#i do also think meta knight's mask would be bigger than that if she held it; given how small she is next to him

[starflungwaddledee]

participated in a "species swap" challenge with starstruck a little while back where i took some prompts to see what she might look like as a few other familiar faces!

once again posting this one as @kirbyoctournament propaganda...! trying hard, it's the final push in the final round!! can she do it?? you can vote here to help! aaa!!

[carina-debayle]

Dream Walking: Halone’s Virtue

Log Date: 2/19/17

OOC Note: The text in these logs are strictly for the readers enjoyment. Anyone using the knowledge displayed within this text without the participants knowledge risks the potential of blacklisting from future communication and roleplay. Please do not meta-game!

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Tags: @halone-from-the-otherside

 After having another one of the De’bayle siblings watch their daughter, Armont lead me through the Shroud until we reached the border to Coerthas by chocoback. Further on, we continued by foot. I was unsure as to where he was leading me, but he insisted it was of great importance to him that I see it...

 Reaching back to clip the face mask back onto his helmet, Armont look to Carina and nodded. "We are almost there." He shouted through the strong blizzard conditions that rushed down the path towards them. Placing the woman behind him to take the brunt of the wind for her, Armont would tread through the thick snow that blanketed the cobblestone road. "Do you need a mask? I know you do not enjoy the cold and I can give you mine if you desire." He shouted once more, peeking back at her with his glowing red eye that granted clarity through the storm.

Shaking her head through the fluffy scarf wrapped securely around her neck, Carina let out a puff of steam into the bitter air. "I am... alright for now... at least I have you and Joseph for warmth," she grumbles out, her body close to her husband's and her beast at her feet. While she was certainly no fan of the cold due to past experiences, she was curious as to what he was bringing her all this way for.

Armont De'bayle let out a soft breath of air into his helmet as he look to her. Pulling the spear from his back into both hands, he would tilt its point slightly forward at the path as they continued on. With his wife close to his back and Joseph not too far from them, Armont's eye would begin glowing a vibrant crimson as he scanned the area around them as he normally had when on patrol. "It will not be much longer, I assure you. If you at any moment need to stop just say the word." He said, placing the woman's hand on his back so he could feel her if she slipped behind.

Pressing her gloved fingertips into the leather of her husband's armour, Carina breathed out heavily into the cold air, her eyes closed as she mumbled under her breath trying to distract herself from the chill. "I.. I will let you know..." damn her size and demeanor... perhaps if she were bigger.... Now was not the time to to think on the lack thereof heat, though at least she didn't feel quite as cold as she may have once used to. Seemed perhaps acclimation wasn't entirely impossible.

As the two continued on through the punishing winds, they would come across the large stream that rushed before them. It was something that in the past, he was easily able to get around. Stopping just feet from the water's edge, Armont would take a knee towards it while looking back to her. "You have two options and a possibility to make this quicker on you." He said, further looking at the woman to see if she looked odd or fatigued. "Either hop onto my back and we can jump this and be on our way towards our destination, or use Joseph and follow behind. It is entirely what you wish, as you do not weight much."

Carina Roussos:"Hmm... well, I suppose that depends also on how comfortable you'd feel carrying Joseph as well," she laughs, "he is a bit chubby..." she smirks down at the beast who merely grunted back at her.

Armont De'bayle turned to face his wife. "Then it seems it is settled. Mount up, Beastmaster. We will make this quicker on you."

Shrugging her arms, Carina bent over to help Joseph out of his little coat and seals, stepping back as the beast grew tenfold. Carefully mounting onto his back, the creature let out content grunt in being allowed to be in his full size.

Armont De'bayle placed a hand onto Joseph's shoulder as he nodded up to the woman. "Then follow my lead." His feet spun slightly before leaping over the stream. Once landing on the other side, he'd continue to bound through the trees and rocks, looking back every so often to ensure they were following. Armont would gracefully land on the snowy path that winded up the hillside. Looking to Joseph and Carina who had no issue following, he'd place the spear back onto his back before beckoning them closer. "We are here." He simply said out as his right hand pointed towards the crack in the mountains opening.

Following Armont slowly as the snow began to die down to a thick flurry, Carina eventually dismounted the beast once they were stopped. "Mmm..." noticing the entrance on the side of the stone structure, Carina glanced to Joseph, "why don't you wander around some? This is your territory after all, I will call for you back when we're done," she smiled, patting the beast's muzzle as he rubbed his wet nose to her a moment, then turning to charge off into the snow.

