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Post by Killian Glae on Nov 4, 2022 12:15:50 GMT -5
Killian walked calmly through the forest, the trees passing him like a silent, watching crowd. He didn't mind. He was used to silence. Used to people watching, too. He wasn't used to messing up, though. That was new. That was annoying. He narrowed his eyes as he walked. He wouldn't let it happen again. That damned basilisk had been fast, but he should have been faster. He started to scratch at his right arm, then stopped himself with a jerk. Where was that witch's house? His vision was starting to go a little dark around the edges, and he was getting nervous. Slightly.
When he walked into a low hanging branch, he began to get very nervous.
About a minute later, he stumbled upon the house, rising above him on the hilltops. Or... in between the hilltops? He shook his head; no time for wonderment. He made his way up the steps, going higher and higher up the hill. When he finally reached the top, he was feeling quite dizzy, but he made his way towards the house. He could see the light through the window, but details were already getting hazy. He half walked, half stumbled to the door, and banged loudly with his left hand. He didn't bother waiting for a reply, and let himself in. The interior was warm after the cool of the night, and he stood for a moment, enjoying the warmth. He looked around, and to his dismay realized that he couldn't properly make out anything more than blurry shapes.
His gaze stopped on a dark blur he took to be the vague form of a woman. He blinked hard, yet stood there solid and steady, before calmly and silently holding out his right arm. He had already tossed away his ruined leather bracer, and there, on the the bare arm, in hues of green and yellow, was the basilisk bite.
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Post by Lady Kamille Verlithax on Nov 5, 2022 16:49:18 GMT -5
It wasn’t unheard of for people to knock on her door randomly, seeking help or shelter - most people would, however, wait for her to go to the door to open it.
Through his blurry vision, a black and white marble floor was visible, before her muffled steps came into earshot.
"By Ginma! What happened to you? Come here, come!"
Without further questioning, a purple and black blur came into sight, as the woman took his healthy arm to guide him through the house. A gentle, warm touch of a woman, and the soft rustling of rich silks was all he could feel before she gently guided him to lay down in a soft bed.
"Wait here. I'll get something for you."
She swiftly got out of the room. Aparently, situations like this were fairly regular on her house, since she didn’t hesitate on taking him in and realizing what he needed. If he could discern anything on the room, he would notice it actually looked like a dormitory of sorts, with a dozen bed or so. Despite fresh air coming in through the windows, the interior was always warm and cozy.
The Witch came back in a matter of minutes, carrying a tray with several pots and cups on it. She sat by his side on the bed.
"This is a sleeping potion. I would rather you drink it - it'll make it for the healing process easier and faster."
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Post by Killian Glae on Nov 5, 2022 20:02:10 GMT -5
It was an uncomfortable feeling for Killian, being led by the hand like a child. He gritted his teeth, but with his vision affected as it was, he had no other choice. Yet his intel had been good, apparently. This woman seemed to know immediately what was wrong with him, and didn't seem particularly surprised to find a visitor in need. The woman guided him to a bed, then left quickly, leaving him to own thoughts. Though he couldn't really make out anything, the warmth of the house was comforting, as had been the woman's soft touch and kind voice.
When she returned, she sat by his bed. "This is a sleeping potion. I would rather you drink it - it'll make it for the healing process easier and faster."
Killian jerked back, one hand rising in a half-defensive way. Then he spoke his first words to this stranger who had taken him in without question. "No."
There was a pause, and Killian felt that something more was required from him. He cleared his throat uncomfortably. "What I mean to say is... that I don't exactly trust you". Damn it, that was wrong. He quickly continued. "What I mean is, I just don't know you. You could kill in me in my sleep". Well, that didn't sound too much better. He sighed, leaned back on his pillow, and said softly, "I'll remain awake, if that's all right with you."
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Post by Lady Kamille Verlithax on Nov 8, 2022 10:36:08 GMT -5
Even if his sight was not making him any favours, he could hear the smile in her voice.
