GGaD » (In Anatina) There's been a shadow-wrapped healer in the capital

AshTheAvaricious · March 14, 2023 23:24:03

In fact, this night is your lucky night, as she's apparently decided to make an appearance tonight. The Darkest Devout is currently healing sick and injured peasants in an empty-ish clearing of land. The Devout does not peer away from its work, as they're restoring a carpenter's broken arm, so you're mostly free to approach. Unless the citizenry prevents you for whatever reason.

Echowo · March 16, 2023 19:12:54

Seis is awkwardly standing there, a hoodie on and covering their head. Under the hood, they have a beanie hat. Strange...

Seis looks like they want to approach, but for now is lingering away and watching.

Ishmael · March 18, 2023 03:16:32

Gevar was nearby in her human form, just keeping an eye on things. There was a chance some of the mortals seeking healing had been injured by her guards for one reason or another, so it may not have been the greatest idea for her to be there on her own. However her focus was on Seis, who was very obviously not a citizen given the modern clothing. She didn't approach them yet, opting instead to see if she could figure out what they were doing here without causing a commotion.

AshTheAvaricious · March 18, 2023 11:32:36

The Darkest Devout finishes healing what she could for the carpenter, and sends him off with a few words of advice to not hurt it while the arm fully heals. She peers across the crowd in search of others that need its help, landing their gaze first on Gevar and then traveling to Seis. DD beckons Seis over with a wave of its hand, wondering what's up with that person.

Echowo · March 18, 2023 16:12:53

Seis wobbled over, very clearly nervous due to his shaking legs. There were a lot of people around... His eyes flicked over the crowd before he looked at the healer, and then Seis stared at the ground, their mouth going dry from nerves.

"Uhm, so, uhm..." Seis rolled his sleeves up with his gloves hands (Seis was wearing very thick, wool mittens?), revealing scabbed over, deep gashes running all over his arms. It was like he was attacked by some kind of large animal, perhaps. Although, it seems like Seis had cleaned his arms off some time earlier.

"A-and... uhm, c-can, uh, can you, can you, uh... fix this as well? M-m-make it... go away...?"

Seis pushed up on their beanie hat and hood, enough so that the healer could see the two, dark red bumps near Seis's hairline. The skin, which looked scaly, unnaturally shiny and oily, pulled tight around the bumps. One bump each was over near his temples.

They look like horns that are starting to grow in.

Seis commented further, clearing their throat afterwards, "...It... hurts."

AshTheAvaricious · March 19, 2023 18:59:45

The Devout's own horns glisten somewhat in the flame wrapping her left hand. It holds out both of their hands, and grab Seis' wounded hands. The gray fire making up DD's one hand spreads to the other, and wraps around Seis' arms with a gentle warmth. Whatever lingering pain there was within is burned as fuel, scorching away the wounds and beckoning hastened health. It takes a few moments, and then the flames recede to reveal that while some of the wounds are not fully healed; most have been sealed in light layers of scarred skin.

They release its grasp on Seis, as the last of the spread flame flickers out, returning her power back within. And then she speaks again, with Seis hearing his own voice echoed back in words he had not spoken, "I cannot burn away growth; but you do not appear young enough for horns to only now begin to bud, are they that of a curse?"

Time · March 20, 2023 00:04:34

Oblivion stands by Gevar, studying the view in front of him.

He then nonchalantly, slings an arm over the head guard's shoulder, "Whatdaya think??" He asks, then gives his opinion before Gevar has the change to respond, "I personally think it's kinda stupid."

Echowo · March 20, 2023 01:40:35

Seis thought for a moment before shaking their head.

"...No, I... I don't mess with, with, uhm, mess with... curses, but... I am human, so I don't know... why I have, uh, have horns."

Seis is staring at their arms, very clearly amazed but trying to stay focused. However, his amazement seemed to help with his nervousness.

"... They go away... s-sometimes... like, uhm, like... I never... had them. But... they come back... eventually..."

The Devout could have possibly sensed some demonic energy radiating from Seis when it had touched them. However, the energy is extremely suppressed and neutralized, and it doesn't seem evil or harsh in nature. In fact, it's hard to tell if it's purely demonic or if it is a mix between something else. The energy almost feels polite.

