Ghastly lands

[DeadnotSleeping]

The necromancer sighed and nodded, ensconcing behind his partner. He really felt more secure there, moving his hands nevertheless, preparing numerous spells at once. The spirits answered at his beck and call eagerly, even without words… the man nodded to himself, wrapping himself up into his cape even more. It was freezing here, the wind was icy and practically cut into him. Must have bothered the Redeemer, too…


“I will make you food without spilling blood, too” he promised, quietly. He hoped they would be inside the walls, soon, his teeth were clattering already. It was a vain hope, most likely, judging from the conversation, and it was so damned cold here…


When it became obvious that the guards are not really willing to open the gates, Paian sighed.


“Well, my lady, shall I open the gate for you?” he asked, lifting up his left hand gracefully, turning it clockwise and thrusting it out with a palm open. His mind wrapped around the bones in the earth, pulling out the spirits with such ease and grace most of the necromancers could only dream of. His soul flame didn’t even flicker from the effort.


Gigantic, graceful bone hands broke out of the frozen earth inside the gate, flipping down the crossbeam before slamming the wings open. Despite the stammering force, nothing was harmed, no damage commenced; even the crossbeam was laid gently on the ground. Then the bone hands slowly, threateningly drew back to the snow, like they never were. Paian smiled and bowed slightly towards Katie.


“Maybe now they will take you seriously, my lady…”

 

[Darth Echo]

If Katie was going to be completely honest with herself, she was very impressed with Paian. It was remarkable the way he peacefully tore the gate down without even breaking a sweat. The sentry did not take kindly to his action, but that was no problem for the duo. This did, however, draw the attention of the entire village, who were out of their huts in mere moments with their weapons. Katie sighed, these people were so barbaric in comparison to her people, the Faeries.


"What is the meaning of this?!" The werebear chief yelled, exiting the great hall. Katie stepped up with Paian in tow. Her arms were crossed over her chest, lazy confidence displaying on her face. The chief was tall, very tall and battle scarred. He brandished a massive battleaxe with a pike on the rear side. The villagers closed ion around the duo as they approached the chief.


"We came to talk, Paian?"

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

Paian counted twenty werebears with weapons, as he silently stalked behind his companion. Forty with weapons, maybe thirty more in the houses, judging by the throbbing life forces. And everything tasted from that horrid purple energy. It tainted the place even if it didn’t rule it…


Kooth was definitely here. Somehow affected the village…


Wait. Not enough life force. Definitely not enough for a settlement of this size. The others left, on one way to another.


He watched over the chief with the second sight. The werebear was practically smeared with the purple power. it was tainting him, although his own brownish spirit force was still present.


Oh well.


“Yes, we came to talk, but apparently, we can now. The chief is not busy anymore” said the necromancers softly. He was smiling a bit. Usually, he didn’t have this much to work with, but werebears were practically living on their ancestors. He could raise a veritable army with those bones. Besides, he had other spells now…


…enough heroes to draw on now…


“I suggest you place your inquiry, my lady…”

 

[Darth Echo]

"We came here to ask you about an Echor Fae that goes by the name of Kooth. We believe Kooth came here to recruit your clan for his war against humanity. We know he was here, do not bother lying, we have no patience for it." Katie decided to be blunt and to the point. She already knew a fight would break out, it always did with the northern folk.


"Kooth y'say?" The chief began, fingering his beard lightly. "Kooth did come through here, told us of his plans to eradicate humankind so the monsters could take a chance to rule this blasted world. What of it lass?" The chief tightened his grip on his axe.


"And let me guess, you took him up on his offer?" The chief took a step forward, and observed his hand for a moment. His skin was beginning to turn a grey color, much like Kooth's own.


"He gave me power, lass. What man refuses power greater than his own?" The chief charged Katie, as she predicted. Katie could feel a magic aura about him, bolstering his natural abilities tenfold. Was it enough to stop a fully trained redeemer? Katie stood her ground, catching the axe blade i her hand as it meteored down on her. No, no it was not enough.