Armont De'bayle placed a hand behind his wife's back as the two walked in, rolling his left shoulder some before bringing it out to slide roughly against the coarse stone. As they walked further into the cave, Armont would look to Carina as he placed a finger over his mouth. Bending around the corner, the stone turned into a bright blue chasm. Each step the two made seemed to only endlessly echo until fading out. In itself, the area was completely silent, not even the harsh winds outside creating any ambience.

The only sounds reaching Carina's ears were that of Armont's armour crunching to the rock beneath them, and her own heels clacking against the stone. Staring about, the area's mood seemed to have a strange effect. She wasn't quite sure if she felt warmer, or colder. Eyes directing upward, she ever so slightly caught eye of the symbol of Halone, carved into the stone.

Armont De'bayle reached down to grasp onto his wife's hand tightly to lead her to the waters edge. Sitting down, he would soon remove his helmet to show a calm expression as he tapped the sigil on his forehead. "Carina." Armonts voice whispered out to the woman, though his lips did not move.

Following him as she was tugged along, the woman eventually was brought down to sit in front of the Elezen. "Yes?" her words seemingly and wordlessly echoed out from her, their connection seemingly warming her further.

Armont De'bayle simply smiled, his left eye flaring down into a calming red. "This is a place I have visited time and time again when I needed to think. It is a safe haven... a place where you may simply reside and process thoughts with no distractions." He whispered back to her as his hands moved up to pull the headpiece from her. Placing it into her hands, Armont leaned in to press his forehead against hers, his own sigil glowing white in response.

Feeling the warmth of his head against her, Carina's eyes softened into closing as she inhaled slowly. "Think... it is very calming here... surreal almost. This is Halone's virtue isn't it? A holy ground?"

Armont De'bayle nodded against the woman as he smiled. "Aye, aye it is." He shifted in place for a moment, closing his eyes shortly after. "When I spoke to you nights ago. I wished to show you why I hold onto my faith as fervently as I do. I can show you why I do, show you the sole reason for it."

"Oh?" her words echoed between them, not throughout the cavern, but rather through their minds, "I can't help but say I am curious. Perhaps your devout nature will rub off on me... though perhaps not," her laughs seeps between them "that is alright though, I wish to see why you are who you are. I wish to know every part of you."

Armont De'bayle gently pressed his lips to hers before connecting their foreheads once more. "Then you will see." He echoed out to her as the two began to drift into their dream walking state. It would be quick and sudden change for the woman to take in as Armont formed the landscape around them through memory alone. He exhaled softly and slowly as he opened his eyes to look around the area. Before the two were countless Ishgardian Knights, some of the rose, and others from the bell, all covered deeply in blood. Every action that the knights performed was taken in slow motion as Armont lead Carina through the battlefield. "It was here that I threw away any and all doubt for my devotion to the gods. Most of the men I served with had relatives who have passed long before joining as mine did, and all held onto their faith just as I did." Rushing to kneel before a fallen knight with bloodied hands, the image of a younger Armont would be seen helmet-less. "When you have no one to turn to, you hold onto what you can. Faith. Halone was the one beacon in the tundra. The one flame that gave a sense of hope when all seemed lost. Aye... she will never speak out to us... but it is the feeling that she is watching over us, that she plays a hand in the inevitable." He sighed, watching as his image shook the lifeless body of one of Knights as the Horde swarmed the skies above. "Fate has taken many of my friends and family, but faith has preserved me. It has kept me moving forward in all  endeavors that I take. I will never ask you to follow, but simply know that faith in Halone... in any god... only gives a sense of hope for the future."

Watching the scene, Armont could more than likely feel Carina's hesitation, the tug to want to help. Knowing better though, her arms remained at her side as she followed close to the man, the images before her shifting strangely as she looked up toward him. "Travelling to a different world... to an entirely different place, strained my belief in the gods. Who do I worship? Do they really care?" she sighs out, "however... you are right. Faith, is the hope for the future. Not even necessarily faith in a god... but just faith. Hope. And when I truly think about it, I know it was our gods protecting me when I traveled to that new place. That gave me my gift... my ability to speak their language. To be standing here today. I know, it was chosen by them. Even if they frustrate me, I am... thankful. For without their guidance through my life, without leading me to all the /right/ people, I wouldn't... be who I am today."

Armont De'bayle closed his eyes as he turned to wrap his arms around her midsection. "We will never know if the gods from that world and the gods in this are in tandem... For all we know they are the same, but are simply called another name. We will never fully understand the god's intentions, but I wholeheartedly believe that they only act with positive intentions, even if the outcome was negative... Denz, Guillemont and I. We all lost everything including our parents, but there is not a single moment that I blame the Halone or the other gods for it, as it only placed a step for me to become more." His hand wrapped around her head to firmly press against his chest as he spoke out to her. "You have walked a path with many steps... and as you have said, they have lead you to the right people, and have created someone who looks to protect with ferocity and fervor. You have saved far more people after taking these steps. That is why I believe."

