IN THE AFTERMATH

***IN THE AFTERMATH*** is the thirteenth session of *Glimpses Into the Fade.* Following the death of the youngest member, how will the adventurers cope with the strain of emotions dumped on them after weeks of relative peace? Is there any peace of mind to be had as they find themselves on the other side of a Warlock's watchful and hateful gaze?

## Musings

*Orion has always had silent Gods in the wars, in the blights, in the heinous murders that's have occurred in this world. The peoples cries for miracles have always fallen on deaf ear. So what made a young boy so special? Why has death himself give him another chance? Or perhaps the more important question is how did death give him another chance?*

## **Synopsis**

A few moments before he opens his eyes, Bran continues to sit in the glade. One of the eyes shift down casting a blinding light upon Bran, transporting him into an endless dark void with only a doorway towards his body. Death says they need to have a conversation alone. As a being only existing on their plane, his domain that he controls is in the Fade. He expresses he isn't responsible for death to occur, but is simply death itself.

Bran asks why Violet was here, and is told that they are good friends. Death constantly sees her at his door, although it's never her time. Bran learns that she's incredibly wilful with strong magic, surprising him. Attempting to ask more questions, Death reminds Bran he already owes him for the second chance of life. He cannot hand out second chances willingly, but only prolong his inevitable end. In the material plane there are few like him, with bright white hair, seen as a Champion of Death. He offers to Bran a life for a life, to kill another to pay for his own, but Bran refuses. Death proposes another quest to him, to find another Champion who has gone past their date. This person carries a deck that prophecies the future, and Death wishes for it's disposal so his Champion can no longer evade death. He gives Bran one year to destroy the deck.

There are two clauses. If Bran does not fulfill this quest in a year, he'd be put to death. The other being he could get out of this earlier if he takes a life for a life, but he quickly refuses to do such a thing. Bran agrees, then requests to see VIolet one more time before returning. Death opens a new door, showing Violet back home with Berry resting in her hands. Bran goes to close the door, but touching the knob causes a shock of magic goes through Violet causing fire to burst from her palms. As the door swings close, Bran can only hear her calls for their mother. Another door appears in front of him to his body. Death reminds him the faster he finds his champion, the faster he can give Bran an answer. His best bet is to go west, in a place where death is all over. His runaway champion likes to hide in the sand, he likes to pretend that he was the reason the blight stopped.

Meanwhile as Bran steps forward, he hears the frantic shouts of Monsoon giving orders. Anthir rushes to his aid, rummaging through his bag of holding for something to soak the blood. Oriza and Anthir pump healing spells into his corpse, but there's no use. Seeing his body still, for a few minutes the party is in disbelief, stunned and in anguish. Everyone crowds Bran's body and watches as his brown hair turns white. The veins above his heart where he was struck turn dark, forming a countdown of 365 days for his quest. As Bran shoots up from the ground coughing, the party looks in shock, before Riya immediately hugs him expressing how glad she is to see him. Anthir clings to Bran's sleeve, wanting to cast more healing but is spent. Oriza stands back giving space, their shoulders and grip on Spectre's reigns relaxing seeing him alright. Hira stands completely catatonic, unsure how to process such a loss, and quick revival. Oriza moves towards Monsoon, pouring water over his bloodied hands to be washed away.

Monsoon stares wide eyed at Bran, thanking Oriza for her help, and proposes they rest and speak. He asks Oriza to scope the land with Divine Sense, and senses no trace of Arel or their magic around them. They all sit together in silence, unsure of what to say. Bran shares he was given a second chance in exchange of something, and there's recognition in Monsoon's eyes as he says this. He continues to share his meeting with Death, and the quest given to him. Hira asks for any clues or insight of what to look for, but relays the same things Death told him of his location and purpose. Bran expresses the rest of them don't have to follow him west, but Hira expresses how absurd that sounds to let him go alone. Monsoon expresses concern of Bran going to Rune, as his magic is unpredictable and difficult to manage. The entire group refuse to let him go alone, offering to stay with him the entire way.

Monsoon reminds them a year is a long time, there is time to learn to control his powers, and time to deal with the portals and his raging ex partners. Hira then questions what Monsoon will do now, if he's going to leave the party. Monsoon expresses he feels like he owes it to the party to stay, at least until Arel is dealt with, he'll help in any way he can. Fate is strange, they wouldn't need to go to Rune before all this happened, and he suggests preparing for the path ahead. He looks to the Bran-designated leader, Riya, saying it's up to her. Riya is overwhelmed by everything, and Hira reassures her that they might not need a leader after all, perhaps they'll vote on it later.

Agreeing on taking a short rest, Monsoon approaches Oriza with the task of sensing out Arel's magic. He reveals that Arel feels more fey than anything else, and expresses his previous love for them. Oriza questions if he thinks Arel's affections for him were false, or we're twisted by his magic. Monsoon admits he doesn't want to talk about it right now, instead gazing over at Bran. Oriza admits they don't speak much, but wishes for the two of them to be close, believing that the two of them need one another. He leaves the group to go bathe on his own, but Bran follows behind wishing to speak with him. Bran looks down at the waters seeing his reflection for the first time, exclaiming his hair is white! Monsoon laughs, saying it happens to all of them who've met Death before.

Bran asks what had happened to Monsoon. He explains that he and Vilya had ran away from home, but Vilya ran into trouble. He followed, which lead to the two of them to fight their father and ultimately lost, and presumably were killed. Monsoon admits it was easier to trade his life for another, but respects Bran's values. He views the life taken as protecting those who you care of the most, and jokes that it's good his sister hadn't tagged along. Bran opens up about Violet, revealing that she is familiar with Death. Monsoon posits that perhaps she hid that from him, but Bran insists his family never hid anything from one another. Monsoon questions if Bran would tell his family what happened to him today, and Bran admits they wouldn't need to know. With Violet's hair being brown, the two think that perhaps she isn't aware of her tie with Death.

