Private Western Brisshal Training or Talent

[Lucia Mierz]

It had been a simple day out for many, though the forest was an eerie place one could get lost or easily turned around in, it was familiar for some players. Most traversing the woods might be used to seeing skeletons wandering now and again, carrying axes or some other kind of tool for working or salvaging tasks sent out by Lucia. Today, however, a rather unique pair were traversing the areas where the undead typically tread, walking the beaten paths where bone-y feet once stepped as if the dangerous woods were their own backyard.

"Now, dear Alice, you must understand. When we have guests at the Saintess's camp, it's best you not present yourself."

"But... Why...?"

"Hm, I'm afraid there's no easy answer for that dear. The living merely find you unnerving. Whether your smile or your cadence, I can't say."

It was a conversation taking place deep within the woods of Brisshal. It was the place where Lucia and her undead made their camp, away from the people of Astorea, where they would not be distressed by the wandering undead and where the undead would not have to fear persecution. Through those eerie trees, a gentlemanly figure walked, wearing a noble's coat with fitted gloves and a dapper hat. Though his body was obscured, as if burnt black and still smoldering his neck and head gave off a faint smoke. His face concealed behind a porcelain mask with no eyes or mouth to speak from, but sound did still come from him. Below the waist however there were no legs, the specter merely floated aloft by yet more black smoke that seemed to carry him soundlessly through the brush.

"The Miss told Alice to smile... The Miss said Alice is cute when she smiles..."

"Forgive me dear. While our Miss is very kind to you, I'm afraid the normal living people are not quite so open minded."

"... Was Alice not cute enough...? Should Alice... Use another face...?"

The two carried on their conversation, the gentleman holding a smaller child's hand. The small girl looked to be an innocent thing, with well managed silky blond hair and healthy peach colored skin. Her eyes were a bright golden yellow and the smile on her face was full of happiness and warmth... But the smile didn't reach her eyes. An empty and soul-less gaze, devoid of life or feeling, as if the girl viewed the world, life, everything with indifference and without care. The further the man walked with her, the more she asked 'why' but unfortunately the steward couldn't answer her questions, the man simply dared not to. The last time such a misunderstanding took place, the small child who smiled so sweetly went on a hunting spree, stealing the faces of creatures and beasts in the wild. It was only fortunate she was found before she could make her way to a human settlement but they might not be so lucky next time. It was why the Wraith King chose his words carefully as he tried to soothe her discomfort.

"No, our Alice is quite cute indeed. It's just a misunderstanding I assure you."

"... Mis--Understanding...?"

"Of course, have faith in our Miss, she would never lie to you. You wouldn't doubt our Miss isn't that right dear?"

"Alice never doubts the Miss... The Miss is everything to Alice... If the Miss is wrong... Alice will fix it... Alice will fix the world..."

The child spoke but Mortimer, the wraith king could only sigh, half from pride, half from loss. The girl was so loyal she would confront the world for their creator but too naive to understand that their creator would only be disheartened by such an action. It was for that reason Mortimer kept a close eye on the child as they walked, a fair enough distance away to not disturb Lucia and her guests where Alice might misconstrue certain words as an attack or order.

@Shane

 

[Tick Tock]

.

Eastern Brisshal had become dull to her exploration, and many of her marks begun to fade from lack of maintenance as her own intrigue lured her to chase ghosts and word of what nefarious myths circulated on the mouthful of one peculiar village among the plentiful on the Grania Trail. It would seem that both the leylines that mark this side of Brisshal and the apparent threats of globin-kind were not mere superstitions, yet one area in particular called to her deeper than most.

A section of the woods so deep even goblins feared to traverse, where the undead worked without a care for her antics, and for once her curiosity sparked enough for her to track back the magic that binds these crusty bones together and forces them to work. For what? She had marked and scouted the area yet dared not to dwelve further, least actual undead would react in a not-so passive manner in comparison to the boney workers over here.

Today she prepared herself for a nice picnic. Just her, a tome, and some nice skeletons to observe and record their activities. Surprisingly, it felt safer on top of the trees near these undead than it did outside of their perimeter. Shane would not interrupt, and so would they leave her in peace, a silent agreement with who she labeled 'co-workers' by the third day. Except... They were gone by today, as if the department that contracted them finally packed up and left her once again with her own thoughts and newfound dissatisfaction. At least that would be the case until a new source of magic, two in fact, moved into her peripherical.