"Well, then that is unfortunate, because you are the one who stumbled into my house. It would've been easier on you if you were asleep, but since you insist... Please remain still."
She let down the potion. She inspected the wound in his arm for a minute, or so it would seem. Then, she rolled up the sleeve of his shirt, or whatever remained of it, and placed one hand below his wound and the other above it, both of them touching his arm - her touch was gentle and warm, certainly hands that never held a weapon in her life before. Bur her grip tightened, and a burning feeling started to irradiate from his wound and into his body, as if the heat was being carried throughout his blood. For a moment, he felt as if his fever has been getting worse. Through the fog of pain and fever, however, as the burning feeling started to slowly die down, and somewhere along the line she had let go of his arm. Even if he couldn’t feel the toxins and infection being burned away by her spell (Remove Condition), soon the effects of it would notably subside.
A cool, wet piece of cloth was used to cool off his face, as she cleaned it from any dirt, sweat or blood he may have. Once his vision would start to get in focus once more, the first thing he would see was the Witch herself. An half-elven beauty for sure, not a hag as some people would suggest. Her hair was black and slightly disheveled, falling down to her waist. The stars spiraled in her deep, blue eyes, holding testemony to the gift from Ziev himself. She offered him help to lift up and drink a potion.
"This is a healing potion, don’t worry. What is your name?"
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Post by Killian Glae on Nov 8, 2022 13:54:52 GMT -5
Killian would be lying if he said the first time he laid eyes on Kamille his heart didn't skip a beat. But such thoughts were dangerous, so he buried them somewhere deep inside and locked them away. His arm still hurt, but his vision was coming back to him as the witch wiped his face with a wet cloth.
"Killian." He replied when she asked him his name. "Killian Glae."
"Thank you." he said in his quiet voice a moment later. He gratefully accepted the healing potion she presented him, and despite a deep feeling of embarrassment, even allowed her to help him sit up. He was loathe to admit it, but he was drained of all strength, and his arm shook as he raised the bottle to his lips.
As the potion began to take effect on him, he started to rise. "I... I need to go... There's a basilisk that needs..." He collapsed back into bed, still too weak.
Damn.
His fists clenched. He had a job to do, and until he did it, innocent people were in danger. He tried to rise again, and managed to swing his legs over the side of the bed and sit up. His head swam with dizziness.
Damn.
But what was a man to do? He had a basilisk to slay.
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Post by Lady Kamille Verlithax on Nov 10, 2022 8:42:02 GMT -5
She didn’t allow him to rise, putting a gentle hand to his chest and pressing him down. Before he could utter any other kind of protest, she took his good hand and rested a bowl of warm food into it. Looked like some sort of stew with chicken, vegetables and lots of herbs.
"The basilisk will wait, I'm sure."
As things started to get into focus again, Killian could notice he was in some sort of large dormitory, with at least a dozen beds, all soft, comfortable and cozy - certainly much larger a room than he could've guessed. And they were not alone either, as one of the beds on the far end of the room was occupied by a man in black that seemed to have face planted on the bed, his head barely missing the pillow. Pointy, half-elven ears poking out of dark hair, he was deeply asleep, one leg hanging out of the bed, snoring softly. A bow was prepped against his nightstand.
But the woman’s attention was all on the visitor.
"Killian Glae... Are you a bountyhunter, Mr. Glae? Why would you be after a basilisk?"
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Post by Killian Glae on Nov 11, 2022 13:22:35 GMT -5
Killian hesitated, unsure of how to answer. He was technically something of a bounty hunter, often scanning bounty boards for jobs. Yet, how to explain that he didn't care for the money? All he wanted was to rid Charon of the dangers that plagued it. Yet... Killian couldn't help but feel foolish putting it that way.
"Yes." Was all he finally said, before jerking his head to the sleeping figure on the other bed. "You seem to be busy, my lady, and I really should be going-" His words died at the look in her eyes. She wasn't going to let him leave until he at least ate the stew, that much was clear. So he reluctantly began to sip at the broth. The taste of the stew awakened his hunger, and soon he was taking full spoonfuls, aware of how much the venom had drained him. The stew was good, and he felt a sense of calm fall over him. Eventually he looked up. "Thank you."
