A maelstrom crosses the land. It is sudden, then explosive, then gone as soon as it came. The half-child doesn’t understand this strange weather phenomenon, but he sneaks from his hiding place to follow it anyways. Having finally found a place within the Basin, a home to call his own (though suspiciously lacking his mother), he has taken to exploring. In the moments where Erebos is busy with his father, learning lessons that Adelric himself is not privy to, the boy and his cervid travel the snowy lands within and around the mountain. There are many mysteries here to unlock, but he has plenty of time to do so. So follow the storm he does- perhaps he should have turned around.

He comes upon a pegasus and a unicorn in time, and though he does not hear the mare’s words, there are plenty of things to consider. First and foremost is the way that the wind continues to assault Thor even though the air around him is deadly still. The half-child wonders and watches, converses with Tobias and contemplates the reasons that such a weather might exist. Magic? he queries to the cervid, who has no answer for him and does nothing but bleat softly. And then it grows worse. Adelric approaches closer, his eager mind searching for information to steal and catalogue from this situation.

Don’t go too close. He heeds his own advice and keeps some distance between them.

And after what seems like ages of torture for the winged creature, his beloved air having been his assailant, the stranger is given respite from the gale. Adelric has half a mind to open his mouth, to interject, to question the stallion about what has happened, but he manages to hold his tongue for a moment and just watch the evil here take place. Tobias thinks of the other evil that the half-child has been present to witness and Adelric nods to him. Yes… the cervid is right. This is the same malevolence that plagued the Frozen Arch when he was there. Perhaps these snows are haunted…

As if confirming the thought, an inky black snake weaves across the frozen, chilled ground, come to Thor, invading his body and violating him from nostril inward. Finally Adelric approaches, against his own better advice, curiosity filling him that he just cannot hold back. “Does it hurt?” he asks finally, watching as the black smoke evacuates itself from Thor’s body. He is careful to keep his own nostrils tucked close to his chest, but it is clear by his lack of concern for Thor’s general well-being that the child has learned few manners in his life. But then, scientists are solitary creatures by nature- they have no need for social niceties.