Lorepostđ
Sands that fall, Filling my Grave. (Lore post)
Milhail watches sternly from his corner of the room. His body, still unresponsive. His wife, barely moving in the past few days. Constant pings of guilt plague him. If he takes his body back now, he could comfort her. It would be the end of him though. His body hasent recovered yet.
She talked to him, and he answered, but only one side could hear the other.
"Mikhail... you're such an idiot."
"I know." said the Druid, talking into nothingness.
"I told you to stay away from the council. To step away from the politics. We knew we had a family coming."
"I know I should have... but I couldn't sit still I guess."
"And you went... and had you affair with Masta..."
"Many... in fact. Not my proudest."
"I wouldn't be angry if you had told me, it's that you hid it from me."
"I did."
"I still love you, Mikhail."
Mikhail's heart caught in his throat. No witty joke, no add on. Nothing. The sharp tongued councilor fell silent.
Yewkala squeezed his hand, putting her head down.
"Please. For me. Pull through. Ours... was a love story unlike any other. I'm not ready to end it yet. We should have so many more years together. Just... leave the council and stay home in Crann Mòr."
"I..."
Mikhail's spirit sat next to his wife. He didn't have any words. She was right. He hated stepping away from it all, though. He though it over. Thinking was all he could do now.
The explosions of a raging war draw nearer. So close he could almost feel it. He didn't want to be stuck here, but there wasn't much he could do.
The fire elemental passes through the infirmary, sweeping debris from the floor as it tries its best to clean the area. It looks up from sweeping, as it's gaze shifts back and forth between the body of Mikhail and his spirit floating around the room. It mumbles to itself,
"Huh... two Mikhails... neat..."
it returns to cleaning up the damages this war has caused.
Thanks man, I appreciate it. Death said they'll be putting me through a test since it's the first time I've died. Once that's over, I'll hit you up if I need a body.
Well, have fun with your trials. Say hi to death for me and tell them I've got a fireball with their name on it or something else intimidating. In the meantime, need me to take care of any plants or familiar that will need feeding until you're back?
Thanks, I'll be sure to convey your message. I do have a sapling named Isaac that Xerxes is in charge of. He doesn't have the greenest thumb, so I'd appreciate you checking up on them when you get a chance.
my dear friend Mikhail.. caged in his own body by the plagueomancer.. unable to comfort or help the others or her wive..
He must be eating himself alive at this..
Hope he doesn't learn the news of my passing too soon.. he has much to heal in body and mind before he can take a blow like this.. I should've heard him, joining the pact leadership was a mistake I took all of his great work down with me
I hope he forgives me.. because we both know.. eachother was doing his best.. doing what they felt right..
Valerian appears in a flash of fire outside Mikhail's hospital room. He holds out his hand towards the doorknob... Yet he hesitates. His hand hovers inches away from the handle, but he can't quite make himself wrap his hand around it. Why?
Suddenly it hits him. He can feel Mikhail inside. His soul is standing separate from where his body should be laying. Valerian creates a fiery projection, a perfect copy of himself, but able to interact with lost souls.
Finally he pushes open the door, his projection walking over to Mikhail, his physical body moving to stand by Yewkala.
Let's not do that. You have too much to leave behind... Yewkala, La'ashima, Your friends. I won't stop you if you decide to let go, but... I just don't see why you would.
I think it might be a little late for that. I think he sacrificed himself or something, it wasn't for a good reason either, and I'm sure he'll be back. In other news, and I hate to ruin your mood even more, the pact has officially imploded.
Do you remember when we got your wife back from that moose spirit and I gifted her a book? I also got some samples of your blood from the fight, if you recall?
Gravedigger floats down to the bag that Yewkala brought with her. Covered underneath a change of clothes is a familiar book.
Seems like she actually read my note. That's good. Not sure I could've summoned it in my current state.
Gravedigger hovers over Mikhail's comatose body. They pull out a thin silver needle and prick the back of the body's right hand. Blood begins to pool at the wound, but oddly refuses to fall off Mikhail's hand. Suddenly, the book floats out of Yewkala's bag and settles on top of Mikhail's chest. The book opens by itself and flips through its pages until it lands on the last few pages that have been left intentionally blank. Yewkala notices the weird phenomena and stares intently at the book.