"Gave you power, did he? I guess when one is weak as you, a great power is not all that great." The chief roared, his aura strengthening, the axe pressed harder against Katie's hand, the ground at her feet began to rumble. She looked back at Paian with a smirk hidden by the wrapping around her mouth.


"Paian, my dear, you know the drill. Do try not to kill yourself this time, hmm?" In an instant Katie vanished, the Chief's axe crushing the ground she once stood on, splitting a gash into the earth. Katie appeared behind him, and struck his knee with her foot. He faltered, leaving himself vulnerable. Katie chopped his neck with her hand, sending him into the dirt. Instantly she was in front of him again. The redeemer picked the chief up by his hair, her face inches from his own.


"You are nothing but an insignificant worm. You seek power? You are too weak to receive it, beast. Transform, and make me earn my meal." Katie pulled down the wrappings and spat in his face. Around her mouth were runes scribed into her flesh.


The chief screamed in raw anger. Katie has pushed the berserker far, far beyond his limit. She stood up and crossed her arms. He would not be the first lycanthrope to die by her hand, nor the last.


"You want to see power, girl? You will see power!" The chief got to his feet, and threw his axe to the ground. His flesh tore and fell from his body, revealing a bear's hide under; his bones elongated and grew thicker. The transformation was utterly disgusting, but it pleased Katie. She went through a transformation this last year. She possessed strength that could rival Kooth's own. She was a god in mortals flesh.

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

Paian sighed. He hoped so much they won’t have to fight. He almost liked the werebears, and sadly, now they weren’t the same anymore. And he was still god damned cold.


Well. At least he will feel warmer, soon.


“As you wish, my lady… but I won’t make promises. This is way too cold for me…”


The necromancer opened his arms, fingers moving in a pretty, slight pattern, sprinkling bone powder into the air. By the time his hands opened, too, the bone staff already appeared from thin air, conjuring up ghost images of bone wings behind the pale man’s back.


He prepared his spell beforehand, feeling out the ancestral bones with his mind, and no matter how strong-willed these heroes were, they answered his call, breaking out of the frozen ground with ease, holding the weapons they were buried with. They demanded quite a strong flame, but their souls reached out to Paian, fueling his soul flame with their own, screaming rage. Evidently, they were disturbed by their descendants’ downfall… and they were eager to fight, with silver axes flashing against hairy brown hides.


Apparently, not only the white-haired man knew the drill, all of those werebears knew another golden rule.


When in doubt, always take out the magic wielder.


When they swarmed the necromancer, bone thorn walls, covered with bridewort leapt into the air from the ground, stopping the shapeshifters for a moment… and the thin man didn’t need more than that. He pulled out a sword from under this cape, cutting his hand with the blade, and dropped the weapon. It was a gift from the Spectre Order… and while Paian couldn’t even lift the heavy, beautiful sword, it was immensely useful, since it was made with ghost silver, able to diminish most supernaturally though enemies.


And who needs to actually lift a weapon when it is able to wield itself?...


…by the time the first lance broke through the bone barrier, the sword melted into a bloody puddle, and sprung into life. A gigantic, metal golem rose in front of him, shining with the holy power of the ghost silver. It looked like it was covered in blades, sharp and beautiful, almost graceful despite the size, arms elongating into swords, too. The golem didn’t stand still, not for a moment, it already sprung forward, towards its creator’s attackers, who were stupid enough to dash against him. It stopped most of them; not everyone.


The necromancer stood still as the bone wings closed around him, protecting him from the first wave of arrows. Then even more bone warriors tore down the snowy shroud, ready to fight against the werebears.


Paian was shaking from the effort now, his soul flame roaring high, despite the purple cloud of magic surrounding them. The necromancer was cold truly now, his magic draining the power from him. He smiled bitterly, glancing over to Katie. She wanted him not to kill himself, right?... the pale man drew out the power from the spirits with a little more care, watching as his partner toyed with the werebear chief. He almost took pity of the idiot. Almost. He was trying to hurt Katie, after all. The necromancer restrained himself, letting his partner fight alone. If needed, he could still help, but it seemed unlikely.