Monsoon reminds Bran not to reveal how he got his hair, over zealous folks would have a field day with that knowledge. Bran then asks weeks ago what Arel had said to him when they all visited the Fade in their dreams. Monsoon admits Arel told him that Bran was a problem to their plan, and that he was a hindrance for his as well, but doesn't believe that. Bran apologizes for what he did, and promises to work back to giving the magic he once stole. Monsoon holds him to it, even if Bran dies before returning it, he'd follow him into the afterlife himself. Monsoon then pauses, exclaiming *"WHERE THE FUCK IS MY SISTER?!"* in frustration. He returns to the group asking Hira if she's heard anything, who shakes her head and asks Anthir as well. Neither of them have been reached out by her in weeks.

Hira then brings up her journal, asking the heavy question. If one of them were to die and not receive a second chance, where would they wish to be buried? Monsoon says Stormridge Mountains, during a time of storm and lightning. Bran wishes to be back in his home town of Corna, buried under the tree he and Violet used to sit. Anthir isn't sure for an exact place, but along the borders to Rune there are ruins they'd like to be laid to rest at. Hira admits to not having a specific place in mind, but wishes to be brought back to Calypso. Oriza admits the place they wish to be buried is extremely difficult to get into, so opts for the ruins of Elyxir Kingdom, south east of the border of Rune. Riya says to take her back home to Alamaur, south of Esmos. Hira thanks them all, hoping she'll never have to use this knowledge.

Riya is feeling overwhelmed by the gravity of this adventure. She thinks of herself as a failure of a friend for not being able to reach Bran fast enough, for not being there. The guilt consumes her, but the ring on her finger provides a comforting warmth. Oriza feels frustrated, her sword and shield are useless in her hands, not being able to save anyone under her care. Whilst his body remains in autopilot the deepest darkest part of her rages and grips onto her and waits patiently for the day you acknowledge it in full, they push their anger away to remain the ever stoic fortress that they've been. Crumbling at the seams, but a fortress is a fortress after all.

Anthir, ever devoted to healing, is reminded of another time someone had died in his arms. The smell of blood throws him back seven years ago, where hot sand choked him back in tears, the emotions are so familiar remembering how he ran from the ruins. He feels useless, a pit of sadness withing his chest of something unknown. Hira has a hard time coming to terms with Bran being ripped away so abruptly, even though she was surrounded by death, none have hit as hard as the loss of Bran. Her confusion turns to anger towards Arel, not understanding the lengths they'd go for some petty threat made, she's upset seeing them abuse their power for the worst possible thing. A voice chuckles in her mind, intrigued by what had made her so angry to lead her to fight, and promises to get her back one way or another.

Bran looks at the countdown of his chest, almost like a tattoo. His whole quest was to get answers not only about himself but about his family but everytime he takes a step forward he takes two steps back. He worries for Violet after the scene from the door, he recounts his conversation with Death, and how all his worries and fears returned to him as his soul did to his body. But he looks to everyone around him, seeing another family in the making, he feels loved and comforted here. He feels a bit of hope out of everything. The party begins to move out, with Oriza offering Spectre to Bran, who excitingly proclaims he's never ridden a horse before. He hoists him up, saying Bran has enough room to take a nap if he wishes.

Moving forward, the sun shifts and time passes, light leaves trees as its densely crowded, engulfed in shadow. at one point the trees trunks spin and twirls into each other, the trees were grown this way and look like they were battling for sunlight. Eventually they come across a familiar clearing of the hot springs. Frustrated, the group realize the steam of the waters is tinged green. It finally clicks in each of your heads the reason why this place isn't in the maps. why the water here is a little different a little healing, as a part of the Fade has bled over into the material plane. Hira and Oriza step ahead to inspect the tree for a portal, feeling the intensity of the magic surrounding them. The densest part of magic is in the tree, whose ridges start to move on it's bark to make a face. The tree opens it's eyes proclaiming it's rude to stare, and wonders what they want. Hira apologizes, asking how they could leave, but the tree knows nothing. Within the mouth of the tree, she can see the portal within the stump. Apologizing once more for intruding, Hira takes Oriza's wrist and rushes to the others to relay this information.

Hira relays that the portal is within the tree, and wonders if Riya or her friend know how to close it. Riya isn't sure, and Monsoon questions how they'd reach the portal in the first place. Hira thinks back to Odin in the well, how he shut the portal. Hira attempts to decipher a way to close a rift, accepting the Bane to her Boon, she remembers seeing Odin move his axe, channelling magic from his hand to force it close. To close a rift is to seal it with a force of magic, willing it close as the very core of magic is one's willpower. It is seemingly difficult, but everyone could close one. As for her Boon, Hira's wish of an answer has a wave of magic hit her, blinking she finds herself on a stage, a podium. She sees a crowd she once stood in, faces shrouded in masks familiar to her. There is only one person who stands on that podium, feeling herself looking through the eyes of The Monarch.

> *"Oh little one...You are just how I wanted you to be. So hungry, so furious..i'll be back for you later."*
>
>

Feeling herself reconnect with The Monarch, she begins to claw at her face. She knows there is something still within her, and wishes for it out. She falls to her knees in anguish, clawing and scratching her cheeks. Gaining her Bane, and an unfortunate Boon.

## Featured Characters

#### The Fireflies

* Anthir
* Bran
* Hiraeth
* Oriza
* Riya

#### Returning

* Monsoon
* Spectre

#### Mentioned

* Arel
* Ambrose
* Violet
* Vilya