paradisa | ninth.

[Connor sounds slightly out of breath when he dictates into the journal, mostly because it's so cold outside but also because he's been working pretty hard out there.]

Before I came to this world, I had left my village for six months. I have now been in this place for nine. There are still things I do not understand about both this world and the world outside my village, but I am learning, I think. And there is much to learn.

I have been interested in exploring the Dead Zone again. The god of this place has the power to move us and to transform our surroundings, but I would like to explore on my own terms. There is much to learn here amongst each other, but I feel as though there is even more to learn out there.

[Connor can be found on the castle lawn, packing a long wall of snow about a foot tall, taking care to carve a furrow down the middle. He has acquired some gloves that don't really match the rest of his outfit -- they have a reflective strip down the side and are also neon pink.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Yeah, that-- that's way more effort put into making a throwing stick than she expected, but Effy doesn't mind dropping her sad little branch to go behind him and watch. She even does a half-hearted clap at his throw, quite amused by the display and hardly worried about having to match it earlier. ]

Did you spend an entire day making that?

[The wooden dart makes it nearly to the end of the track before slowing, and Connor frowns at his progress before turning back to her.]

Mostly.

[ That's-- pretty awesome in her eyes, so he gets a slow clap out of her. ]

And you didn't think to call a friend to help?

[Maybe he wanted the time to himself... okay... Connor blinks at the applause, then shifts his feet a little sheepishly.]

Um... I wanted to do it myself.