The ghost silver golem ploughed through the werebears effortlessly, the bone warriors flanking the attackers as well. The necromancer was careful to not to hurt anyone who wasn’t attacking them actively… he was trembling with the extra effort of holding up the perimeter. Damn, after this, he might be out cold for a while… but right now, holding his staff vertically, Paian just sang the Bone Litany, pouring power into the bone warriors, his own soul flame soaring high supported by heroic souls…

 

[Darth Echo]

Katie sighed at the miserable sight of the Chief. The bear within had lost its hair almost immediately, Kooth's corruption was killing him. The once proud chief was now a grey and decaying monster far past gone. Katie watched Paian's spectacle for a moment, pondering if she should make her fight quick as he was burning himself up rather quickly. She sighed, brandishing her dual kama.


ROAR! The werebear chief's howl shook the air as he charged Katie. To a mortal he must have moved quickly, but to Katie it was as if he was walking at her. She stepped to the side, holding her kama out just far enough that it raked across his grey hide. Blood seeped from the wound, not deep enough to cause anything major. He turned around and waited for her to attack him, swiping the air with his massive paws.


"You want me on the offensive?" Katie smirked, "so be it." She pointed at him, and vanished instantly. the snow by her feet puffed into the air, the only sign she had been there a moment ago. Suddenly blood spurted from a wound on the bears back, then another by his hind legs, and another on his neck. Katie dashed around her opponent, who attacked her unsuccessfully. To a mortal, she would be untrackable by the eye. To someone trained, or perhaps a mage, she would seem like a blur.


Suddenly she was in front of the chief, who was on all fours now, blood soaking his hide. Katie put her kama back on her back and drew her kanabo slowly.


"I'm rather bored with you, you were no challenge at all." Katie frowned, and slammed her blunt weapon down on the monster's cap, shattering his skull in a wash of gore. Rather than stay and admire her work, she dashed off to dispatch several of the corrupted warriors fighting Paian.


"You better not be over-doing oyurself, or so help me gods, you will fall victim to me next!"

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

Most of the animals became rather funny once shaved, dogs, cats, even calves…


…bears evidently weren’t one of those animals. The hairless, wrinkled abominations between the normal werebears were evidence enough for this. Paian felt true disgust as he looked at them, directing the metal golem to take care of them next. The pungent purple taste was much stronger from them, and those three seemed rotten while alive. They were tainted.


And very, very determined to get to him. They seemed to crush his bone warriors with ease, and despite the golem’s efforts, one of them got close enough to the necromancer to try and attack. The thin man dodged its brutish attacks gracefully, sometimes using the sharp bone wings as a shield, and raining down acute-pointed spears to the monster. Sadly, he had no more silver but only little knives in his jacket, and he wouldn’t dare to use them against the abomination… he was not a real fighter.


Thankfully, it seemed like it will be enough. The monster was pinned into the frozen earth with the last hail of bone spears, while the golem was ripping the two others into ribbons with the silver edges… the impaled abomination emitted a horrifying, gurgling death rattle. The necromancer sighed relieved, then turned his attention back to the other villagers. The ones who simply wanted to kill them and were more or less alive…


Paian chuckled softly as he saw his partner winning, and turned towards her as she arrived, burning in victorious fire.


“You shall take me as your victim, my gorgeous lady, any way you wish” he rasped, out of breath but smiling, as he held out his skull-tipped bone staff to summon more strength into his creations. He wanted to wrap this up quickly.


So he didn’t pay attention to the impaled monster anymore… and that proved fatal. The abomination jerked back alive with a bone-shattering roar, and he ripped himself down from the bone spears, reaching the necromancer before he could react. The sharp bone wings closed up late. Only by a heartbeat, but still late.


The severed limb fell down with bloodied claws. Paian didn’t feel pain, just that he was even more out of breath. He stopped the chanting, only lifted his staff, and the golem arrived almost quietly, ready to tear this monster apart just like the others…

 

[Darth Echo]

Katie was amused. Paian was, dare she say it, scarry. The wings really looked intimidating, even to her. She imagined killing him would be as simple as- why would a thought like that even enter her mind? Katie approached him, monitoring. his heart rate was elevated, his breathing was heavy, but otherwise he was almost the exact same. It did not seem to drain him as badly as before, which made Katie happy. She was bored, herself.


