Dead Heart Beat

A smile graced borders as she took the liberty of sitting in the seat directly across from Asha. A familiar sensation of reminiscence and nostalgia of their younger days, where life had been a bit more peaceful to say not strictly speaking, hit her in the face. At least back then she hadn’t had to deal with the red sky incident just yet. Earlier days spent with the male-resembling magician seemed so far despite the little amount of years which had gone by since.

“You sure have changed, Asha,” she hummed, leaning forwards while leaning her cheek against a palm and a cheeky smile displayed across features. The drastic change between the pair’s first meeting to the present was astonishing, most wouldn’t have even thought they would be the same person. Brilith, in an odd way, felt special for being able to recognize the many differences which arose from the time gaps. “I think I like you much better now though.”

      At her mention of her to seemingly have changed she could only let out a small snort noise in response. ❝ Is that so? I don’t really think I’ve changed all that much. ❞ She would pause for a moment before speaking as she would finally smile very faintly.

      ❝ If anything, I believe it’s you who has changed. Of course I quite like this better seeing how before you were loud, obnoxious, and quite the brat. ❞ Of course she’d be only teasing to try and ruffle her feathers. Though she did see that her friend had indeed changed quite a lot since their first meeting. Both of them had grown in their own odd ways. Only now, both of their roles had changed and both of them were looking to a different task to accomplish.

      Fate had different ideas in mind she supposed.

Pure bliss….

On the ground laid a silver-haired man.  He laid on what appeared to be a symbol drawn in blood.  A metal pike was impaled through his chest as he laid there with blood coming from not only the wound to his chest but other wounds and the blood in his mouth.  It was not a pleasant sight to see, but the sight around him was far worse.  Multiple bodies were scattered.  It was a warzone and no one had survived the encounter from how it seemed.

He had stumbled upon this city, not knowing how or why.  He came in looking for something to eat.  Hardly any memory at all and a throbbing headache, all he knew was that he needed something to eat.  Upon finding the food he desired, he took it upon himself to simply help himself.  After a good meal and several angry workers, he would only serve to provoke them and eventually death would come to them.  The next thing he knew was soldiers coming for him.  Those soldiers were now victims of the onslaught of the silver-haired male.  Wounds were inflicted in various parts of them, but each one shared a common wound.  Each soldier had at least one hole through their chest.

The pain was absolutely pure bliss.  His body was wracked in so much pain.  Each pain was the same pain that each heathen that laid breathless on the ground.  Absolute bliss for the silver-haired immortal.  Though, he may have had laid there for too long.  Eventually, eyes would close as the cultist would end up passing out.  A little so much at once, it had been so long since he had a sacrifice like this.  Jashin would be truly pleased with the bounty given.  Perfect … Completely perfect.  He desired a little rest. It wasn’t like anyone was left to challenge him.  Nah, it wasn’t that.  No, it wasn’t that at all.  There was no one in this city that could even try to kill him.

He was the reaper of this city, and he loved it.  This city would burn in the name of Jashin.  Once he woke up, anyways.

     It reeked.

     And by reeked, it meant of blood, not shit or piss. The familiar reek that lingered on her at all times as the intoner was used to bathing in her blood herself. She only came to this stupid shit hole to get something to get a request done really fast for Accord. Seeing how she didn’t even have a choice in the damn matter, it had to be done. Only to come and see blood everywhere and dead bodies everywhere. Fucking fantastic.

     ❝ You stay here. ❞

     That was the only command she’d give as she walked into one of the buildings, the only one she needed to go into. Her odd heel shoes would make their tap noises as she entered the wooden building only to wrinkle up her nose. Yeah, it was definitely a slaughter house in here, nothing unusual to her anyway. ❝ Time to get what I need and get the fuck out. ❞ She mumbled to her self as she kicked some bodies out of her path as she walked through.

     If anything, she swore to whatever God was listening, it seemed as if some creepy as cult shit happened in here. Something she was gladly ignoring as she walked over the legs of weird little thing in the middle, whatever the fuck that was. She hopped over the counter giving a grunt noise as she did so.

     Right, so now she had to look in all the cabinets, something she wanted to do, great. From what she was told as she was looked through all the contents of them. Soon she’d find what she needed and hop over the counter again. Curiosity getting the best of her though as she held this sealed back, she would open it, only to have a really pissed off look on her face.

     ❝ I went all this fucking way for a fucking damn book?! ❞

     The young brunette had somehow come upon this odd world on her way to work, and she was quite amazed. Perplexed, but definitely amazed. Everything was so different from the world she knew, and every color was muddled instead of vibrant. She had to admit, she had stood there with her mouth agape for quite a while. Upon hearing some footsteps behind her, Kotori quickly turned around to face the other. A small gasp escaped her throat as she gazed upon the elder girl, but she quickly placed a hand over her mouth - a subtle blush dusting her cheeks, ‘Sh-she’s…Beautiful!’. 

     Gently clearing her throat and removing her hand from her mouth, she met eyes with the strange woman. She gathered her skirt in her fists and fidgeted as she shifted her gaze from side to side,

       “I… U-uhm… I’m sorry to bother you, but it does seem I’m lost, so I really would appreciate a map…,” The girl began to speak but mumbled out the final part “Though I’m not that great at reading them…”

       She took a shaky breath, the fear of being in a strange new place settling in her bones, and began to speak again, “I w-wanna go back home… I have to go to work…”

     She was polite enough it would seem, all the more pleasant to deal with she supposed. If she really wanted to take this seriously anyway. It was no fun to not have at least a little bit of fun during a situation like this. Though it would appear she seemed very frightened. Perhaps she wouldn’t be too rough on the girl with her teasing. She did have some sort of kind part to her, even if it didn’t appear much.