His arm was still sore, but at least it wasn't his sword arm. He could still fight. He swung his feet over the side of the bed once more and stood.
"How much?" He asked.
At her blank look, he clarified. "How much do I owe you, my lady?"
He didn't know why he referred to her with such a noble title; perhaps he was simply conscious of the vast divide between a soldier-turned-prisoner and this half-Elven magic-wielder. Perhaps he simply didn't know how to act in this situation. Killian wasn't the best with... people.
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Post by Lady Kamille Verlithax on Nov 13, 2022 13:02:12 GMT -5
Her eyes lit up upon seeing his enthusiasm for her food - so many people were worried being poisoned by her these days, it felt as if few were there to simply be thankfull. But upon mentioning payment, she immediately perked up, standing up with him.
"Come with me."
The woman led him out of the room, leaving the other man alone to sleep peacefully. They went back to the first room that Killian had only see through his glassy, blurred vision at the time. The floor was, in fact, black and white marble, and everything was much more... well, luxurious than what one would expect of a witch's cottage. The walls were covered in magic tomes and scrolls, probably the biggest - and most wealthy - collection he had seen around. To one side of the room sat a structure akin to a gazebo, with a round table and couple chairs inside. To the other side of the room sat a fireplace with a fur rug before it, as well as a nice couch. Next to it, what appeared to be the perch of a bird, littered with shinning trinkets.
But the woman took him to the kitchen, across the living room. The kitchen looked a bit more cluttered. Spices and herbs hanged from the ceiling and, of course, in the middle of the room, a big cauldron with something bubbling inside. To one side of the room, normal kitchen appliances - knifes, cleavers, pots and pans - and to the other, a long counter with her alchemy glassware. A big, ominous cabinet kept a few potions in bottles of every color and size.
She took him to the table, inviting him to take a sit with a gesture.
"Please, sit. As I usually request in these situations, I will only ask you that you take some tea with me and tell me your story. That’s all."
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Post by Killian Glae on Nov 15, 2022 2:40:56 GMT -5
Tell her his story, huh? Not such an easy ask. To pay with solars would be easier. And more preferable. Killian hesitated, and looked at the witch.
"I don't even know your name." he said softly.
"My name is Kamille. You'll forgive me, but most who come to me already know that..." The witch replied. Killian gave a tight-lipped smile. He had been bitten by a basilisk and slowly losing his vision when he had been told about Kamille. He wasn't sure if her name had even been mentioned, but if it was, he certainly hadn't caught it. He sighed.
"Tea?"
Killian sat and thought as Kamille prepared him the hot drink. Tell her his story... He didn't want to. That much was for sure. Didn't ever want to tell anyone his story. Never. Kamille placed the tea in front of him, and he looked up into her eyes. The stars swirled there, entrancing, hypnotizing. Here, in this mysterious house in the middle of the woods, he suddenly felt disconnected from reality. Anything spoken in this house wasn't real. Wasn't bound by his own desires. Here he could talk and nothing could hurt him. Here, the walls he had constructed around himself didn't exist. He took a deep breath. "You want a story, my lady? I'll tell you a story."
"I was born in a little village on the edge of the Kingswood. It was called Kenting. It was... nice. Quiet. Peaceful. I lived with my parents and my little sister, Velaru. There was an old soldier who lived nearby. His name was... uh... Pethros! Yeah, that was it. Wow. Can't believe I'd almost forgotten that. Well, Pethros used to teach me how to use a sword. I was always good with the blade, so eventually I thought, What the hell? Might as well join the army." At this point Killian barked out a mirthless laugh. "I was sixteen. I had no idea I would... I would never see my family again. You see, when I left the army four years later and returned to Kenting... Well. I don't know what happened. But everyone in my village... was ... possessed." Here Killian stopped, and stared at a wall for a while, lost in memories. Eventually he took another sip of his tea, then continued. "The spirits, or demons or whatever, had plans to spread across all of Charon. They would have taken over... everything. Would have destroyed everything. So I... What I mean is... Well, I couldn't let that happen, could I?" He suddenly looked at Kamille, tears filling his eyes.
