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Grian had been fuming when he'd made his way back down the mountain, a promise to make sure Jimmy stayed their Canary shouted over his shoulder. It wasn't like Grian's usual threats and playful banter. No it was heavier. Heavy in the way your body is when you realize the ice beneath you is cracking and you're miles from shore. It was a promise made to the Universe. A promise nature itself would bend to keep.
The wind is cold that evening after the session was called. It whistled through the bamboo in a haunting tune. "Follow me." It seemed to sing, drawing Jimmy away from the fire and towards the steep cliffs. The light from the scattered torches didn't quite reach this corner of the mountain top. The dark should scare him, it was an instinctual fear every player was spawned with. Even with the server set to peaceful between sessions it was never safe to let down your guard. He wasn't scared. He didn't feel much of anything if he was being honest.
Jimmy chanced a glance over his shoulder. Scar hadn't noticed him get up, too engaged in the small wooden block he was slowly carving into a bird. Good, he'd be distracted for a while. As long as he finished before Lizzie got back from visiting Joel he'd be fine.
Settling down between the stalks of bamboo Jimmy set about his task. A small pile of pebbles stacked into a crude shrine, with a simple pice of paper bearing Their symbol leaned against it. It was the saddest shrine he'd ever seen. What a pathetic offering.
The Watchers, they'd hurt him. Hurt his friends. Stolen Grian. Killed half of Evo. He'd said- he'd sworn that he wouldn't do this again. What use were gods like that? Gods that took and took and took and threw away what little was left of you when they were done?
With a shuttering breath Jimmy bows his head and goes through the motions, making the sign of the broken portal then cupping his hands together. He wasn't even sure he was doing it right. He hadn't prayed to the Watchers often back on Evo. Not like BigB or Salem had. He hadn't seen the point at first, and by the time he needed godly guidance the Listeners had already swooped in and taken him and Martyn as their messengers.
He hoped the Listeners would forgive him for this.
"Please," Jimmy whispered, voice cracking. "Please don't make me first out. I'm sorry ok? I'm sorry."
The air grew thick. Thousands upon thousands of invisible eyes prickled against his senses. They were listening. They were watching. They were angry. He fell forward, trembling under the weight, "I've learned my lesson. I'll never disobey you again just- please don't make me fail again. I can't- please just have some mercy on me."
The bamboo cackled around him. A harsh gust of wind ruffled under his feathers. The paper shuttered violently, nearly tearing loose from the stones weighing it down. A single golden covert pulled itself free and lodged itself between the page and a pebble. The soft barbs brushed against the center of the broken portal.
"I... I think I understand." Jimmy mumbled. He could feel the skin on his back burning, the space around his wing roots prickling the way it did the day they were 'gifted' to him. "Tell me what you need me to do." He'd do anything, anything, to be rid of this curse. Even if it ment becoming a pawn again.