, wanting to say this better, better for Wei Ying. "Worrying me. Neglecting yourself. Come in. This magic is not necessary."

[yiling_laozu]

The magic rises within him, placing a barrier between himself and the threat before Wei Wuxian is even aware that he's called for it. He stares at Lan Zhan through the invisible barrier for a moment, surprised at himself, but it's accomplished his goal well enough. With a look that's nearly one of apology, Wei Wuxian sits back down, glancing once more over the rainstorm.

His head hurts. He probably shouldn't have called on his god power, too, but like his other thoughts, it soon falls away in favor of curling eddies of wind with his fingertips.

[lan_wangji]

Lan Zhan reels back, face dropping as Wei Ying forces him away.

"Stop this!"

The wind whips his hair around him, clouds growing darker as he beats his fist against the barrier.

"Wei Ying do not do this again!"

[yiling_laozu]

Again? The word lands sour in Wei Wuxian's belly. What is it that he's doing? Bringing rain to a rice paddy that needs it - it's not as if the rice cares what the hour is. It's only Lan Zhan, his poor, stubborn Lan Zhan who can't bear to stay up past sunset that's riled. The barrier makes for a cover from the rain over his head, and again Wei Wuxian makes sure that it avoids Lan Zhan, also, even if he can't bear to look at his furious face.

Lan Zhan will be alright. He simply needs to sleep, and he'll feel better come morning. Passing a hand beneath his suddenly itching nose, Wei WUxian doesn't notice that it comes away wet.

[lan_wangji]

A sudden bolt of lightening illuminates Wei Ying's face behind the barrier, giving Lan Zhan a brief glimpse of red running down his face. It's enough to ignore the electricity in the air as the bolt hits close, far too close as he has seen this, before.

He cannot do this, he cannot lose Wei Ying to this again.

He quickly forms an orb of light, drawing on all the energy and magic he can muster as he sends it hard against the barrier, hoping if nothing else it will get Wei Ying's attention over the loud crack of thunder.

[yiling_laozu]

Wei Wuxian startles at the sudden crash of noise so near to him, dizzy enough in the aftermath that only the barrier at his back holds him up. It won't break - but it only lasts for ten minutes, and then Lan Zhan will surely be upon him to make him stop. That simply can't happen.

"I have to," he calls to him. He doesn't understand it himself, but he means it to his bones. "Lan Zhan, I need to do this!"

[lan_wangji]

"You don't, you don't, Wei Ying that is the magic speaking," Lan Zhan pleads, pressing his hands against the barrier as if sheer will could do something his magic could not achieve.

The air crackles around them, another lightening bolt forming closer before crashing to the earth close enough to make Lan Zhan's skin crawl.

"You're going to kill us both, Wei Ying! Look at me. Just look at me."

[yiling_laozu]

Wei Wuxian jumps again, staring at the smoking patch of earth so near to Lan Zhan's feet until he whirls, screaming, "Stop!" at the storm. Immediately the sky lightens, and the issue from the clouds above gentles to a soft and steady fall of rain. Wei Wuxian slides down the barrier to sit hard in the mud, breathing heavily towards the figure of white swimming in and out of his vision.

"I wouldn't let it," he promises. "I'd never let it hurt you."

[lan_wangji]

Lan Zhan immediately drops down into the mud, gathering Wei Ying close for a moment before he pulls back just enough to wipe the blood off his pale face.

He cannot agree, unable to say he was as confident in that promise. Not after everything that had happened.

"Know you would never try and hurt me," he murmurs, knowing that at least to be truth as he stains his robes beyond repair with blood and earth. "Listen to me. Something is wrong with this magic. Affecting you. Must stop the rain, stop it all."

[yiling_laozu]

Wei Wuxian gulps as Lan Zhan's warmth surrounds him, the heat ever rolling off his body even more comforting in the cold of the mud, but Wei Wuxian feels more than the damp of the rain on his face.

"Why am I like this?" he asks, fearing the answer. "Why can't I stop?"

He has no Yin metal to blame this time, no dark object or resentful energy to tempt him, and yet he can't stop. "Lan Zhan, what's wrong with me?"

[lan_wangji]

He pulls Wei Ying back in, tucking Wei Ying's head under his chin as Lan Zhan clutches at his back.

He doesn't know, he doesn't understand what has gone wrong so quickly but nothing matters right now other than making it stop and getting Wei Ying somewhere safe.

"It will all be alright, promise," he whispers, kissing Wei Ying's damp temple. "Let it go, now. And let me take care of you. Stop the rain and I promise I will keep you safe."

[yiling_laozu]

Lan Zhan doesn't answer him directly, and something in Wei Wuxian crumbles. It's a pillar he's enforced with Lan Zhan's faith in him again and again, but this time, Lan Zhan doesn't have the answer, and Wei Wuxian is too tired to bear himself up.

"It's me," he whispers, thinking of the rain, the Yin metal, the rice wine. The endless trail of dead bodies he'd left behind him in the Nightless City. "I can't ever stop."

[lan_wangji]

"We don't know what this was," Lan Zhan rasps, voice shaking and desperate as Wei Ying seems to shrink into himself. He kisses across Wei Ying's temple and then his face, pushing his wet hair out of his pale face.

"Wei Ying, we don't know what this was. You're good, you're so good. We will figure out what has happened to you. I will figure out what has happened, I promise," he whispers, eyes stinging at how small and miserable and sunken Wei Ying's perfect face is. "Love you."

[yiling_laozu]

Wei Wuxian swallows, looking up at Lan Zhan's soaked face through the rain. His face is one of agony, an expression Wei Wuxian has sworn never to put there again, yet here it is. He looks as he had done in those few but endless moments as Wei Wuxian fell from the cliff, frightened and in pain.

The rain stops.

Wei Wuxian gazes at him seriously. "You might need to tie me up."

[lan_wangji]

"Will do no such thing," Lan Zhan vows, looking at as the rain suddenly stops and placing another gentle to kiss to Wei Ying's furrowed brow. He can stop Wei Ying, physically, if he can. He can keep him inside by strength alone, keep him in his arms.

He carefully moves to pick Wei Ying up, movements deliberate and slow in case he does not want it. "Let me take care of you. Let me feed you and put you to bed with me."