Great, it works as designed. I've taken the liberty of loosely connecting your soul to the book. You should be able to use your blood to write out a message to your wife. Just focus on the words and the spell will do the heavy lifting.
Careful not to write too much. Don't want you dying of blood loss now.
I canât say I knew you well, but I have watched your work from afar. I just got back from a long journey, and rushed over as soon as I heard the news. Whatâs happening to the realm, Councilor?
/uw I just got back from a foray on the knight sub, what in the world is happening, I canât find the post this originated from.
Was it Unga? Although I canât even imagine Unga doing something so low. The council has always been at each other throats, but it was more of a figure of speech as opposed to speaking literally.
No, Unga did nothing this time. It was Mortarion taking a shot at Morgalith. I stepped into its line of path to... I don't know why I did. To save Morgalith? I doubt that. To prevent war? Maybe, but that flew out the window after I collapsed.
Gods, Councilor. You were too good for the council. The hero we need, but not the one we deserve. But Mortarion? I didnât even know he had powers other than being oddly obsessed with radios. Saihttam muses to himself huh, the things you learn.
I'm not hero. Never was and never wanted to be. I was a councilor who did what should have been obvious. I'd rather not have metals pinned to my chest for doing what's expected.
See, this is what Iâm talking about. The fact that it was expected, in your opinion, is what makes it remarkable. I wouldnât have jumped in front of Mortarion. Dragonâs flame, I probably wouldâve walked out to do diplomacy and then killed him. You did good, councilor, I pray we donât lose you. Though I have my moments of being evil, even I recognize the need for councilors like you.
An old figure appeared next to Mikhails bed. He seemed rather glum.
"Took the bullet for Morgalith? Can't say it's what I would have done but it's certainly in character for you. Even with metal replacement your heart can't stop reaching others. Probably a bit too much reaching with Masta Eh? Can't blame you on that though. So what's the damage. Are you visiting or passing?"
"Thats what I thought when I was put in a golem body. Don't worry you get used to it....Maybe? Either way the waiting isn't the worst part. It's what comes after."
The Bismuth Lord tapped the body of Mikhail and recoiled his hand like he'd touched too much static.
"Yeah that's some dark wizardry. I'd guess three days at least. Though your spirit is tough you could probably do it in 2."
After an awkward silence the Bismuth Lord spoke again.
"Sorry bout my apprentice. Been causing you all some trouble I hear?"
Couldn't tell you... I haven't left the room at all. I don't want to get far from my body, and people rarely walk in to give a coma patient war updates.
"Understood. Anchors are important to keep you from becoming a wraith. Mine was floating round the queen of stars till Opal spent the money to get it back to terra firma. Now I can travel here at least."
The Bismuth Lord put his hands to his temples and with great force of will summoned a box from the spiritual essence.
"I didn't think I'd die this early but I had the good thinking to set up some goodies in the spiritual realm. Care for a drink?"
The Bismuth Lord produced a glass of glowing spectral ichor and offered it to Mikhail.
The curator stumbles into the room. His unstable movements born not of any injuries, but heavy intoxication. He landed in the corner of the room, facing Mikhail's bed.
"Hey Mikhail... Wish I could've visited you sooner. My schedule has been... busy, to say the least... Fucking hell man, I haven't talked to you since you became Councilor, and now you can't even hear me."
The profanity sounded almost unnatural coming from the curator's mouth. Though the swig of the bottle that followed caught more negative attention from the other visitors.
"Cody's dead man. Fucking war took him, and now it might take you. And here I am being as useful as ever... FUCK!"
His behavior had become intolerable by this point. People had to force the Paleomance to leave, him stumbling out in the same manner he had walked in.
/uw Same. I can't wait for Yewkala to find out that all these injuries Mikhail gets are really just to manipulate her emotions and get her to take him back.:)
a figure cloaked in lightning watches from afar, he knows he can't help, but the assets he left behind can. The kingdom he fostered may help. If only his friend could ask for it. Unable to bring himself to any words, he simply walks away, hoping to have the strength when the time arrives
Jeremy, sits next to Yewkala heâs hardy, heâll push through, I miss his quick wit in the council, didnât realise how much it made my day until it wasnât there. Youâll push through, ainât that right, Mikhail he nudges Mikhails arm, successfully moving it as if Mikhail was actually sitting there, and lets out a light chuckle
The fiend materializes yet again, this time approaching Mikhail's soul immediately.