Luckily a few of the villagers were not hostile, and decided to stay out of the fight, keeping their lives. They must look at the necromancer aqnd Faerie Redeemer as monsters, although when one possessed as much power as the duo, what else could they be? Katie has the chief's blood on her clothes, even some in her brown hair. She approached a woman with two children hiding behind her. Katie was careful not to scare them, moving slowly, and keeping her hands visible.


"Tell me what you know of Kooth." Katie spoke quietly. The woman was trembling, but her fear did not phase Katie.


"He came and talked to the chief, he made the chief and some of the warriors drink something. He left to go to the other villages, perhaps they know more, but i swear I don't!" The woman was holding back tears. Perhaps Katie or Paian had killed her mate? Katie turned to gather Paian and leave when a little girl ran up and kicked her. It did not hurt, of course Katie was too resistant for it.


"Leave and do not return, monster!" The little girl spat at Katie. Her mother rushed forward to grab her, but was too late.


"I appologize, she is just a child, spare her!" Katie almost frowned, she wished no harm tho those who did not hinder her mission, could they not understand that?


"Let us leave this place Paian, I am hungry and you are cold."

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

The thought that only the two of them could do this much mass slaughter was a bit scary. And to the necromancer's dismay, keeping up an almost invisible perimeter around the fight to contain the damage drained him more than the actual fight. Maybe because the ancestors here lent their power to fuel the spells to move them... but didn't help any with shielding the non-combatants.


At least after the silver golem ripped the last infected apart, the battle mostly stopped. The still living werebears had no more wish for fighting. Paian let those go, pulling back his power from them easily. His soul flame started to die down now, but despite the effort he had to exert, he wasn’t as consumed than before; he had enough vengeful spirits to help him, enough soul to cleanse…


He draw back his power from the golem, too, saying his thanks to it quietly. As every single one who was left alive backed out of the fight, the necromancer released all of the bone warriors, letting the ancestral bones sunk back to their place. The man let his soul flame retreat back to normal levels, shivering.


Something was not right, however he couldn’t think about yet; Paian just pulled his cape closer to his body with his left hand, watching as the redeemer interrogated the villagers. He was thankful for her wise approach, he really didn’t wish to conjure up the chief’s spirit right there and then. He felt crushed, and his teeth were clattering once again. After the fight, he seemed to be colder even more…


He sighed, as Katie was called a monster. She was very much not, but he couldn’t expect the villagers to realize that. So the necromancer only smiled bitterly, and stepped next to his partner.


“Well then, my mighty lady, shall we find a cave for tonight? I imagine there are quite a few here” he said quietly, trembling from the cold. “I can prepare you a meal there, befitting of you…”


He felt dizzy again, with a distant ache in his body, but he really didn’t care with that now, just looked at Katie’s face. The woman was immensely powerful, she won the battle without a scratch…Paian somehow felt proud.

 

[Darth Echo]

Katie and Paian found a suitable cave, it was small but blocked the majority of the chill, though some still blew in from the cave entrance. Katie started a fire for Paian, gathering some wood from the forest around the cave. She was eager for a meal, but more eager to clean the gore from her clothes and hair. At the rear of the cave there was a small pool, but it was not enough to clean Katie, or was it? She undressed from her armor, leaving herself naked with the exception of her white wrappings; they were snug to her body, especially her bust.


Her clothes, weapons, and armor were set out nicely to the side. She slowly took off her bindings, whispering something incoherent to Paian. Slowly the runes etched into her body lost their faint glow, and became black marks in her flesh. Her entire body was covered in them, making her already dark skin even more so. Each rune was an enhancement to her body, each amplifying the others many times more. Some allowed her to cast spells with minimal energy cost. Within moments, she was completely naked, her wings stretched out as far as they could go.