     ❝ Your timidness is not needed child, you are quite fine in my care. ❞ Best to assure her anyway she would be fine. It was her duty to help in this sort of situation anyway, she’d never hear the end of it if she didn’t. Yet she was uncertain how this girl even got her. That was something she did need to figure out, and she would get down to that.

     ❝ You are lucky though, ❞ well....not without some sort of playful teasing anyway. ❝ If I hadn’t been the first to find you, who knows what sort thing you would have came across. Might have been a monster, I hear they really enjoy feasting on small girls such as you. ❞ She said giving her what felt like a nip with her finger nails on her cheek. Not enough to hurt of course, just a playful action.

The priestess needed a break from the stuffy atmosphere of the temples and had escaped to the city’s streets, but that wasn’t much better. She sighed and closed her eyes for just a moment, which that moment was enough for her to be flown backwards onto her butt.

The crowd of people in the area quickly herded her with their worries, “Priestess-nim, are you alright?” many would ask with variations of intonations, accents, and hums. Despite the ache in her chest, the priestess gathered herself up on her own two feet and gave an amiable smile. “Thank you for your kind words and worry, but I’m fine. You all worry too much,” she lightly teased which paired with a quiet chortle.

Soon the hordes dispersed back to whatever it was they were doing before her fall. Then she had enough time to reply to the man who had caused her to fall. Scarlet eyes scanned the prince over, a brow raised briefly. “It’s really not a problem,” she soon assured with a brief smile. He seemed genuine and quite kind, leaving her no room to become angered in the slightest over his clumsy actions.

“You’re currently in Atera. I’m surprised you got lost considering how you had to pass through the gates, and certainly you had to have a card to pass,” she murmured with a light tap of her chin. That was, unless someone had decided to sneak him in thanks to his looks. That was definitely they needed to work on, but thank the gods it wasn’t as troublesome of a problem as in the other major cities.

The map passed over to her was certainly Atera, so he must have known where he was. “You’re currently here, in the shopping district,” she told while an index pointed out where exactly. “If you’d like, I would be more than happy to help you. I need a bit of a breather from the temple walls,” she admitted with a polite smile and an extended hand.

    Atera. Atera? No that didn’t ring any bells at all in the prince’s mind. He had never heard of this country -- or city? This would be a city rather than a country right? This was all too confusing for the man, as clearly shown on his face as he rubbed at his head rather roughly while staring at his map he obtained. Hell he didn’t even come through any gates, in fact, he had no idea how he ended up here at all. How was he supposed to fix this situation? Where was home even at?

    ❝ Oh right -- it looked rather similar to one, I’m glad I at least got that correct. ❞ He spoke with a sheepish grin on his face.

    Though offering to help him now? This woman was far too kind, and the prince wasn’t sure if he should accept her offer or not. He definitely didn’t want to trouble anyone here in this foreign place, but he needed some kind of help. Which left him with either declining her offer and wandering around on his own then ending up lost. His second option being then accepting her help and not getting lost, and hopefully back home.

    A sigh would come out of the prince as he looked at the map yet again and would have a defeated look on his face. ❝ I’d hate to admit, I am almost postive I would...get lost or something of the sort if I did not accept your help. ❞ Gods, just please help him get home.

It seemed she had everything set in her mind.  No matter what he said, he wouldn’t be changing her mind.  No reason to complain.  She had to do her thing, and he had no place to really interfere.  Even if he found himself getting in the way, anyways.  The times in that cursed city to even now.  Killing her to-be Husband and having him sink to the bottom of the sea, and now he was trying to make her live a free life as a pirate.  Ah well, being a ‘Kings Man’ would be a fun thing to do for awhile.  Maybe he could become her personal knight or something.  Yeah, that’ll be fun.

Perhaps it was wise to stop thinking right now.

“Well, Princess, I’ll keep by yer side no matter what goes on.  I’m pretty sure ya got the experience ya need ta make change happen.  I’m just gonna stick ‘round ta make sure nothin’ else gets in the way.  How’s that?” he would ask.  Stick around to make sure nothing happens to her… He did not want to see this girl get hurt all due to something so stupid.  After all … the last person to harm Matsurika was now shark bait.

“And don’t worry.  I’ll behave an’ I won’t be doin’ anythin’ bad with Shinsou.  No one will be left on rooftops, an’ there ain’t a soul I’m gonna look ta bother with my antics.  I’m simply gonna be yer right-hand man.”  Which would translate to that all of his teasings and fun will be directed right at her. Though there was one thing that still bothered him…

“And… I prefer ta judge yer husband-ta-be before ya go off and get hitched.  I ain’t gonna let someone like that last’un get their hands on ya.  Ya got a knack fer the nasties bein’ so attracted t’ ya.”

     Nobody getting in the way and to make sure that she’d be safe. Somehow she wasn’t all too surprised by this offer seeing how he already gotten rid of one thing that threatened her. She wanted to decline his offer, yet how could she say no, plus she was certain he’d follow anyway. After all he did what he wanted, even when scolded, threatened, or smacked around. There was nothing that could stop him she was sure of it.

     Somehow it brought a smile to her face anyway, finally flashing that small smile she had but didn’t give out too much. “ I suppose I’ll allow it...for now, “ she stated as she stared down at her hands. She didn’t know what to say exactly of him being a right hand man. As the princess never really exactly had a right hand man, she had handmaidens and had a knight. Not something you could call a right hand man obviously.

     The girl gave a slight curious look to him in a slight form of confusion. She never really thought about attracting horrible people. Sure she was rather untrusting of people at first, but perhaps it was because she fell for their false faces and that’s why she didn’t think such a way. No, she always believed there was good in someone no matter what kind of crime they made.

     Be the crime evil or horrible, there was always some form of kindness.