Fantasy Willowwood Conduits

[Prairerosethefirst]

Bolt smiled gently. “Black is fine.” He sipped at it glancing up at Jay. His boyfriend smiling gently. “Ah of course not, to the breaking in. We just treaded a little too far where they happened to be… she’s extending her territory apparently.”

 

[Keeperoftheghosts]

Ivory grimaced refilling her own coffee and grabbing a chair from her divination table so she could sit as well.
"That...doesn't sound good...are all parts of this place under someone's rule? That sounds like it could get violent very quickly if so...and I worry about what will happen to the spirits that result from it. It sounds like Everett's more so tend to guide them away but if they're the ghosts of someone who was previously their enemy?" She asked furrowing her brow ever so slightly, as she traced the rim of her coffee mug absentmindedly .

 

[Prairerosethefirst]

Bolt set his notebook on the counter and hummed. “I'm thinking the same thing… there’s not much we can do to prevent it though without getting caught up in their war…” He flipped through his pages and paused on a crude drawing of a map. “She seems to be intruding into Perish’s land… not that I think Perish will notice. I guess Everett assumes the same thing. With Perish pretty much keeping to her little abandoned carnival I don’t think she would see the problem until it’s too late.”

 

[Keeperoftheghosts]

Ivory tapped her chin getting up from her seat to take a look at the map.
"So no bloodshed in the immediate future that's good...it'll be worth keeping an eye on. To my understanding a lot of these people have no choice in the matter of who they serve so...hopefully they won't cause too much trouble for their enemies ghosts, if 'Perish?' decides to retaliate when she does evidently notice....How did Everett's determine you were a conduit by the way?" She asked glancing back outside before turning back to the crude map.

 

[Prairerosethefirst]

“Ah… I…. Accidentally went to her thinking she’d help me. I found out quickly that wasn’t so.” He shrugged. Jay eating his coffee cake floating just above Bolt’s head. As he looked through the pages running his fingers over the page. Pausing as he pointed out a little circle.

 

[Keeperoftheghosts]

Ivory tilted her head looking at the circle curiously.
"That's an understandable mistake. I suppose they've been going after you ever since?" She asked glancing at him and then back at the circle.
"And...what is that? Or what does it symbolize?" She asked.

 

[Prairerosethefirst]

“Pretty much. This here is the only unoccupied space in all of Willowwood. Well… that I'm able to find… I have my cabin near it. It's a safe zone because there isn't anyone being under some control. And none of the keyholders are over the area… I actually find it odd.”

 

[Keeperoftheghosts]

Ivory frowned taking a drink of her coffee in thought.
"That is odd...it'd be one thing if there's multiple of those zones but...just one? Have you noticed anything else weird about the place? Who surrounds it, is it really a perfect circle or?" She tapped her fingers against her coffee mug for a moment before glancing upstairs furrowing her brow.
"That's just far too coincidental."

 

[Prairerosethefirst]

“It's a perfect little circle… and I've never seen any of the keyholder's servants roam into the area… actually they go around it. I don't think they notice though. Like I said. Safe zone.” He flipped the pages and then showed her some symbols. “These stones surround the area. They have these symbols on them. I think it's magic of some sort. Not sure how it works… I burnt myself touching them… immovable.”

 

[Keeperoftheghosts]

Ivory carefully examined the symbols with a curious tilt to her head. She stopped moving to quickly grab her own journal and draw them out in the back pages.
"Fascinating...it would have to be Magic I think if Everett's can't see through it. What about citizens? Do you know if those that aren't involved with anyone are able to enter? " she asked looking up from her own careful renditions of the runes with a thoughtful hum.
"The cabin, it was prebuilt right? The one you live in? They were likely set up by the original occupant if so."

 

[Prairerosethefirst]

“Well… yeah it was there before I moved in. I'm not sure about other citizens… maybe it's some sort of cloaking! We’d have to do more experiments and investigate to find out though… you trust that Chester will keep you safe with Eel right? I'll show you where it is and we can see if you can lead a keyholder servant there. Obviously, I wouldn't be there just in case… I doubt he’d be so kind to leave me alive.”

 

[Keeperoftheghosts]

"We should test it out I agree...umm safe is relative, he did break in and try to tie me up so he and Chester could go kill someone, but he's not going to try and kill or hurt me. I doubt he trusts us enough to follow me to some random part of the woods, not without an explanation at least. And I agree, I would rather not put your life in danger. " she pointed out pausing and jotting something down by the runes.
"I suppose I could ask next time he decides to drop by if he knows of any areas that no keyholders control and take it from there..." she said cautiously.

 

[Prairerosethefirst]

Bolt looked up at her tilting his head. “Maybe… is he high enough in whatever weird ranking system Receiver has to have access to that sort of info? Plus wouldn't he question why you're asking? Ah wait… maybe not. You’re naturally curious about things like I am… so if anything he would probably think nothing of it.”