She tapped a rune on the bottom of her wrist, and her hand glowed along with the rune. She aimed her hand at the small pool, and it too began to glow faintly. The pool suspended itself in the air, in the shape of a cylinder with the top just under Katie's chin. satisfied, she stepped inside the suspended water, and began to scrub her skin, dipping her head in to clean her hair as well. When she was satisfied with that, she began to wash her clothes. Using the same rune, she suspended her clothes and armor next to the water to dry. She silently pecked a tunic from Paian's back and put it on to cover her nude body.


She sat close to him, tucking her knees under her chin. If it were not for her resistance to elements, or the tunic under her, her bottom might have felt cold from the stone floor.

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

“Well then, my lady, I shall make you something nice” smiled the necromancer, as the woman took care of the fire. He was still shaking from the cold, and maybe from the exhaustion, and he faintly registered some pain, but his whole body was numb. He could put the thought aside with ease.


After all, he promised dinner…


He knelt down beside the fire, reaching into his bag, pulling everything he would need out, and grabbing the small cauldron. Katie chose this moment to start undressing, and Paian stopped as he stood up, staring without really wanting to. The faerie was so beautiful, and projected power even without the runes… and now, covered by the magical symbols’ dark majesty, she looked even more enthralling. The necromancer swallowed hard, and needed all of his willpower to turn away from the fascinating sight as the redeemer stepped under the water and started washing herself down.


It wasn’t the first time he saw a naked woman, but it certainly felt so. And Katie’s nonchalance about undressing made it even more compelling… the necromancer’s normally so pale face bore a certain blush now as he slowly made his way so he could fill the cauldron with snow. The man moved with some difficulty, and lifting the cauldron meant some pain, but he still continued the work, trying very hard to not to look back.


Despite himself, as he worked he glanced up a few times… resulting in some cuts on his shaking hand, but he managed to put up some soup, rich with vegetables and some meat, with barley to pad it out, and made two filled-up skewers with lamb, fruits and ham. He was dizzy the whole time, so the skewers looked a bit uneven, and the cuts started to get numerous on his hands, but Paian wasn’t finished yet. He will rest later…


He made the pastry as promised, an easy pie with fruits in an earthen pot he could put directly into the fire. It wasn’t so easy it was supposed to be, the necromancer started to get muddle-headed, but he gritted his teeth and held out. He made a promise, after all…


The pale man smiled up to the woman as she sat next to him, turning towards her with trembling limbs. He still felt cold, mostly, but seeing Katie in his own clothes somehow warmed up his chest and down. It was certainly an alluring sight, the dark-skinned faerie looked stunning in the simple grey tunic. Paian smiled.


“You look mesmerizing, my lady. I’m afraid… you will have to wait almost an hour for dinner… but I hope I will certainly not disappoint you…”

 

[Darth Echo]

Katie rung out her hair, having almost forgotten to dry it. Paian's compliment fell on deft ears, perhaps she was once a beautiful faerie, but in her quest for power, she marred her dark skin with the brutal looking runes. They covered her from toe to nose, she wrapped herself to hide them partially to dampen their power, but also to hide them from her own sight. regardless she smiled at her companion.


"Thank you Paian," she bgan politely, but her tone turned sour at the mention of waiting to eat. "Have you anything i could munch on in the meantime?" She frowned, feining sadness. "I'm starving, see my ribs?" She leaned back and the tunic lay flat against her, revealing the outline of her body.

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

The necromancer chuckled. This was so much like Katie… he sighed, feigning despair over the sight. In reality, he couldn’t see her ribs only her beautiful figure under the tunic. Somehow, covered by his own clothes, the woman looked even more alluring than in merely wrappings. Nothing could mar this kind of beauty, the seducing sight wasn’t merely from the skin and flesh. The redeemer’s soul was attractive to him, too, woven with death and destruction and holy power wishing for life again…


“I see, my lady. I’m afraid you will have to settle for some herbed bread. I baked it this morning, though…”


Paian leaned over to open his bag and pull out the bread, finding the slices wrapped in a cloth easily. But when he moved to warm it next to the fire for a moment, he jerked and almost passed out from the sudden pain. He dropped the cloth, and fell over, almost into the fire…

 

[Darth Echo]

Katie was annoyed he decided now of all times to fall. In an instant she was there, him in her arms.