A small figure whose outline seemed to be clear in contrast to the much taller and imposing one, the masked phantom she could barely discern as the potent magic almost blinded her even moreso than she already is, but their conversation caught her ears, and inevitably, she dignified herself to cross paths with them.

"Hold." She extended her right hand towards them, body language to match her request. "Forgive my intrusion, but per chance aren't you two related to the undead that were here just a day ago?" The question answered itself, as the energies that flowed from these two proved a reply enough. Silence cracked open at how she hummed outloud, clearing her throat moments after. "Ah, where are my manners: I'm Shane. Researcher of the obscure and, currently in pursuit of the bareboned workers of these woods." A quaint smile curved her lips, her own dead eyes were almost similar in fashion to Alice's, thousand-yard stare that almost couldn't pinpoint where theirs were, yet Shane set sight on the Wraith King, on what he presumed to be it's 'head' by silhouette alone. "I would consider myself dead already, but whoever reanimated these skeletons clearly has no intention on murdering trespassers. Least you two are here as protectors of whatever lies up ahead?" She tried diplomacy at first with formalities to sweeten the deal, considering the sentience upon both of them. If they were capable of speech, they certainly were capable of reason, and by definition, of being reasonable.

@Lucia Mierz

 

[Lucia Mierz]

The pair traversed quite a way, but the first to noticed the foreign entity had naturally been the Wraith King. Though he remained peaceful, undisturbed by it, his creator had an open door policy after all, provided no one disturbed her work or her servants, there was no need for Mortimer to engage in potential hostilities needlessly. The Wraith had always been of a mind to let bygones be bygones at least until the woman approached. Initially it caused the wraith to clench up on the smaller girl's fist as if to restrain her.

Alice's reaction however would be world's apart. While Mortimer's energy was transient and ethereal almost, seemingly here then there like an amorphous gas, Alice's was concentrated to the point of being searing light. If carefully observed, one would not see the energies of merely one identity, but an ocean of dozens, hundreds, perhaps thousands roiling about just beneath the surface. Each struggling, writhing, desperately reaching out to escape but unable to force their way out from that seemingly frail figure. Instead, when Alice noticed the woman who's eyes matched her own, the moment her head tilted back to meet her gaze Shane might see a bright searing eye likewise opening up among all those writhing figures silencing them simultaneously. The warden that kept them all caged in her form woke briefly to meet Shane's gaze when she spoke-- It was for that reason the Wraith's hand tightened, he was all too aware of the effects stimuli had on the small girl.

"Mortimer... It's looking at us..."

"Quite right dear, but please restrain yourself, this one doesn't seem to mean any harm and hasn't said anything untoward yet. Perhaps you should rest a while."

"Okay..."

Though disappointed, the small girl collapsed to the ground and simply sat, perhaps a bit violently but at least she was sitting. Likewise that large glaring eye merely stared a short while longer before gradually closing if there was no further stimuli outside of conversation. Seemingly uninterested in things like talking it would return to dormancy if there was nothing of interest to the girl who cared for little but sating ravenous hunger.

While relieved, that left Mortimer to address the woman before them. Giving a refined tip of his hat and even folding his hands behind his back when he determined Alice wouldn't lose her patience and strike first.

"Ahem, my apologies first off. As for our relation to the undead in this region, that would be very astute as we are indeed. Our Saintess did create all of us at one time or another we are of the same flock so to speak."

The Wraith was friendly in his actions, welcoming even as he extended a hand to shake with Shane if she didn't refuse to do so during the introduction.

"I see, well met then Shane. I am Mortimer, the Heroslayer. And this is my temporary companion--"

"Alice... The Corpse Collector..."

"Our workers you say though. How odd, at such a low level I'm afraid they're not much more then puppets without

The Wraith King asked perplexed. It would have been one thing to ask for a meeting with their creator, or perhaps to investigate one of their actions, but to pursue the workers was a peculiar goal the man thought. Though he was particular about his word choice, identifying them as civilians as opposed to armed members of their number. Though when she mentioned protecting something, Alice briefly perked up only to be gradually pressed down by one of Mortimer's gloved hands to ensure she didn't rise too far.

