[SWP] ACT I: The Trembling of a Distant Land

[Ulric]

and then you put your hand in mine
and pulled me back from things divine

The Delumine that Ulric woke up to was not the same as the one he had fallen asleep in. The birds were much too quiet, the air too still, the gravity too heavy along his back and shoulders. It was uncomfortable and wrong, and soon, he would bear witness to the reason behind it all.

He was standing where the Rapax emptied out into the ocean when it all began. Thick, black smoke billowed from somewhere further south, growing and growing and growing to the point where Ulric wondered if the end was nigh, if the smoke would consume everything in its pass and strangle anyone who breathed it in. But… there was more to it than that, he somehow knew; he could feel it deep in his bones. His heart was a jackhammer against his chest as he faced it head-on, and he cursed beneath his breath upon the realization just how close the eruption appeared to be to Terrastella. Israfel.

There was an urge to run there as fast as he could to ensure her safety, to face whatever threat loomed overhead alongside her, but his priority would always be where his greatest loyalties lie – Delumine. And so, with a deep breath and a reminder that the woman was entirely capable of fending for herself, Ulric turned to head back for the citadel to rally their soldiers.

"Speaking"

***STAFF EDIT
@Ulric has rolled a 2! He has been awarded +20 signos