Solstice War - Gathering

[willysilver]

The Solstice was upon them. When the sun went down the magic began to swell, the veil between this world and the Other Side thin as vapor. Mortals could sense it, even, though they may not have a name for it. They gathered together, not realizing the animal instinct of safety in numbers.

But all around the city, from the dark parts, fae began to come together as well. Unseelie filled the city- boggarts and Red Caps and things unseen for many a year with bright eyes and sharp teeth. But they were tricksy, dangerous and malicious but no worse than they ever were. The real threat, the ever present danger this year, were the Milesian that crawled out of the sewers and tube tunnels to prowl they city. They were hunting tonight. They had eyes black and soulless, eyes too wide for their white, gaunt faces. Larger than their eyes were their mouth. The smile of needle fangs glinted in the street lights. Long arms ending with spidery, spindly fingers reached and clawed at passers by from the shadows.

There was a war in the city tonight and the nature of the foe, the Milesian, meant no bound mortal needed to be near any battle. Death would come to one or the other if a killing blow came down.

But there was hope. Seelie fae prowled the city as well, fighting for Light and Air. Even the Queen had seen fit to step through with her sword and shield. Such was the threat to the Fae way of life that the Milesian presented.

The longest day of the year dawned but the sunlight did nothing to frighten off the dark forces. The longest day of the year simply meant the things that went bump in the night were attacking in the light.




(Tag in, tag around! Open all week so check back. Have fun with your adventures. If you don't want any Milesian, there are plenty of Unseelie, too. Day or night, whichever works for you.)

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[willysilver]

Willy had been out all night, fighting for the safety of the city and the mortals in it. His mother would have him fight for the Seelie, for the tradition of it. But this year was not like any other. Willy knew what toll it would take on the city if the Milesian won. Not just the city but the world.

Night turned to day turned to night again. Willy had killed many with both sword and magic. He had been caught on Snapchat, Instagram, there was Facebook Live. But the consensus of the mortal world was that LARP and flashmobs were out of control. Even seeing fae at battle with their own eyes, they still denied the truth of it.

As the night wore on he paused to drink his fill of cool water and text Fin. He was weary and wanted to make sure the other fae was alright. There were others, too, he worried about. All his little family in this world. This war was much to dangerous and he hoped they were spared.

[prince_of_nymphs]

Fin had been filming mostly, but all his downtime had been spent fending off creatures of the night, trying to catch up with Will, but never quite making it. The breaking of their bond had left him lost, a bit hollow as well, and he was flickering between being in the moment and being somewhere very far away.

Will's text brought him back to the moment though, and he tapped back a quick reply.

Stay where you are. Coming to meet you.
We do this together.

[winter_wisp]

Winter didn't like the creatures. they felt like they should be kin, but... They weren't. They unquestionably weren't. He'd spent his time avoiding them mostly, but tonight, running home late from dance practice, that had proven impossible. It was as if they wanted him, reaching out for him every time he passed one in the shadows.

He was just shy of three blocks from the park when one managed to grab him, and the pixie howled loudly, reaching for the short dagger he carried with him always now.

"Don't touch me!" he screeched. "I'm not part of this war. I won't fight you. I refuse!"

The creature, unfortunately, didn't care what the pixie's stance on the war was though and lunged right at him.

[willysilver]

Willy tapped the address of the cafe he was at. They were about to close, but he sat outside with his water and his sword and he waited for Fin.

Things had been strained since their bond had been broken, but Willy put his faith in their love. He would cleave to Fin for the rest of their lives so long as the man would have him. Growth and understanding had been painful, but he had come to certain realizations about love.

Yes. They would do this together.

[prince_of_nymphs]

Unable to get an uber, Fin had demanded a car take him- An act that started the cast and crew. It wasn't really like Fin to demand anything really, and there was a feeling of concern and tension in the air as the fae hopped in the car and took off to meet Will.

"Been worried about you all day," he complained as he got out the car and made his way over to the other fae, waving for the driver to go.

[willysilver]

Will stood, his sword hanging in his hand.

"I have been busy," he said, as the black spatter on his shirt described quite well.

"I am glad you have come," he continued. "But it is very dangerous. I should take you home."

[wispofathing]

Properly speaking, Curnen was not and never had been a fae of the Seelie. Her father had been, once upon a time, but by the time she'd been born, the Tufa had been reshaped into not only their own court, but in some ways their own race.