"Not protect, while we do at points serve such a role, I'm afraid the paladins are more equipped for the task you see. You might've spotted some of their number wandering with the large groups of workers. Though I will advise against trying to proceed too deeply in that direction at least for the moment while our Saintess is in the midst of finishing a project. Normally she does indeed have an open door policy, but I'm afraid you've arrived at an unusual time for her."

Mortimer tried to assert that they weren't there to attack her or anything of the sort. Though that didn't stop him from trying to dissuade her from advancing further. It would be best if their creator wasn't interrupted in the midst of a project.

@Shane

 

[Tick Tock]

.

It unsettled her to the core. In comparison, this lifeform was unique in every sense of the word. Raw magic that manifested as many in unison, and yet it didn't allow her to understand what composed the little girl that, by deduction, she figured her to be yet another mysterious member of whatever coven or sacred grounds she stumbled upon.

The brightness, so harmful and usually enough for her to break contact in an instant, had her mesmerized, as if life relied on keeping eye contact for as long as possible, and to sever it would mean to sever her own life - At least until Mortimer eased her to sit down and Shane could finally breathe once again as the insurmountable pressure lifted itself from her bossom once safety allowed itself inside her mind.

Shane returned his own tipping with a nod. "No worries. I'm used to hostility. I am a trespasser here too, afterall." She acknowledged with a passive smile, the hand offered her way was met with a careful grip of her own, uncertain at first, as if grasping air. "The pleasure is all mine, my lord, and miss Alice. I'm quite intrigued who this Saintess is, if I may say so myself. In a far more colloquial term that would be a necromancer, yes? Of great power, if the energy that flows within you two is something to guide myself with." Their titles only seemed to fit hand-by-hand, in a most ironic twist of fate considering how she found them.

"Ah, but you see, if I only prived myself to investigate the highest levels of animancy I wouldn't be so much of a researcher now would I? The topic is not only shunned within civilization, but so are books about it a luxury I cannot afford." Nor would she be capable of reading them in the first place. Alice's reactions only made her focus return to the golden-haired girl for a fraction of a second, then back to Mortimer once he begun to clarify the situation, and as he spoke, Shane promptly closed her tome and stored it on her satchel, reaching out into her coat's inner pockets for a much smaller book with leather as a cover, and a quill whose tip reeked of dark magic. With eyes set upon a blank page, the plume begun to write down in runic, practiced and skilled in her calligraphy to note down keywords and fragments of what the Wraith King explained. "I see. Well, I wish not to disturb the Saintess, as I can always seek for an audience in a far more appropiate circumstance. However, lord Mortimer, you seem like quite the peculiar character amongst undead, and the miss here certainly..." Her voice trailed off for a moment, right as she shook off her head to set thoughts straight. "-Paladin is quite the title I must say, is it usual that strangers pay visits to the Saintess? These woods are quite dangerous on their own, but for so many to warrant an open door's policy sounds like it happens more often than not." Maybe daring minds like her own, or simpleton brutes ready to kill everything in their path and lose their lives in the process?

"Regardless, I would love anything you could share within the scope of what you deem reasonable. I would certainly offer some of the food I have in my satchel, but I believe hunger is the least of the concerns for either of you." She snickered, two fingers pressed against her lips as if in attempt to muffle it.

@Lucia Mierz

 

[Lucia Mierz]

Mortimer wouldn't hesitate to raise his hands in an effort to dissuade the girl from referring to him with a title such as Lord. It certainly wasn't befitting someone of his status as far as he was aware. Instead, while his species might be that of a Wraith King it certainly wasn't representative of his status among the other undead. He was no more or less a king or lord then his peers at least.

"I would hardly consider myself a lord my lady, while I might be a Wraith King by design I'm afraid I'm just a humble steward of our Miss. Once, perhaps, I might have considered such a title, but that was quite some time ago, ancient history, quite literally even. As for our Saintess's identity as a necromancer, I suppose if one were to look at it from so rigid an angle it would not necessarily be incorrect. However, if I may, it was an out dated term for our Miss even before she was capable of elevating us to our current abilities."

Mortimer tried to explain. The only reason was largely because Lucia had always considered herself a Priestess first, while she might be a capable necromancer, perhaps even the best of them, she didn't often identify as one unless she was clarifying her abilities. While her summons often referred to her as 'Saintess' since the rise of their paladin order and their creator's transition into nobility as a duchess, even then she considered her class more of a holy or divine one.

