[attr="class","illeana"]

[attr="class","illeana b"]

[attr="class","illeana i"]comfort comes more from his hand than words. she finds the warmth soothing against the frosty cold.

her legs don't quite agree but... she's not used to being in the field as much anymore. after the events in littleroot and the ultra beast war, she had been placed on a strict no field regimen. it's odd being back into the thick of things.

and for her own selfish gains, no less.

she nods in acceptance, choosing to believe him than doubt. they've been on the path long enough, anyway. long enough for trees to grow white snowy caps. somehow, even with the high altitude, the ground is mostly stone and dirt. she had expected more snow, more reminders of home.

"have you ever seen spear pillar before?" it's soft, curious, accompanied with the turn of her head to give him her full attention. her golurk walks quietly at her side, too focused on their surroundings to pay much mind to the scientist's conversation.

the wind has other ideas.

it threatens to swallow her words as it pushes against her. up here, everything seems to come to a stop. the sounds of pokemon cease and silence falls without warning. it leaves a small unease in her bones, as if she's never experienced anything like it. her golurk's low, warning rumble is lost against the wind.

in the stillness, she finds an eerie sensation... as if being watched. it's paranoia at best but it keeps her tense, on edge.

and yet, when felix's arm settles around her shoulders to keep her steady, her body doesn't jump. she relaxes slightly and shifts closer to warmth, to security, to him.

"it's weird how quiet it is."

are they walking onto hallowed ground?

Felix Gallagher

[attr="class","illeana"]

[attr="class","illeana b"]

[attr="class","illeana i"]the height of mt coronet is impressive, even from far away. climbing it, watching scenery change from lush greenery to snowy terrain and then to rocky dirt... it's an experience she's dreamed of since she was small.

and as she folds into felix's side, held close and safe, her eyes dart around as if she can commit it all to memory with just one look.

"it's supposed to be incredible," she murmurs. holy, even. the ruins of a past temple, of a monument to the gods left ruined and tattered. she's only ever seen pictures in books, as a background piece of the creation mythology.

even in photographs, it felt otherworldly. she wonders how it'll feel in person.

silence follows them like shadows, like ghosts. it haunts the edges all around them. the higher they go, the closer they get... the stiller the air becomes. eventually, fierce winds begin to slowly dwindle down to more manageable paces.

"does the quiet have to do with the ruins?" or is it something else?

she can't shake the feeling that it's still for a reason beyond remains of a temple. it's almost as if there's a purpose behind it or a need for absolute silence.

perhaps... it's easier for prayers to be heard in the quiet.

his froslass signals their approach to the monument. and when he speaks confirmation of spear pillar being close, a light sparks in her eyes. excitement quickly overtakes her and she wiggles a little into his side, a smile slowly curling into her cheeks as her head tilts up to look at him.

"ready?"

Felix Gallagher

[attr="class","illeana"]

[attr="class","illeana b"]

[attr="class","illeana i"]while there's a purpose to this trip, she can't help the childlike excitement that bubbles up.

it's unknown, it's foreign, and it's incredible.

a place of myth and legend. a place a younger version of herself had only dreamed of. and it's all right in front of her, beneath her feet. it's tangible, real, no longer in the pages of a book.

she stays tucked into his side for a moment. the warmth of his arm keeps her contained but there's a fidget to her body as if she wants to explore further.

the ruins stretch up toward the sky like fingers reaching for the heavens. they're crumbled pieces of former glory, rubble littering the ground around them.

and yet, she's never seen anything quite as beautiful.

finally, she peels herself away from felix to take the first few steps forward. her hand stays rooted in his, tethering them from straying too far away from the other.

"any place you'd like to start?"

her head turns and her smile brightens a bit further. she feels a pull to the center of the monument but there's so much to take in... she doesn't quite know what to do first.

Felix Gallagher

[attr="class","illeana"]

[attr="class","illeana b"]

[attr="class","illeana i"]he trails slightly behind her and as she grins up at him, he gives her free reign.

whatever she wants... there's a lot she could do with that statement.

"let's look at the center first."

a light tug on their intertwined hands follows.

her golurk rumbles softly, shifting in front of her without hesitation. the titan is cautious, just as felix and his pokemon are, and rightfully so. they don't know what spear pillar holds... whether it's knowledge waiting to be discovered or traps ready to be sprung.

she knows, at least, that they won't let her run head first in without protection. perhaps that's why she's at ease, relaxed and weightless.

a few steps forward are mirrored by her golurk. they move as one cohesive little unit, with her automaton leading and her following closely behind.

her head turns to the left first, as if committing the ruined pillars to memory. and then, to the right...

she lingers on felix for a moment, smile widening, before her gaze continues on to the remaining rubble beyond broad shoulders.

"it's so pretty."

Felix Gallagher

[attr="class","illeana"]

[attr="class","illeana b"]

[attr="class","illeana i"]she lightly tugs at his hand with a tighter grip than before.

around them, the wind begins to whip up. it stirs through her hair and then after a moment, stills. there's an eerie sense of something that seems so close yet so far.

her golurk rumbles softly. the ghost can sense it too... the witching hour.

and in the center of the monument lies a pattern: a triangle encased in a square.

she, naturally, drags felix toward it without hesitation.

"what's that?" the question is soft, curious, and childlike.

she steals another glance at felix before taking a few steps closer. she knows, somehow, that he won't stray too far out of reach. perhaps that's why she dances on the edge of adventure, fingers reaching out as she bends to trace the outline of the triangle.

"is this where one would make an offering?"

or... better yet, a prayer?

Felix Gallagher

[attr="class","illeana"]

[attr="class","illeana b"]

[attr="class","illeana i"]at first... there's nothing.

it's still, eerie, and quiet. not even the wind blows. silence falls and it's almost deafening.

and when the beginning of it all occurs, it sends the senses reeling.

it seeps into her body from fingertips and toes until she's covered in an ivy of dread. she gasps and crumples into herself as if she's been hit in the stomach. tears well up and spill over.

in the center of it all is a simple message. it tugs harshly at abandonment wounds and scorches everything black.

Ꮤ𐌄 𐋅𐌀ᕓ𐌄 𐌁𐌄𐌄𐌍 𐌀𐌁𐌀𐌍𐌃Ꝋ𐌍𐌄𐌃.

her golurk rumbles a low, agonizingly hollow sound. there's nothing here, not even ruins.

when the odd, overwhelming sensation fades... she stays on the ground and curls into herself. she pants softly, chest heaving as she struggles to catch her breath. the automaton joins her and a clay hand falls onto her shoulder, solid and comforting.

"i," she starts, stops, and frowns. did felix feel it too? the dread, the desertion, the hopelessness.

her expression tightens into something steely.

"there's nothing here."

the wind begins to blow once more and god, it's lonelier than before.

"not even a trace."

she wants to believe the ruins have been abandoned in favor of another region or another plane... but there's just no way to know. she prays for a god that isn't here and it's torture.

Felix Gallagher