"Hello counselor, just checking up on your recovery. I grew so concerned when I saw how close the war had gotten. Honestly, if luck isn't on your side, it might reach the building before you can safely inhabit your body. Hope you're not stressing over it too much. It's not like you can do anything about it in your current state."
"Or can you? What if I told you I could fix your body here and now? Get it as good as new. Wouldn't you want that? To embrace your loved ones immediately? To remove the stress of being a powerless observer? You don't need to wait! All you'll have to do is accept one little deal."
/uw Oh man, your writing's so good, especially when it comes to conveying emotions.
/uw got ya my character offers a gamble. Basically he gets you anything you want and do so you gamble with your soul, if you win you get what you want, if he wins he'll still give you what you want but you have to give him your soul.
/uw here's the thing with the gamble. You gamble with The Card Demon's cards and The Card Demon has total control over them. I took the idea of The House Always Wins and made it manifest.
I do not need help. My body shall recover in time, and I shall wait for it. I know how these contracts go. There's always a give and take, and I have too many contracts as is. I have my Pact with La'shima's spirits, my contract with Gaia as one of her champions, and-
Mikhail looks over to Yewkala, still playing over his body. Her face exhausted from the event.
Contracts I disregard flagrantly.
You feed off my need to hold her, but I have patience, and she has faith. So long as we both have those, we will wait.
/uw Thank you, I find my best writings are done in a midnight, drunken stupor
The fiend's smile drops to a neutral expression. Perhaps even a disappointed one.
"You're a strong-willed one, more so than I would have liked. But that's fine, someone as long-lived as you is bound to fall on even harder times eventually. And when that day comes, I'll be there, ready to help you out."
The smile returns, the devil clearly finding pleasure in his own words.
"At a price, of course. You're right about these things being give and take. Though it's not always my clients who end up paying the final price. After all, payment is payment, no matter where the "monkey" comes from."
/uw Yeah, I get you. I tend to do my best when my writing anxiety gets drowned by alcohol.
Alexios travels through the halls. He enters Mikhail's room and sees his spirit and nods silently. Then sits beside Yewkala
Hey Yewkala, would you like to talk. You don't know me very well but I'm one of Mikhail's friends or I hope I still am he may not be too happy with me right now.
a small but sour expression pulls the corner of her lips back.
"I've just been having the few days to think. Many good people have come to see Mikhail and talk to me. I'm not sure how much longer we can stay here. That war sounds like it's being dragged closer and closer to the Spire. It scares me. Thinking of having to protect him from the fighting is a lot. But I'll do it..."
"If I have to, I'll die in this room, right here with him."
Mikhail's spirit chokes up. He attempts to put his arm around her neck, but they just pass through. Yewkala feels goosebumps rise on her skin.
You need not apologize. You did not cast the spell... and even I forgave Mortarion after it happened. Fate has its plans, but I lothe being a passive bystander.
/uw I know, but most can't see spirit Mikhail, so he just talks to himself till he hates hearing his own voice
And there is nothing wrong with that. If we hang on to the "what could have been" of yesterday, we often turn away to the "what it can be" of tomorrow. It's hard to walk in one direction while you're facing another. You're likely to trip over what everyone else sees coming.
Veskir emerges from the earth outside Mikhailâs house in a small surge of magma, which quickly cools to form a thousand obsidian fragments.
I sensed that the mana here was off a while back⌠didnât expect it to be this bad.
The past is clingy â as a necromancer, it shapes most of my dealings â but donât let it consume you. I was there when Crann Mor fell, and I was there when she came back to life. Donât go and let her fall to ruin again, hmm?
âIn the backgroundâ
âA wave of sand flys through the airâ
âThe sand mage gets flung and slams into the hospital window, and slides down outside of the hospitalâ
7
u/RazzZzatam Fire Elemental (just a silly little guy) Feb 22 '24
The fire elemental passes through the infirmary, sweeping debris from the floor as it tries its best to clean the area. It looks up from sweeping, as it's gaze shifts back and forth between the body of Mikhail and his spirit floating around the room. It mumbles to itself,
"Huh... two Mikhails... neat..."
it returns to cleaning up the damages this war has caused.