Due to how weak the energy is, it's also hard to tell if it is a curse or if it's just naturally Seis. Seis seems genuine in claiming that he's human though.

wolffighting3768 · March 20, 2023 16:54:46

Crimson's breathing slowed. He knew that aura all to well. Their first encounter didn't exactly go to well. Keeping his distance on the road he watched many familiar deities surround DD. "The Darkest Devout. How your flame flickers in the dead of night. It's a ghastly sight for myself. Why do you care about these mortals now?..." he whispered to himself and knelt to the ground. "Is this the Night of the Hunt once more? Surely it feels like such a thing..."

(Props to anyone who understood that refrence.)

AshTheAvaricious · March 22, 2023 23:28:27

"What an oddity. Perhaps your blood is not a wholly human as you think, maybe kin to a bloodline curse or a magical ancestor. Blood and time hide many secrets after all." The Devout's breath grows slightly louder, although the muffling of her mask makes it so that even Sies would have moderate difficulty noticing. With that, the night dims; and obscures the faces of many of the mortals from the sight of Oblivion and Crimson.

And the dimmed dark would feel familiar to the two, should they be able to sense it. It is not magic, but will manifested in the bloodied power of a known divine.

wolffighting3768 · March 22, 2023 23:49:53

A small flame flicked to life in Crimson's right hand. "O light of life, guide my way." he whispered to himself and crushed the flame, scattering embers into the air and rising from the ground. "May the dark hide my flame." he thought and pulled his hood up and centered his gaze onto the Darkest Devout. "And may YOU illuminate the fallen dear Devout." Crimson spoke oddly, not of himself, but more of order.

(I shouldn't even be typing this, I need sleep....)

Ishmael · March 24, 2023 07:12:26

If looks could kill, the absolutely withering glare Gevar delivered to Oblivion would have knocked him dead several times over. She leaned away from the deity's arm, shrugging it off her shoulder as she did so. "What's stupid? The healing? It keeps the people happy, I suppose."

Her ire only grew as she picked out Crimson waxing poetic about something or other and approaching the Darkest Devout. "Not this guy again," she grumbled to Oblivion. Gods above, I do NOT want to deal with this tonight. She hesitated to step in, however. The last time the three of them had interacted nearly ended in a firefight, something she desperately wanted to avoid this close to the capital. Hopefully the Devout's focus on healing would quell any flared tempers. Resigned to simply watch for now, Gevar folded her heavily tattooed arms across her chest with a deep sigh, a puff of smoke jetting out of her nose as she did so.

wolffighting3768 · March 24, 2023 15:11:42

As Crimson walked to The Devout, he gave Oblivion and Gevar terribly menacing looks, like he would kill them where he stood if he could or maybe if he had reason to. What ever possessed him clearly didn't want to play.

Time · March 25, 2023 02:49:47

"I think it's absolutely silly! Yes." Oblivion nods to his own assertion, seemingly unaffected from the death glare, "Healing your wounds is quite a weak thing to do. I wonder why It lended its powers to such a loser."

Suddenly, he then changes the topic, "Look at this doofus." Oblivion slowly raises a pointed finger at Crimson, ignoring the death stare, once again, "Doesn't he look silly? What's up with this guy and wandering uninvited?" Unlike Gevar, he is always itching for a fight, even when he knows it's not a good idea.

Ishmael · March 26, 2023 04:12:05

Gevar knew it was probably a lost cause to explain to the deity why someone who worked with their hands would want their arms to be healed, so she let the comment pass. She held Crimson's gaze steadily, more of an acknowledgement than instigation. "I don't like him here either, but he hasn't done anything... yet."

AshTheAvaricious · March 26, 2023 12:45:28

And then Crimson feels himself being dragged upward, by a cold dark tendril. Roughly ten meters above the ground, he is now grasped by the throat in Dust's claws. Its avatar is massive, presenting itself as a sky serpent with at least eight pairs of wings and thirty paces long. It still has an upper torso, and its face remains the same as the last time he saw it. The shade speaks, with a rage to silence the fiercest blaze, "You will not disturb my Devout, ember. You may think yourself divine, but you are far from powerful. Leave this city, and never come back; or I will snuff you out like the pathetic candlelight you conjure. This is your only chance, and I do not repeat myself. Do you understand?" Its claws are digging into Crimson's flesh, nearly making him unable to breathe. It's shown him courtesy enough that one might think it is going soft.

