Spring had always been Magnus’ favorite season. He loved the new life as it grew silently, the infantile vegetation showing its face toward the sun, reaching outward and blooming into brilliance. In the Gates, it had been a quiet beauty, wildflowers expanding over the hills, and the grass turning a deeper and more vibrant hue. In Tephra though, it was almost overwhelming. Nurtured by the volcanic soil, the growth was magnificent—the flowers huge, the grass reaching up to your belly in spaces. The scent of the land was almost overpowering enough to mask the sulphur, although he had long learned to ignore it.
When he sees Aranea cross the border with the grullo mare by her side, he grins. He knows how hard she has worked to recruit, how hindered she was by the lack of her own voice. One day, he promised himself. One day, he would find a way to return communication to her. Shaking away the thought, he began to make his way toward the duo, long before Aranea lifted her head to call for him. So that by the time that she does actually make some noise, quiet as it may be, he is near enough to actually hear it.
And near enough to answer it with a call of his own.
Moments after his deep voice breaks the air, he comes to the two, the heated air causing his skin to darken with sweat, the gold deepened. “Hello, to you both.” He nodded at Aranea, giving her a kind smile before turning his attention to the newcomer. “I see you met Aranea. She’s one of our most trusted diplomats.” He didn’t know the mare, but he thought highly of her, if only for trusting her instinct to follow the silent diplomat. It took character to trust someone who could not use their words to convince you.
“This is Tephra.” He motioned around, the volcano looming over them.
“My name is Magnus. Is there anything I can help you with?”
out of the blue out into the loneliest place that you'll ever know
I carried the world just as far as I could but the damage had taken its toll
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