"If it is the limits of Animancy and other dark arts, I suppose you could consider the Miss a great expert in these fields as well. Few perhaps are so qualified to wax and wane on the topic then her. As for my identity as a Wraith King, quite so, I suppose those of us in the upper echelons of the Saintess's circle of creations are all as unique as I, rare as we may be. The Paladins were titled as such by our miss herself however, perhaps because they have potential for magic and blades. The Saintess's open door policy however is nothing new I'm afraid either. Ever since our numbers swelled enough to form a protective to protect her camp site it's been a standard affair for strangers to come and go to greet her or exchange notes."

The Wraith contently explained. At the very least, despite the woods being particularly dangerous, there were many skeletons wandering here and there, monsters regularly hunted by the stronger armored death knights considered Paladins. It was perhaps dicy and unsafe for some to set up camp in the wild, but for their creator, undead never slept, never rested, never needed breaks. In the event a big danger did cross into her camp, there was usually at least one of Mortimer and Alice's level not too far to tackle such a thing so that she wouldn't have to dirty her hands either. All in all it led to the wild being safer when considering the possibility of being alienated by the local living for their identity as undead.

He happily continued the conversation at relative ease, at least up until he heard the conversation going down a particular route. The moment Shane was about to try and offer them, the moment the word food was about to come out Mortimer's form would flicker, one frame, standing as he was, the next frame trying to press a hand to her lips to stop any more then 'Foo--' from coming out of her mouth. If the wraith was capable of sweating bullets he would certainly be shitting bricks as he tried to push that word back into her mouth and stop it from being completed. The reason would be obvious a moment later, as the wraith turned his head to the source of his concerns.

As one might expect a child to do when pretending not to listen, when pretending to ignore, Alice kept her head down but didn't hide the fact that her eyes were stretched wide open almost unnaturally. Her pupils tightly constricted to a the size of a pin prick, breathing quickening obviously enough for one to see her back rising and falling. In Shane's Magical eyes, she'd be able to see that sinister and malevolent eye likewise pretending not to pay attention, slightly cracked open as if pretending to be dormant and asleep as it's sickeningly bloodshot gaze rolled in her direction.

"Please be careful... A word such as that and relating to such things are very taboo words at the moment. I will advise caution, as even I don't know if I can halt 'it' completely."

Mortimer tried to explain somewhat bitterly. If she had any confusion about what exactly it was that she should be careful of, or just how bad things could be. Mortimer would try to subtly point at his own cheek and neck before tilting his head in Alice's direction.

If Shane looked, she'd see the corner of Alice's smiling lips gradually stretched further back along her cheek, splitting her cheek further. The split even ran down her neck, down her shoulder and arm all the way to her wrist. As the slit deepened one might see teeth gradually sliding out from the meat of her body one by one, teeth from all types of monsters ranging from venomous snake fangs, serrated shark teeth, large feline canines and powerful bear jaws just barely visible

"Dear Alice, are you alright?"

".̶̲̽͒.̷̼̏̆.̶̡́̐.̵͉̟̑̀.̴̛̫͜.̵͖̯͛.̸̪̒.̴͙́.̶͚́̈́.̵͙̈́͗.̶̝̎ͅ.̵̫̻̋.̸̛͈̯̓.̶̛̭.̴̩͇͒̋.̸̼́.̵̣͔̅̕.̷͙̈́͊.̶̥̯̍̋.̷̰̃.̵̰͠.̶̗̈́́"

"Alice!"

".̷͕̉͗̅̀.̴͚̈́͂̆͗̇.̷̛̲͖̼̭̮͎͛̃̀̄͗͛͋.̴̼̣̣̥͒͂̓́̃͌̎͜.̵̧̞̈̅̍͊̌̔̌.̸̛̗̳͓̤͕.̵͎̻̘͙̹͖͍̽̂͠.̸̘̣̍̌̓͒̈́͆͒͝.̸̘͍͆̑̂͐͝.̵̨̡̹̻̬̥͙̀̓̉͛̒.̷̭̝̙̦͍̺̼͑͜.̵̻̻͑̔̈́͒̏̐͐̇.̵̡̘̙̘͖̟̬̓̉̀̑́͌̚.̸͔̯̺̯͗̍́͋.̸̛̬̥̪̥͊̓̌̀̒͠.̴̝̥̞͌.̸̖͍̬̺̤͒̈́͂̃͠.̷̠̪̤̲̈́͛̈́.̸̧͇̣̜͔͕́͋̄̉͜.̵̞͖̠̩̅.̸̨̧̱̫̜̗̍͑͗͛̀͊̅.̸͎͚̣̠̖̦͚͗̀̒̃͋̄."