The Darkest Devout remains below, attempting to distract Seis from the goings-on above them. "I do not believe I can help with your affliction, but I think a mage might be able to at least find the cause."

wolffighting3768 · March 26, 2023 15:19:01

"Domination." Crimson whispered and was slammed down to the earth by an unnatural force, taking part of Dust's body with him. As he got right up part of his clothes began to burn. "You will not keep me held Dust. You cannot kill Judgement." he said to him with pure malice in his voice. He wasn't happy being bound or impaled. As Crimson limped toward The Devout he almost asked for help, but stopped himself and stood there looking at the Devout. "You're healing, that's unlike you. But how far does that go? Could you heal the Scale rust inside me?" He said almost softly.

Echowo · March 28, 2023 19:20:03

Seis was trying really hard to focus only on The Darkest Devout, a bit scared to look up above, and replied, "T-that, uhm, that would... be wonderful... uhm, wonderful, t-thank you you, you."

Seis tilted her head, thinking, before looking towards Crimson. Seis's eyebrows raised in recognition and immediately she was (childishly) pulling her beanie hat and sleeves back down. It's more than a bit silly to do so at this point, but Seis is really embarrassed and anxious. Even more so if what was happening to her was a curse, of all things! She very nervously stared at the ground again.

Seis's head hurts, especially in the area around the horns. Seis wasn't about to complain about it, though, and was grateful for the help she received already.

That neutralized demonic energy that seemed to come from Seis got a bit stronger, enough so that anyone who could sense that stuff didn't have to touch Seis, but rather just had to be physically near enough. Somehow, the energy feels like it's saying, Sorry, sorry, I don't really mean to bother! Just ignore me!

That's really weird.

Outwardly, Seis didn't seem to change any, however the beanie hat seems to fit differently on Seis's head. Seis hasn't yet pulled the hoodie's hood over it, but she seems to be thinking about it.

Ishmael · March 31, 2023 04:48:29

Gevar's temperature spiked at Dust's arrival, hot enough for the paving stones beneath her to crack and possibly singe Oblivion in the process. Now was probably a good time to intervene. She paced forward, causing more than a few mortals to yelp and scramble out of her way and beat out the hem of their clothing as they started to curl and smoke from the heat. She stepped between Crimson and the Devout, blocking the former's path.

"You heard Dust," she sneered. "You've had your fun here. It's time to leave."

AshTheAvaricious · March 31, 2023 11:18:42

The Darkest Devout ignores Crimson nearly entirely, save for a quick flip of the middle finger towards him, and tries to keep Seis calm. A wing erupts from its back, carved into the world with the hungering flame of its liege, and blocks the red divine from the view of Seis. "Perhaps it would be best for you to leave, child. I will find you later, and we can further discuss the cause of your affliction should you desire."

Pieces of Dust's avatar do not follow its foe to the ground, instead melting into a strange almost-liquid before it reforms perfectly. Tendrils of shadow push the mortals that still crowd the area away, so clearly it at least wants to ration its snacks. "I don't recall giving you permission to use my name, flame. Perhaps your insolence will die with you." Starless nights are when shadows are deepest, and the dark beneath Crimson grows ever deeper; reaching into the uncounted fathoms of The Wolf's den, the hidden sea of shadow beside the world. And he begins to sink, not very quickly; shadows are thicker than tar in the blackest sky, so perhaps the ground is not the safe haven his thoughts lead him to believe.

Echowo · April 1, 2023 10:39:53

"O-oh! Uhm! Okay..." Seis gave a slow nod. "...How will... uhm, how will y-you, uh, you... find me?"

Seis head keeps tilting towards where Crimson's direction was. Most likely this was subconscious, with Seis continuously fixing his head back towards the Darkest Devout. He's trying his best to be very respectful.This kid is definitely anxious all over again, wringing his hands and keeping his eyes on the ground again and such.

AshTheAvaricious · April 6, 2023 10:48:15

"I will find you. Shadows permeate even in day." The Devout spares a glance towards Gevar and Oblivion, to affirm that their attention is moreso on Crimson than herself and Seis.

Crimson has sunken halfway to his knees in the shadows, he might want to get off of the ground before he's unable to.