 

[Keeperoftheghosts]

"...I don't know what rank he is...or even that they had ranks. He and Ink were responsible for going after a defector though and they're partners if that's any clue. I'm not so sure about that though, he was able to figure out that I was a conduit pretty quickly after meeting me...he's surprisingly observent...unless that was pure luck or lumping everyone with a bond together on his part..." she said glancing upwards in deep thought.
"...maybe I could try asking....she did say she'd do her best to help us figure this out."

 

[Prairerosethefirst]

“She who?” Bolt glanced up from his notes and furrowed his eyebrows. “I guess he would have to be observant… being an assassin for Receiver would require more smarts than people take credit for. Stalking and killing people the way they do requires quick thinking and actions.”

 

[Keeperoftheghosts]

Ivory hesitated and shook her head.
"Just a ghost I encountered recently...I'm not sure if she'd want me sharing the specifics of who she was exactly. " she let out a sigh running a hand through her bangs.
"I suppose I should just request it straight. Say that I found an area- obviously avoid mentioning you- with a bunch of rocks with runes around it that seemed to be cloaking it and ask if he knows anything about it. I don't know how willing he would be to answer it as he seems to tolerate my presence as a necessity to hang out with Chester at best."

 

[Prairerosethefirst]

Bolt nodded slightly as he glanced at Jay who had landed beside him. “That may work... And what do you mean by tolerate? It seems like a very sketchy failsafe for Chester to be the only thing that keeps Eel from throttling you…” He flipped and made a note in his journal before taking out his phone. Going to check his messages is just to clear them out so Ivory’s texts could reach him better. Frowning at the onslaught of messages from Jay’s old colleague and again ignoring them as he pulled up a picture instead to show Ivory.
“Here, this is the clearing. I took a good picture of it to see if it changed anything. It didn't, but you can see where each of the runes sit in the grass.” He zoomed in and pointed them out to her as Jay went to take a sip of Bolt’s coffee as the man passed it his way.

 

[Keeperoftheghosts]

Ivory fished her own phone out from the bottom of her bag and snapped a picture of the picture before shoving it back inside.
"Tolerate as in my presence probably isn't something he particularly wishes for but is fine to deal with if it means he can spend time with Chester. And I know, I've been trying to put as much distance as I can between us with that in mind....but it's probably more of a failsafe then any other citizen has, I suppose I could be considered lucky. "
Ivory glanced up spotting the exchange of coffee out of her peripheral vision and quickly moved to grab another.
"My goodness, where are my manners, here let me get you another cup."

 

[Prairerosethefirst]

“I suppose. And no no it's fine I was done with it anyways.” Bolt smiled as Jay also didn't seem to mind. “Is there anything I can help you with? I feel like I'm using you and I hate to do that.” He moved and pocketed his phone as Jay walked off to inspect the outside of the store a bit with Bolt’s coffee in hand.

 

[Keeperoftheghosts]

Ivory stopped and moved back.
"It's fine you don't to help or repay me in anyway. I'm honestly equally curious about this as you are. Plus if anything you're the one that's putting your place of home at risk. " she pointed out. Glancing over at Jay as Chester curiously floated after him.
"Not much interesting over here." He pointed out with a chuckle.

 

[Prairerosethefirst]

“I'm being cautious… Everett isn't all that stupid… she does have spies around.” Jay hummed.

“Still I feel like I'm taking advantage…” Bolt frowned rubbing at his forehead. “I’d talk to some private investigation places around here but I don't want to deal with people anymore than I have to.”

 

[Keeperoftheghosts]

"So we could take them in a fight. Not a problem there." Chester grinned floating around in circles lazily flicking his tail.

Ivory tilted her head watching after the two ghosts until they were out of sight and turned back.
"How would an agency be able to help us? I mean I suppose we could hire someone to go check the area out and then we'd be able to know if citizens could see the area or not. I could initiate contact if you like. And again, I don't think you are taking advantage, we're working together. " she pointed out taking a sip out of her coffee mug .

 

[Prairerosethefirst]

Jay shook his head gently and landed leaning up against the building. Watching everyone around them going about their lives. “Still…”

Bolt smiled. “Ah… Jay used to have friends in the force that had a few of their own mysteries to solve. Torren is partially aware of things going down around here but… I kinda haven't talked to anyone in town except you for years.”

 

[Keeperoftheghosts]

Chester floated around occasionally making silly faces behind him.
"Still what, you people all worry too much."

Ivory let out a hum setting down her mug.
"Understandable...it can be difficult talking to normal living people at times. It feels as though we live in very different realities from them. This Torren, if you think he'd be helpful I can approach as a potential client."

 

[Prairerosethefirst]

“Clearly you never worry enough… I'm not about to let anything happen to Bolt if I can prevent it.” He huffed and went back to his scouting.

“Maybe… it's more so I'm nervous to show my face to them after vanishing from society…” He sighed and pinched at the bridge of his nose. “Still… Torren may have a little more insight on the goings of town than I do… and probably you too since he’s more directly working with people under town management.”