"If you cause a scene, our miss--"

"Alice is fine... Alice... Is fine..."

Things remained tense for quite a while longer for Mortimer until he was certain the small girl had managed to restrain herself. Exhaling a sigh of relief, the Wraith King gradually relaxed, trying to withdraw his hand apologetically.

"Forgive me... Alice has always been a little unstable. Our Miss created her for a, shall we say 'unique', role. So at times she can be somewhat difficult to manage and care for."

@Shane

 

[Tick Tock]

.

It unphased her, but it was one of the first few times someone spoke up to her honorifics given, yet it wouldn't be the first time. If anything, she could commend his desire to speak up about it and correct her, proof enough of honesty and integrity most would not expect out of the undead, and a bright smile propped itself on her lips. "As you wish, Mortimer." What is she but not a people's pleaser? "As it appears to me there is more than meets the eye to the Saintess, but there is a clear theme related to the divine and holy alike, so It wouldn't be wrong of me to assume there is a connection between the Saintess and a deity, correct?" Regardless of what conclusions she could draw, she set herself to write everything down, haste incapable of hindering the precision she had, skilled with the quill as only a writer could ever be.

"Wraith King. Hero slayer. There is a story but titles can be quite deceitful at times. However, if I guided myself through the superficial, I can tell apart why you have such a name, Mortimer. You look quite dashing, if you permit me to say." She tipped the non-existant hat she had in sign of good faith and moved on to address the gap of silence she left. "However if the Saintess is this proficient and knowledgeable, then I hope I can learn a thing or two from conversation alone. To spectate one's work however... I feel the need to apologize now. I certainly did not know someone was behind this, I promise." A gloved hand rose to work as a means of surrender, in gesture at least. "There have been many unexplainable cases of undead crawling out of their tombs with no apparent master, and I try to document and pursuit the cause behind these irregular phenomenons."

The sweet converastion held her interests as much as the Wraith King's existence did. There had to be more than mere 'creation' behind his story. Or perhaps that is all but a display of their creator's psyche? A woman of clear relation to religion if priestess came first as a title, but that only made her hold doubt in how their interaction would go. Would this be yet another dissapointing debate between the religious connotations of the untapped potential of such dark arts versus the theoretical and scientific applications she could grant them? It all but curbed her expectations a little.

Thoughts shattered to nothing once Mortimer blinked forth in response to what would have been a fatal mistake, ignorant and clueless of how dangerous it would be to so much mutter the F word near Alice. Shane dropped her quill, her body gone rigid once silenced, and for once she didn't know if fear for her life once he declared doubt on being capable of stopping whatever lurks inside that shell of a girl, or merely accept her fate as unavoidable and grimmace at it's delay. And yet, despite the horrendous display.

The eye that pierced her spirit.
The many maws and many cries of what lies inside.
She still wished to figure out what exactly -is- Alice. The sinister can be quite easily confused, antagonized even, and dark magic is a proof of that, but even she knew not to tempt destiny by stepping into the monster's jaw based solely on a hunch.

The tension only grew as Alice wouldn't give a clear response, not even the game could translate it for her, mere gargles to her ears, straight out of an abomination born from body horror, at least until Mortimer defused the situation, the very mention of their mistress being enough to subdue the beast, worrisome all the more if the woman had such power over the unknown: at least to Shane.

She quickly wiped the sweat off her forehead, a life threatening situation lapsed in a matter of seconds, adrenaline born out of what possibilities could come out of it. Her weary body weighed her down right now, and she simply stored away her diary. To find a quill among the grass? Good luck, she wasn't that good and the magic is almost imperceptible to her eyes with how frail it is.

"It's unnerving. That eye just..." She pressed a hand over her forehead for a second as it grew difficult to focus on Mortimer, recovering herself once her second wind came. "I should be the one to apologize. She must have a strong reaction to those who see magic the way I do. Far and few, not so many would compromise their sight for it, not willingly at least. But I never seen something like her until now." She would ask, but honestly? That felt like yet another trigger word if Mortimer did not elaborate further in both ocassions he had the opportunity to.

