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Sunshowers [P]

Postby crow » 06/01/2015 2:59 AM

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Iaezun woke to the strangest sensation of stone against his cheek.

No, that wasn't right. He was dead. The king--- Rulach--- had killed him. He hadn't been sure which it was, at the end. It hurt too much to think about. He willed the darkness to reclaim him, to carry him away from his thoughts, from his bloody battered body aflame with agony. They hadn't given him the mercy of a quick execution. He hadn't been worthy of even that little kindness.

But darkness would not come, and slowly Iaezun began to entertain the idea that he might still have been alive. The thought did not comfort him. If he was alive, it meant the king had decided to spare him, and that could only mean he had something worse in mind. His crime had been conspiring against the crown, after all. He had withheld nothing he knew from the investigation, at least in part out of spite for the Queen Mother for having used his loyalty to Rulach against him, but perhaps they thought there would be more to torture out of him.

The prospect of living seemed more a curse than ever.

Please, by the blood of the First, let me die of my wounds, he thought. They should have been more than enough to do the job. But just as he was pleading for his own death, he felt something like a... a breeze, brushing back a lock of hair from his face. The air was heavy with the scent of something he had never smelled before. Almost involuntarily, his eyes fluttered open, and he found himself staring not at the king's room or a prison cell but somewhere completely unfamiliar.

"Where... Ungh." He attempted to rise, but collapsed as the pain of his movements swept through him. His body was riddled with wounds from the king's failed attempts to kill him, and from the spell that... the spell that had sent him here, he realized with a start. He'd read about the upper realms in books before, but no noble family would even contemplate sending a precious scion away to such a place. The greenery, the trees--- he had only seen illustrations of these things before. Had... had Rulach done it to save him?

Forcing his body through an impromptu gate, for that was what Rulach must have done, had nearly killed him anyway. A lesser demon would certainly have died. He would have laughed if he wasn't in so much pain. All of Rulach's efforts would be for naught. There wasn't a person in sight, and without healers to tend to him, Iaezun would get his wish soon enough. His wounds were too severe, even for a noble scion. He could barely even move.

"Foolish," he whispered, though there was no prince to chide now. "You fool. Why did you...?" He took one shuddering breath, and listened to the birds singing in the distance. A small smile tugged at his lips. Well, he thought, of all the places to die, I suppose this isn't the worst.
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Re: Sunshowers [P]

Postby ToxicShadow » 06/01/2015 11:36 AM

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Quiet words resonated through the otherwise empty temple grounds, coaxing Mia awake.

The voice belonging to whomever had spoken them was unfamiliar, piquing her curiosity, and maybe, just maybe, giving her a shred of hope. It was not the strange monk that had one day, suddenly, appeared within the once entirely dilapidated temple. She had no hope of him helping her. Although, he had at least rebuilt the room where she was kept after being alone for all these years. Being trapped inside a painting certainly wasn't convenient.

Deep within the temple, brilliantly glowing red eyes flashed open, appearing in thin air and, soon, a body seemed to materialize around them. A beautiful woman with dark hair, shrouded only in an all white light and thin floor length gown, appeared. She smirked, relishing her brief freedom, before dashing away in beautifully elegant form. Her speed was unmatched by human folk, as was her grace, each bound lifting her into the air almost as if she was gliding.

It was mere moments before this elegant woman brought herself before the bleeding, broken body of Iaezun. Staring down at him, she showed little change in her expression. She wore a smile, but it was difficult to determine why she was smiling. His physical state did not appear to alarm her. Perhaps he was her ticket out of here.

"I will help you," she spoke, her voice soft and smooth like satin. She didn't await the man's answer, knowing his life would end without her taking any action to save him. "But you will owe me." Kneeling down, the woman did what the man likely would have never expected her to be able to do. With ease, she rolled him over onto his back and, abruptly, although with gentleness about it, she pressed her mouth to his. She kissed him. As she did, it seemed that some sort of magic was coaxed from her body and it flowed into his. Miraculously, his wounds began to close up and, within moments, he was entirely healed over and rejuvenated, as though he had never been harmed in the first place.

It was only when all was said and done that Mia broke contact with him, now sitting beside the man with her legs folded beneath her, although it seemed she was fading. The use of her physical form may have been brief, but she used up way too much of her powers to hold onto it for much longer. Her entire form was already partially see through.

"You are not going to die."
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Re: Sunshowers [P]

Postby crow » 06/02/2015 4:03 AM

Iaezun had often heard tales of men seeing visions on their deathbeds. He had never put much stock in the tales until now. Still, what else could the woman in white have been? He wanted to laugh. It would have made sense to see his mother, or Rulach, but this mirage was entirely unfamiliar to him. He entertained the idea that she might have been an angel, but that was even more ridiculous. There were no angels, and even if there were, they certainly wouldn't appear to a demon like him.

