Vayne played by @linxthesphinx

Calliope

Flying was, of course, always Calliope’s preferred method of transportation. Every time she rode through the clear skies atop her steed and most loyal companion, she felt truly accomplished. Like she had made it somewhere. The feeling of the wind in her hair and the clouds at her fingertips was usually more than enough to make her forget, however briefly, about every other part of her past but the aspiration she had now made complete. Because she was flying.

But even she acknowledged that walking was good for some things, too. What was the belief? That a hero must keep their feet on the ground to avoid losing sight of the things and people they were fighting for? Calliope had to do that, of course. It was practically a part of the manual.

Sometimes, though, it was just more convenient. This morning, Calliope had flown into town with the goal of buying up some materials to finally, finally repair that mess of a house she had been hiding out in all those years. The days had been quiet lately, even with her actively looking for a fight (as she always did.) So she might as well fill them with something. And that something for today was repairing the stairs that led up to the unused second floor of the farmhouse.

It wasn’t until after she’d purchased the wood and nails that she realized she couldn’t exactly pile it all on the back of her winged steed. She’d tried, however briefly, but the positioning of Mercy’s wings and the place she herself needed to sit made it downright impossible, not to mention the fact that it would all fly away the moment they got off the ground. So instead, the generous people of the neighboring town had lent her a cart that she had carefully (and with permission) attached to Mercy before departing.

Of course, it took far longer to make the trip grounded. About an hour into the trek, she had realized she’d severely underestimated just how far her hideaway was from town. Now, the sun was beginning to set over the hills.

“We won’t make it in time,” Calliope said softly to Mercy. “Would you like to find a place to stop for the night?”

Mercy didn’t answer with a neigh or a whinney as a normal horse might. Instead, Calliope was given a direct answer in the form of echoing words in her head.

We could always leave the cart here and fly home, Mercy offered. We could come back for it tomorrow morning.

Calliope frowned. “But what if it’s not there when we get back?”

It’s your choice, Mercy replied plainly. You know I only ever offer advice.

Calliope considered the road ahead. It stretched out as far as the eye could see, with the farmhouse she called home nowhere in sight. And light only continued to fade as she considered her decision. She had better make one now.

“Okay,” Calliope conceded. Dexterously, she slid off the saddle and went to detach the cart. “But we leave to retrieve it right as dawn breaks.”

Together, they pushed the cart to the side of the road in a position Calliope hoped didn’t make it look immediately tempting to would be thieves. She pulled a tarp over the wood, just in case it rained. Satisfied with her work, she was making to remount her steed when she saw Mercy immediately startle.

She’d never seen her startle like this before in all of the years they’d been partnered. She was a fearless companion, always riding into battle with her no matter the odds. But now, with no danger anywhere in sight, she seemed… well and truly scared.

“Mercy?” Calliope asked, alarmed.

Instead of a response of soft, radiant words, the noise that was projected into her mind was more like an unholy screech. Not the sound any human would make, but certainly not one a horse would, either. It was uncomfortable to even behold, the mental resonance bouncing off the insides of her skull.

Mercy? She asked again, this time psychically. It took all of her energy to project even that one word into her companion’s mind.

This time, the bone-chilling screech exited Mercy’s mouth physically, as a real noise. It was somehow even more uncomfortable to hear than the psychic screaming, and Calliope found herself doubling over and clutching her head. She tried, again and again, to ask Mercy what was wrong. But it felt like she couldn’t form a single coherent thought.