Better not to tempt fate again...

@Lucia Mierz

 

[Lucia Mierz]

Mortimer nodded along, well aware of Lucia's role as a Priestess. She had been one long before he'd been raised to work with her and even before his senior Sylvanas who had been the first to be raised. While the Wraith King himself didn't know exactly why she had gone that route, he had been present enough to see the Goddess she supported intervene in events and dangerous boss battles to know that it wasn't merely a one sided relationship.

"There are a variety of reasons that our Saintess takes on the moniker of a priestess. Largely because Synra's temples supported her in this world when she was too weak to survive normally during her humble origins rather then spend money on inns she stayed in temples. Another point is likely that our Miss has received help from her goddess a few times, with the goddess herself interfering with world bosses and event battles for our Miss's sake before. More, personally, I suppose you could say though, to us, our Miss promises a future where we can be canonized. She works hard to create a future for us and one day lay the foundation for a city or kingdom for us. While we would have happily given her the crown, our Miss regularly refuses our good will instead finding the more humble title of Saintess more appropriate as a spiritual guide, as she believes an undead should rule undead in a true undead kingdom."

The Wraith King explained. Though he was somewhat amused by the woman's interpretation of his titles and species. As a Wraith King he was a superior level Wraith, the apex of one's evolution, it was purely for that reason that he had that title, it was the name of his species. As for the Heroslayer, that had been a title he was graced with when he rose to the apex as a Wraith King, it reflected his role and identity in life and his potential in his current position. Rather then wax and wane on the past though, he shook his head maintaining modesty.

"No, no hardly. In death I'm merely a burnt ashen phantom of the man I once was. While I do try to maintain the dignity demanded of one in my position as the Miss's Steward I can't say I'm the handsome lad I had once been. I will, however, say if you do intend to learn from our Miss, she often helps others grow and learn the intricacies of their power. I'm afraid you merely arrived at a difficult time as she's currently in the middle of creating a 'Necrofex'."

The Wraith explained, it was the identity of the project she was working on, a species of undead that was particularly unique. Although the materials for such an undead happened to involve one of Mortimer's family, he didn't comment on his personal connection to the project to maintain an air of professionalism.

While Mortimer remained as tense as Shane though during the moment Alice reawakened, he shook his head in understanding. Alice had always been an unsettling creature, even for those of Lucia's collective, at least those who were intelligent enough to recognize her for the predator she was. Strangely though, Alice didn't react much to the mention of the warden lurking beneath the surface nor the talk of her magical eyesight. Instead remaining largely stoic and indifferent.

Shane's suspicion though wasn't too far off the mark, instead only swerving away from the genuine reason at the last moment of her thoughts. It was for that reason Mortimer felt the need to clarify.

"No, her reaction is strong to anything 'new' or 'different' you could say. That eye, 'The Warden' at least, seems to have found something unique in you. Something that it doesn't already 'possess'."

"Alice... Is a corpse collector. Alice... Will collect everything... 'Everything'... Someday everything will be a part of Alice... Someday Alice will be the answer to every question..."

The small girl spoke, gradually pushing herself to her feet. Though seeing that she seemed to have a grip over herself, Mortimer didn't intervene. Instead, the small girl looked up at Shane gradually walking closer with small steps.

"Alice wants your eyes... Special eyes... Eyes Alice doesn't have yet... Alice has many eyes... But not your eyes..."

Alice spoke, holding her arms up for Shane to see. If she could see normally she'd see slits gradually opening along her arms, even her forehead and one on her temples as eyes began opening all over her body, darting around before settling on watching Shane. There were cat eyes, frog eyes, shark eyes, countless different types of eyes. In the eyes of the woman who saw energy though that searing energy would merely bubble to the surface of her skin and expose itself as eyes of those trapped inside were forced to the surface.

 

[Tick Tock]

.

Shane blinked, perplexed at the explanation and the involvement even deities had that went beyond just bestowing power but actual intervention that went beyond what she knew of. Were gods in games like that all the time or this one in particular applied to the concept?