"Could I?" He whispered.
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Post by Lady Kamille Verlithax on Nov 17, 2022 4:47:27 GMT -5
The Witch had always been a good listener, collecting stories in the same fashion, over a cup of tea. She poured one for him and another for her - some kind of energizing herbal tea. He would need the energy if he wanted to be out to fight his basilisk again.
Killian's story started as most of them did, but Kamille listened intently nonetheless. She sipped at her tea, but stopped when he spoke of everyone in the village being possessed. She never expected that kind of story before, and, truth be told, this stranger surprised her. Kamille left her cup on the table, reaching out to lay a comforting hand on his arm.
"If you did the right thing at the time, I comend you. The right thing to do is often the hard thing to do. Even if it didn't feel right at the time, even if you still beat yourself up for it. But please, continue... What happened after that? Did you find out the source of all of this? Do you... ever want to find out?"
Maybe a Witch - or, more precisely, a mage - like her would have the knowledge and tools to assist in such matters, should he ever be tempted at coming back to his old village - which she doubted. She thought she knew what he did, but still insisted, wanting to hear it from him. It felt like it shook him, so she suspected what happened next.
"But anyway... What happened then? What did you do?"
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Post by Killian Glae on Nov 18, 2022 2:12:08 GMT -5
Killian visibly jerked his arm, though only slightly, at Kamille's touch. He brought his body back in control, and taking a breath, looked back at Kamille. He didn't remove his arm from under her hand, despite his initial reaction.
"What did I do?" The voice that came out of Killian sounded full of wonder, as if he himself didn't know the ending to the story. Suddenly he laughed dryly, a scornful laugh full of self-hate. "I killed them." The words were blunt and quick to fall from his tongue, as if he didn't care, as if it were a simple thing he was telling her. As if she wasn't the very first person to ever hear this story.
He stood up suddenly, pulling his arm from her grasp, and turned away, leaning heavily against the alchemy counter, keeping his gaze fixed on the wall. His voice came out like steel.
"I. Killed. Them."
He took a breath, but half-way through it turned into a strangled sob and he slammed both fists down onto the counter, causing various equipment to rattle and shake.
"I KILLED THEM!"
There was a long, cold silence. Killian didn't turn to face this woman who so easily broke past his every defense and reduced him to a tear-streaked form of anger and rage.
After a long while, he took another deep breath, looked up at the ceiling, and finally turned around again, leaning back against the alchemy counter. He crossed his arms, his face a mask devoid of any emotion.
"When they found me- the military- surrounded by the corpses and blood, they naturally arrested me." Killian shrugged coldly. "Spent about three years in the Seven, and was eventually granted amnesty in exchange for a little bodyguard job for a princess... But that's a boring story, so..."
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Post by Lady Kamille Verlithax on Nov 18, 2022 11:04:30 GMT -5
Despite being worried about her glassware, the Witch didn’t follow him, nor made any motion as to comfort him at the moment. It was not the time for comfort - it was the time to let the rage and anger and sadness to spill out, and she allowed for it, without restraint.
She sat in silence comfortably, without moving, and without starring intently at him too. Only when he seemed to have restored his calm, she turned to face him again. The event certainly weighed in his shoulders still, and for a good reason. She wasn’t one to make little of his suffering, so she pondered before saying anything.
"Every path is littered with difficult choices. I commend you for taking the path you thought to be the right one, up until the last consequences. People like you are rare."
If he spent the last years in prison, she assumed now he wanted to start a new life. A job protecting a princess, killing a basilisk....
"If you ever find yourself in need of a job, I can help you with that. Help you get settled back into life. I have some people that... Needed a fresh start, let's say."
That would explain the dormitory and the man sleeping there.