Of course, then she rolled him over... and kissed him. His eyes widened and he began to struggle. The sudden movement brought a flash of pain, but to his surprise, even that soon abated. By the time the woman released him, there was no longer any trace of his wounds. He stared at his arm, turning it this way and that, searching for scars. There were none.

He wheeled to face the woman. "What... What are you? What have you done?" he asked incredulously. Somewhere in the recesses of his mind, it occurred to him that he ought to be grateful, but at the moment he wasn't sure if he was. She had said something to him before the kiss: 'But you will owe me.' His eyes narrowed suspiciously. "I did not ask to be saved," he said tersely. He had no idea what sort of debt he had incurred, but he doubted he would like the terms.
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Re: Sunshowers [P]

Postby ToxicShadow » 08/03/2015 1:53 AM

The man's reaction was not something that she would have entirely expected, so she tilted her head at him, in both a curious and confused manner. Did he want to die? Was that why he was behaving this way? It seemed that he was accusing her of doing something awful, but she had thought of it as only a good deed. Well, perhaps a way to exchange good deeds, but what did it matter? She only wanted her freedom and his life was spared in the process.

Not knowing what else to do, she laughed. It was a soft, beautiful sound. "No, you didn't, but did you wish to die?" she wondered out loud this time. Her time spent around the monk that resided in the temple had certainly helped with her understanding of the common language, which she was thankful for. He was a strange man, one that refused to help her, but at least he'd brought her here.

"I have saved you, so that you may save me in return."
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Re: Sunshowers [P]

Postby crow » 09/15/2015 4:02 AM

The woman's question gave him pause. He had opened his mouth to answer--- Of course I don't want to die--- but the words died on his lips. What did he want, then? He had nothing: no prospects, no future, and no idea where he was. He had been convicted of treason and sentenced to death. That was a dismissal if there ever was one, and with no liege to serve, what was Iaezun to do with himself? He had been nothing but the prince's companion and knight since he was a boy, and now he had nothing to show for it. Nothing but his life, paltry blessing as it was now.

He had been stripped of his weapons, but he still had his claws. He could have ended it himself if he wanted. She had returned the strength to his limbs, and he knew from experience how easy it would have been to rip out his own throat, as he had done with so many others before. He stared down at his hand for one long, horrible moment, before tearing his gaze away with a frustrated sigh. His hand trembled with frustration as it came to rest at his side once more. "No," he said bitterly, as if the knowledge displeased him. "No, I do not wish to die."

Of course, that would mean he owed her a debt, as she had said, but that was not so different from how things were before. He was merely trading one master for another, he supposed. It hadn't been his choice, but since when had he been allowed to choose? "Very well. Tell me your terms," he said dispassionately. "I will try, if it is within my ability to help you."
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Re: Sunshowers [P]

Postby ToxicShadow » 05/02/2016 5:07 AM

She allowed him his time to work through his thoughts and find his answer. To her, it was doubtful that anyone would wish to die, so his hesitation came as something she did not expect, but what did she know of the world? Mia had been confined for so long, she didn't have any real experience with other beings to speak of. Clearly, she ruled out the keeper of this temple as anyone fairly normal, so she couldn't look to any of her encounters with him for guidance or reference.

The woman grew ever more nervous with each passing second, although it was not displayed outwardly. She was already fading and she was even more see-through when he found his answer. Gently, she reached over and touched his hand, the same one that she had watched tremble just a moment before. It was a light, feathery touch, but not because she intended it to be, but because her physical form was waning. Her touch no longer felt solid.

"In this temple, there is a painting of a fox with nine tails hanging in a room by itself. In order to help me, you must destroy it, but you cannot burn it," she told him. "And you're going to have to find it on your own."
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Re: Sunshowers [P]

Postby crow » 05/22/2016 3:17 AM

Clearly time was running out; that much Iaezun could tell. His situation still did not please him greatly, as she seemed to expect it should, but he was not the kind of craven creature who would, having given his vow, wilfully delay its fulfilment out of nothing more than personal misgivings. A life of service, he thought bitterly, and nothing to show for it but the habit of obedience.

"Very well," he said, straightening. He was about to ask her where the temple was, before she disappeared, but that made itself apparent as soon as he examined his surroundings. He was glad, then, not to have spoken after all. The temple was the only building visible, and a mere stone's throw away from where he had awoken.

He paused a moment--- the stain upon the floor had caught his eye, glistening dark ichor--- but he tore himself away with a shake of his head. Duty would distract him, and he badly needed the distraction.

The temple itself was badly in need of repair, which explained--- or was explained by--- the conspicuous absence of any other presence. He wandered alone through its dilapidated halls, peering into any likely-looking room. There were a great many of them, and the urgency in the woman's voice spurred him on, until he was nearly running through the temple as he searched. At last, he came upon it, tucked into a tiny room in the back: a room full of paintings, with one particularly sullied, bearing the mark of what might have been past attempts. It was already a little tattered, but the image, at least, was clear.