That didn't stop Bliss from calling her telling her to get the everloving fuck out of Britain.

Curnen knew that was the wisest course of action, but as she had no way of explaining such an action and had even less funds to support it, she stayed put. And she regretted it thoroughly.

Because her blood still remembered, and it was singing to her to take up arms.

But her body had no training.

She had to figure out a safe place to go tonight. Going home was just going to drag her human roommates into this mess, and they didn't deserve Unseelie, let alone the things that stank of death that were also crawling around the city. She had not seen one of them yet, but she could feel them, and she hated it.

On the move as she was, hoping to find her path by walking, she didn't notice when one of those demons began to trail her. Her life smelled so sweet.

[phouka]

The Phouka was out, stalking through the streets with a wicked blade. He'd saved many, always in the shadows. He caught Curnen's scent, and the scent of the foe, and had followed along. She was a breath of flowers and sunlight and that was in sharp contrast to the fetid, acrid smell of the creature that followed her.

It closed in, the shadow of a building swallowing her up. The Phouka rushed forward as the Milesian reached for her with a long arm, spindly fingers grasping for her shirt.

"Fiend!" he growled, laying into it with vicious ferocity.

[prince_of_nymphs]

"I'll take you home, you wanker. Fuck off," Fin huffed, not about to be tucked away in some tower while a war was going on right here on the streets.

[willysilver]

Will nodded at that, understanding the sentiment.

"Have you a weapon?" he asked simply.

[phouka]

The Phouka was patrolling the park, a blade in hand. He'd tried earlier to wear the form of dog but the Milesian were far too strong for that. Cold iron was needed.

He heard Winter and bolted for him, arriving to see the pixie in the grasp of the monster. He growled ferociously and pounced on the pale foe, stabbing it with abandon.

[prince_of_nymphs]

"I've got my dagger, always," Fin replied. "And my magic- That's worth something, isn't it?"

[winter_wisp]

Winter watched in shock, only snapping out of it as another crept from the shadows and leapt into the fight.

"No!" the pixie shouted, springing towards the creature with his tiny blade of iron. "Don't touch him! Don't hurt my Phouka!"

[willysilver]

"It is worth much," Willy said. Then he smiled. "We are at war. Let us hunt," he said.

[prince_of_nymphs]

"Right, of course. ...Must be date night," Fin muttered, looking unsure and then shifting into his fox form. It was easier like this, he'd found. His vision was sharper and it kept his magic charged up and at the ready. It only took a moment to change back after all.

How many so far? he asked, looking up at Will as he trotted at his side.

[willysilver]

"So many," he said. "Through last night and today, dozens. And yet they keep coming like a plague upon the mortal realm."

[prince_of_nymphs]

Are you hurt at all? I can heal you if you are, Fin reminded him, the fox letting out a soft whine of worry.

[phouka]

The Phouka's own blade sunk in, again and again, and the creature shrieked. With the combined efforts of both their weapons the Milesian soon began to smoke and soon evaporated into aether.

The Phouka was breathing hard when he took Winter in his hands.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

[willysilver]

"No. I am well so far," Willy answered, walking along and thinking nothing of the fuzzy, white companion he had.

"Stay alert. The Unseelie and the Milesian alike are afoot tonight."

[winter_wisp]

"No! I'm not fine, Phouka," the pixie insisted. "I don't want to be at war, and they won't listen! If they;d just listen, I'd explain I'm a pacifist now."

[phouka]

"But they are at war, my love. Your words have no meaning to them. I will remain by your side and fight in your stead," the creature said, rubbing Winter's back. "When you are home you may hide away...but we must get you there first."

[prince_of_nymphs]

I will bite them the fox insisted, though the fae knew that was a silly thought.

I've encountered a few, Fin confessed, looking up at Will. They're much more unsettling than the fae that came for us before, aren't they?

[winter_wisp]

"I won't hide and leave you to fight for me! I'm not a coward, Phouka," the pixie insisted. "...Besides, My blade is stained now."

[willysilver]

"Very much so," Willy said, his long strides challenging Fin to keep up. "The Milesian were banished, dark creatures twisted by solitude. They are infinitely worse than the Unseelie, my love."

[phouka]

"Then we will fight together and our enemies will flee before us," The Phouka said, smiling at Winter. "Tonight you are not a pacifist. You are a warrior."