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Post by Killian Glae on Nov 20, 2022 0:25:45 GMT -5
Killian burned with shame. He had lost control of himself and practically burst into tears in front of Kamille. It wasn't that he was embarrassed to cry- It was that he was unburdening himself to a stranger, placing his sorrows unfairly on her. Killian took a breath.
"I appreciate that, my lady. But honestly, I'd appreciate it even more if you just forget everything I said." He waved a hand, as if to dismiss everything that happened. "As for jobs, I get by. Jobs from bounty boards mostly. Like this basilisk."
This damned basilisk. It was because of it that Killian had ever come here in the first place. Killian didn't know if he should strangle the creature or thank it. Kamille was... a mixed blessing. Or maybe simply a blessing he didn't want to accept. He shrugged.
"Thanks for the tea."
He headed for the doorway of the kitchen, then paused. He didn't look back at Kamille as he said quietly: "Of course, it's only my word they were possessed."
A moment passed as he allowed that to sink in. He didn't want her sympathy, and trying to plant this seed of doubt was the best he could do to deflect it.
Besides, his life was easier without attachments. Better she think him a murderer than try to befriend him and tear down all those protective walls he'd put up.
With that, he strode out of the room.
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Post by Lady Kamille Verlithax on Nov 20, 2022 10:16:52 GMT -5
Contrary to what Killian seemed to think, Kamille didn't seem to mind his "unburdening" on her - to be fair, she was used to it. It was the whole point of being so readily avaiable to everyone with a problem that would come by. It started as a mixture of a business, of a way to make ends meet, and at the same time do some good to those around her.
And from there, it spiralled out of control.
Kamille stood up, and seemed to think for a moment before placing a hand in his arm - once again trying to pass on some reassurance to him. She decided to not do it, recoiling her hand. His attempt at throwing doubt over to her seemed completely futile - whatever truly happened at his village, it took a toll on him and his emotional display looked genuine enough for her to believe it. But he was also a proud warrior, and she didn't want to press him any further.
"Whenever you need anything, even just a roof over your head, my door is always open. I'm pretty sure a capable warrior like yourself will have other interesting stories for me...."
With that, she let the swordsman take his leave. He probably felt like he needed to get his stuff together now. As he was heading to the exit, another two people came in, both wearing black clothes similar to the one of the man sleeping in the dormitory; and a pin of a black feather to the chest. It was a big man with a face that said he "punched first and asked later" and a smaller, quiet woman. They acknowledged Killian's presence and left the door open, but other than that, didn't seem to think his presence weird.
Lots of comings and goings through the Witch's house.
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Post by Killian Glae on Nov 20, 2022 16:18:54 GMT -5
Killian paused in the doorway to the witch's house. He glanced down at his wounded arm, flexing the muscle. It was sore, and would probably take a few days before it was back to full strength, but it was definitely healed. Kamille knew what she was doing. Killian looked up at the night sky, and the stars above him reminded him of the witch's eyes. He smiled to himself and stepped out of the house without saying anything. He's said enough already. As the cool of the night washed over him, he shrugged his cloak around himself and started walking.
The basilisk lay on the bloodied forest ground, the last of it's feeble heartbeats pumping it's blood onto the grass through the wound on it's neck. It's eyes glazed over, and with a final shudder, it let out one last breath. Killian wiped the creature's dark green blood from his sword, and smiling grimly, sheathed his blade. The bounty was complete. He'd be heading back to Sol City to pick up his payment- not to mention another job. The work never stopped. Not for Killian. He tightened the strap of his new leather bracer, then crouched down and considered the basilisk. It had been a tough fight, but Killian hadn't made the same mistake twice. This time he had been faster. Another smile. Killian stood up and glanced up at the sky.
Stars.
A week after she had met and healed Killian, Kamille opened her door to find the body of a basilisk on her doorstep. It was neatly tied together, separated into smaller parts for easy transportation and stored in large box. There was a small piece of paper on top of it. A note. It read:
I'm sure there are plenty of alchemical resources to be harvested from a basilisk. Consider them yours, free of charge. Thanks.
It was unsigned.
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