He closed the distance in a few quick steps, reaching out a hand towards it, but at the last moment he hesitated. Destroy it, she had said, but not by fire. Did she mean--- Was the material itself supposed to be preserved? But, having no clearer instructions, he decided to try the first idea that came to mind. Seizing the scroll, he tore it in half, and then in half again, in quick neat movements.
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Re: Sunshowers [P]

Postby ToxicShadow » 12/16/2016 5:38 AM

As the scroll was torn to pieces, they instantaneously burst into red flames. They didn't bite and burn the man's hands, instead feeling strangely soft as they enveloped them and the scraps of material. The scroll burned away within mere seconds, not turning to ash, but burning entirely out of existence. With their disappearance, the flames vanished, too. In the aftermath, it was as though neither had existed at all.

Quiet, feminine laughter filled the air and, beside the temple's trespasser, the woman from before appeared once more. Unlike her previous appearance, this time, she wasn't fading away. No longer was she see-through, but seemed entirely, well, normal. She looked as if she was really, truly, there.

"Well done," she complimented him, wearing a huge grin on her face. Here, she desired to play it cool, but her expressions were giving away just how thrilled she was. "I'm finally free!" She leaned in toward him suddenly then, so they were in such a close proximity that most strangers would feel awkward. Although, that wasn't the case for her. "That wasn't so difficult, was it?"
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Re: Sunshowers [P]

Postby crow » 06/03/2017 4:15 AM

They looked nothing alike, of course. Iaezun knew this. There was nothing in this woman's features that resembled the prince he had known so long. Rulach hadn't been so fine-boned, nor quite so fair of skin; the shape of his eyes, the cant of his head, it was all different. And yet, in the moment where she appeared in front of him, leaning in with that playful smile, he felt his breath catch in his throat.

He had meant to make her explain herself once she reappeared, but now he found himself at a loss for words. Even as the moment passed, and the pace of his heart returned to what it had been, he could do no more than stare, eyes wide and stricken.

Eventually, he looked away. The tension drained out of him as he averted his gaze, leaving him weary again, despite the strength that coursed through his body. "No," he said quietly. He paused a moment; there had been so many things he had wished to ask, but now they all felt irrelevant. A dull ache began to build in his chest, despite his best attempts to suppress it.

No. He would not succumb to this, he thought, though he hardly knew why it mattered anymore. "Will this suffice?" he said dispassionately, though he found himself hoping she would say no. Perhaps it was habit. Perhaps he just wanted a distraction.
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Re: Sunshowers [P]

Postby ToxicShadow » 06/03/2017 5:28 AM

With his drawn out silence, the woman titled her head ever so slightly to the side, curiosity getting the better of her, although her smile never faltered. Was he embarrassed? Was she beautiful? What was he thinking? She wanted to know, but it didn't seem like she was going to get an answer right away.

When he finally looked away, she straightened back up, but she didn't back down, remaining close to him still. She received an answer, but it was simple, and didn't tell her a thing. This might have deterred someone else, but not her. She couldn't afford to be swayed at this point.

"Do you want it to?" She found herself saying it without giving it a thought. Did he want this to be the end of their encounter? Answering a question with another question might not have been what he was looking for, but it happened, all the same. Although, after a moment had passed, her smile faded away. Her head tilted to one side again, she resting it in one of her hands that she brought up to her cheek, and her expression grew momentarily troubled. "Even so, I'm afraid I can't leave you all alone. Unless you really do want your life to end here and now."

She recovered again, after another brief moment, but leaned in again, one finger pointed out and touching his chest. "In there, there is something keeping you alive. But it's mine. You can only borrow it. Since your its vessel, that makes you mine, too, hm?" It was a rather bold declaration, but she said it without any hesitation.
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Re: Sunshowers [P]

Postby crow » 06/12/2017 10:16 PM

"I... beg your pardon?" Iaezun looked up, his troubles momentarily forgotten in the face of the strangeness of her question. What else could he desire, besides a dismissal? ... But then, he had thought it himself, hadn't he? That he had wanted a distraction. Had she sensed it somehow? He wanted to dismiss the idea, but he had no idea what she was, nor the extent of her abilities.

However, her next words made it clear that the choice wasn't his to make. He did not even have time to flinch away at her touch, though he was reminded that he had no dignity to preserve now. And Rulach had always--- No, don't think of that. He sighed, and found that he had no more feelings on the arrangement than that--- merely resignation. He couldn't even find it in himself to be surprised, though he registered dully that it might well have been grounds for outrage, that she had not presented these terms when she had saved him.

He reminded himself that he did not wish to die.

It felt absurd, that he should have gone through all this merely to trade one master for another, but at least servitude was not an unfamiliar yoke. "Very well. But you must tell me the full details of our arrangement this time," he said. He did not wish to be surprised again, and after the events that had led him to his banishment, he had no more patience for being used to further another's scheme. "What do you mean to do? And what is it you wish of me?"
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