"Gods youre annoying." She muttered quietly. She laid him down, gently to examine the cause of his passing out. She plucked the bread up and ate it cold while she observed. He had a cut on his back, the damned fool must not have known. She used a healing rune on her wrist and tried to wake him up.


"Come on you bastard i want food!"

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

Paian woke up to searing pain in his back. The numbness after the fight entirely went away, but now the necromancer wasn’t too happy about this. He could barely move he was in so much pain…


…hell…


“I am… so sorry, my lady…” he tried to sit up, but without too much avail. He felt drained; he closed his eyes for a moment. “How long… was I out? I do not know… how much time passed so I don’t know how much longer it is…”


He smiled, a bit bitterly. So his partner rather worries because of the food?...

 

[Darth Echo]

Katie gave a wolfish grin to the frail man, leaning forward to kiss his cheek. The food was not yet burnt, and truthfully katie did not keep track of the time, so she guessed.


"Well by my account, 43 minutes exactly!" She winked, and quickly added, "I healed your wound, do be more careful in the future, whatever woukd I do without you, my dear necromancer?"

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

The necromancer smiled, making another, more successful attempt to sit up, then blushed wildly as the woman kissed his face. He lifted his left hand, caressing the redeemer’s face lightly. He felt truly happy, even if exhausted.


“Thank you kindly, Katie. I am sorry… I didn’t even realized I was hit. My body tends to go numb when I’m burn my soul…” he confessed, smiling. “I guess without me, you would starve to death! So I’ll do my best to avoid that horrific fate…”


He slowly moved, carefully checking on the dinner. He still felt cold and tired, but the pain quietly ebbed away. He smiled at Katie.


“Dinner is ready soon. May I offer you some tea?… I hope the bread tasted good, too…”

 

[Darth Echo]

Her mouth began to water, she could smell the food he prepared. Her stomach responded with its own unintelligible words. She scooted closer to Paian, placing her head on his shoulder lightly, so he could still move.


"I would love some tea, food, anything I can consume i will gladly take." She laughed slightly, despite the fact that they were hunting Kooth, and sitting in a freezing cave, she had missed Paian dearly. Her thoughts wandered to what it would be like to spend more personal time with him, rather than this limited down time between objectives.


"What will our next course of action be? Could you track his magic trail, or shall we interrogate the other villages?"

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

Paian chuckled as the woman’s stomach growled, giving out her hunger.


“I presume I shouldn’t ask how patient are you then, my lady” he said, kissing Katie’s forehead softly, with surprising bravery, and put on a kettle with some of the herbs, pulling off the steaming soup. “May I suggest you start with this? The meat will be ready soon, until that this shall suffice…”


Gently, so he wouldn’t have to move the woman, he portioned some soup into the prepared bowl, and gave it with a spoon to the fae. He for himself only embraced the redeemer with a natural gesture, kissing her hair softly.


“I wish we could spend a little more time together without committing mass slaughter” he sighed, looking down on Katie’s pretty face. “I can do a scrying spell – I practiced it since last time. I have tasted his power again, and I have some of his creature’s blood on my clothing still, so we have a bigger chance to do this. But I will need time for that, my lady. And, while I’m reluctant to admit it, I’m afraid I’ll have to rest before that. My strength in body is quite lacking. And maybe I just want to spend some time with you between two battles.”


He smiled as he said the last sentence.


“Forgive my presumptuousness. I still want it.”

 

[Darth Echo]

"Well after this meal, we shall rest, I trust you wish me to keep you warm at night? My naked flesh should warm you up sufficiently." She teased while ravenously slurping down the soup. It was wonderful, an explosion of flavor each bite. Katie was ready to elope with the man, simply based on his cooking skill, it was far superior to any revenant cook.


"Perhaps we will track Kooth so some relaxing beach along the western coast, hmm? I wish to visit near the Fae lands again, provided they still accept me."