Wrapping her arms to his midsection, Carina nodded, "I like to believe that... as well. That I have been made better this way. I know I am stubborn, but... I am thankful to them. For the family they have allowed me to have. I am surprised they have smite me from this lush land... though perhaps they understand my frustration."

Armont De'bayle smiled as he patted the back of her head gently. "I am more than positive that they have understood, and perhaps this was another step for you to take. One that they have placed for both you and I." He said before chuckling as he tilted her head back to look up at him. "I am surprised you have not been smited either." He winked.

Carina smiled gently, "perhaps..." the woman's eyes soften, "Hestia came to me last night, telling me she snuck away with Joseph to visit Jancis. I was not angry with her, but she did ask Jancis about her injury... about the trouble up north," it was clear without words, through their connection, the fear radiating from her. The fear. Disappointment. Sadness. "Perhaps it would be better of us to sit down and explain to Hestia the situation better. She may not understand but... she needs to also know that it is okay to be afraid. That we all fear. But being afraid, doesn't mean you can't still be brave. She had told me, Jancis told her that. However, she didn't seem to convinced."

Armont De'bayle nodded. "Aye... she seems very concerned since we spoke to her when she... entered into our room some nights ago. She is a quick learner and picks up on conversations far better than someone at her age... I had not planned to talk to her further about this until she was older... but as you said, it is bothering her heavily."

"Of course it is..." Carina sighs, "she may be a small child, but she is still a person. With a heart and a brain. She may not be able to fully understand everything just yet, but she understand enough that everything is tense. Things are especially scary for children, whose perspectives are so small."

The landscape around them in their dream began to fade to a simple white as Armont spoke. "Then we will return and speak with Hestia. I am sure it will bring great relief... or understanding that everything will be fine."

"We need to make sure she understands that it's okay for her to scared, and that... while will do everything to protect her, we also have no intention on leaving her side. She needs that stability. Children are so easily... marred by the claws of reality. I do not wish to see the same happen to her... not yet," the white eventually became almost a mist, it surrounding them for a moment... a moment that could have felt like forever before a gust of air blew it from their sights, revealing them to be seated over long never ending hills of grass, flowers surrounding them as the sun shone over their heads.

Armont De'bayle looked around into the new landscape that her wife brought on. Taking in a deep calming breath as the scenery reminded him of pre-calamity Coerthas, he'd nod. "Aye. She has stability, though she does not have clarification." Glancing back down to his wife, Armont could cant his head slightly in question. "Same happen to her?" He questioned out curiously.

Carina's eyes glance toward the side, said mist returning and swirling eventually into the happy form of a child about Hestia's age, minus the kept brown locks replaced with messy recognizable blonde. Running around the field happily, the little girl eventually stopped her brown eyes growing heavy and sad. Angry. Eventually her form shifted, growing older and older, the same bitter, mean expression over it until eventually she violently reached for her face. No sounds elicited from the figure, but her skin began to peel from her form like ash, falling morbidly as blossomed petals do from trees, her skin left blistering red, burns in their wake. Eventually dropping to her knees in defeat, that figure too was eventually carried away by the wind. "The same... the world can be an evil place. But... it doesn't have to be."

Armont De'bayle turned and waved his hand through the air and as he did, the countless faces of the others in their House faded into sight, and just behind them were the gods that loomed down onto the field. "And that is why we fight to preserve it, why we fight for those who cannot. The gods already know of our futures and our fates, but it is the decisions that we make that count the most. Where one force of evil arises, another force rushes to prevent it. Sadly it is not always that simple... and sacrifices must be made for others to continue, but those sacrifices are never left un-noted, and our House is one that can made a great change within Eorzea."

Carina nods, leaning in to rest against her husband. "Quite so..." she whispers out, finding comfort in the eventual silence that follows, minus the breeze conjured in the surrounding projection, a peaceful scenery.

"I will give my life if it comes to it, be it for the gods or my family." He closed his eyes, hearing the familiar sounds of grass being whisped at by the overlapping breeze. "I will do it as my father had and his father before him." He sighed, pressing the woman against himself firmly as if to never let go. "I am ready to return to speak to our daughter when you are, though there is great peace with remaining idle here..."

Carina Roussos: "Hestia rests with Denz and Jancis for the evening. We do not need to rush to speak to her, as we will see her again soon. Being here like this though, here... well this is something special. To you. I wish to cherish it."

Armont De'bayle remained silent as he looked off into the far distance. "I love you Carina." He firmly stated, keeping his tight hold onto her as he smiled.

"And I love you as well..." she smiled.