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

Paian’s face gained a beautiful red shade, as Katie spoke. He was blushing wildly, but still wouldn’t let the woman out of his arms. The embrace simply felt too good. The redeemer talked so easily, naturally…


“Oh, I am honoured. I thought you would want to choose the cauldron as company for tonight” he chuckled. “I am happy that you thought for me… and I would be honoured. Even if… well, I cannot guarantee anything, my lady…”


He sighed, preparing the next dish for his companion, pulling down everything from the skewers to a plate, and pulling out the earthen pot from the fire. He smiled, bitterly.


“I would hope that Kooth never set his feet to your lands though, my lady. I do not wish that fate to your fellow Fae… but after we took care of him, why couldn’t we visit your lands? I certainly doubt they would cast you out, Katie… Do you want some more soup, my lady, or would you rather eat the meat?...”

 

[Darth Echo]

"Both, my dear." Katie began, "I belong to the spectre order, and I am a redeemer. Faeries created a group called the Onmi'din, that is what they expected me to be. The order found me and my brother in a fae village they raided, rather than kill us they took us in. If I could have made a choice I would have chosen to be a Din, it is a great honor to Fae. My allegiance does not falter, and I am a redeemer now, however." She sighed deeply and took a moment to take another bite of soup.


"You see, Paian, the thing is these runes are mimicry of the Din. Granted, I am stronger than i suspect I would have been as a din, for they have many regulations to keep themselves safe. Anyways, I cannot go back because the Onmi'Din and Spectre order had a problem years ago that resulted in an all out war. Now we are to kill and Din we see, and vise versa." She felt a pang of sadness, she dearly missed her decease d brother, the lovely treehouses, and the games the fae played with each other. She missed it all.

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

The necromancer listened on, carefully, his slender fingers caressing Katie’s hair instinctively. He somehow felt safer with the woman leaning on him, and he almost felt warm, too. He was still trembling a little, but that wasn’t important. He nodded, slowly, handing the plates to the redeemer and settling back, embracing her again.


“I see, my lady. But this is indeed really sad, to be honest. To think your people would cast you out just because you were forced to take on a different path… sounds just cruel for me. Even if your order had a war with your people’s gifted… still… Oh, how am I to speak. We were persecuted for practicing necromancy even a short time before. I still think this is foolish. I wish I could help you to visit your land safely…”


Paian sighed, placing a soft kiss on the fae’s temple. He hugged her, carefully so he wouldn’t restrict her movements.


“I still hold hope for that. Maybe we could avoid Dins so you wouldn’t have to fight with your own blood…”

 

[Darth Echo]

"do not get me wrong, Paian, I will spill their blood without a second thought. I will have no regret, only pity that it had to come to this." Katie finished eating, she had eaten enough food for three men. Paian's cooking was truly amazing. The arbiter had told her most mages were great cooks, as cooking was only slightly different than spellweaving; he was proven correct by Paian.


"I think we should rest now, long way to find Kooth, tomorrow i shall let you lead us." Katie sighed, "It seems I lead us to bloodshed more oft' than not." A quick smirk appeared on the redeemer's soft pink lips. "Not that I mind bloodshed, that is."

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

“I would still mind, my lady” said the necromancer softly, watching with some content as Katie practically inhaled all food in front of her. “There are enough evil in this world for your hands to take care of. No need to kinslaying, though. ‘Be nice, do good, kill demons.’ Not anything else but demons and their servants for me, my dear.”


He opened up the small earthen pot, quickly checking on the dessert. It wasn’t burned, and smelled amazing, rich with fruits.


“I gather you do not wish to taste the pie, then? I shall set it aside for your breakfast, my lady.” A small smile played on his thin, pale lips.


“May I prepare our sleeping berth, then? I do hope you would be willing to sleep next to me, Katie. After all, you promised something – and I intend to take on your word. It is very cold now, after all…”


He looked up, directly into the fae’s shining green eyes, and smiled, without any shyness now. Just slight teasing.


“I do promise I will clean myself thoroughly before that…”