"Fascinating. I can see the hiccups on such an idea of course, since undead are seen as unnatural and I'm certain a city of it would invite war from the rest of the kingdoms. Difficult for me to say, really, but the idea intrigues me quite much. Not all undead are decayed corpses and skeletons as far as I have learned, so perhaps there are still open doors for people to accept your kind." Yet even that felt like an impossibility, at least if she wore her morals like a shirt. "I suppose even with the right answers people might not be so inclined in anycase. There is a clear cycle of life and death. Players might not care as much, but the inhabitants of this world are much more sensitive to the topic." And she couldn't blame them, her reactions would be just as terrible if it involved a loved one and the desecration of their well-earned rest.

She wished to push on when Mortimer merely phrased what was once was and no longer is. Her mind had to restrain any more questions from slipping past her lips, respect still a trait she would not let go of much like the Wraith King and his professionalism that bleeds with such ease through his wording.

"I might take her on that offer if she would teach me. However, I rather document her thoughts, as I'm as much of a researcher as I am a scribe, or so I would like to think so! It's quite hard to play such roles in my world. Not as exciting either, and I seek to make my stay here enjoyable rather than a chore, both to myself and others. If the Saintess would have some use for such skills, I'm glad to assist." Big words with the faint speck of enthusiasm, still reasonably quaint even for someone as straightforward as herself, but it couldn't be helped when a topic of this nature was brought forth.

And it shifted like sands, back to The Warden herself, who confirmed the Wraith King's explanation and clarified any misconceptions that could be left as Alice finally set in motion, like a grim reaper making it's approach. Not the first one Shane encounters, at the very least, but nonetheless intimidating, and for a second she got the wrong idea once Alice rised her arms. Mother instincts dictated she should pick her up and nurture the child, only for the illusion to break once that vessel started to tear itself apart in most tranquil fashion to reveal her incomplete collection.

Shane dropped to one knee, a smile upon her lips as she regarded the collector face to face, a single look given back to the wraith himself before locking eyes with the dreadful golden-haired girl. "Well Alice, I can't give you my eyes unfortunately, I need them least I chose complete blindness, and I'm no collector such as you to fix that issue." She paused, tilting her head with blazing curiosity. "What would you give for one of my eyes? If it's something worthwhile, I can give you the one of your choice. Be warned though, my eyes are quite valuable." Is this a gamble with death itself? Not the first, but to indulge the girl's desires without bloodshed felt just.

She had two eyes, she could make do if Alice could pay for one.

@Lucia Mierz

 

[Lucia Mierz]

Mortimer nodded along, it was an event that Lucia certainly feared. She had worked hard over the years helping people adapt to the undead presence and made a solid effort trying to show people their willingness to be a part of culture and normal society. While she'd made a good deal of progress just through participating in events with her subordinates, it wasn't absolute, still there were some who had prejudices and hates towards Undead for some reason. It was why when she and others spoke of her ambition it was always in a future sense, a work in progress type of outlook, Mortimer was no different being very aware of the living's discrepancies with them.

"Naturally there would be vocal resistance to us making a home for ourselves, if for no other reason then others desiring to claim it for themselves. It's important to try however, in order for us to be free and to have a future, it would be important for us to have a home so that we might begin a dialogue. After all, as you said there is a cycle, one that will not be broken, for even as we experience undeath so too can there be unlife. When you consider the value and the hope that comes with a 'second chance' after life as well... well, I suppose a downside is all about perspective."

The Wraith relented. In his mind there was a lot of value in an undead race and a civilized undead world. All beings wanted more time, time was the one thing that normally wouldn't be so easily controlled, for a chronomancer they had options, but for most, there wasn't an alternative to dying. If undead could make a village, the prospect of being able to visit one's loved ones or ancestors with a trip to the next town over didn't need to be harrowing, but could be heartfelt and reassuring in the Wraith King's eyes.

Mortimer entered a deep thought at the comment of a scribe, it wasn't a bad type to have close to his miss, but his thoughts were interrupted by the woman tempting fate with Alice. The Wraith King reaching out a hand to her head as if to restrain Alice should she get too unruly, but the small girl merely ignored the hand and stared blankly at Shane. Smile gradually taring along her cheeks since it seemed the woman would make a deal with the Warden. Gradually her mouth split further and further until her head nearly bent backwards, chest splitting down the center little by little until barbed tendrils could be seen reaching out pushing back flesh and meat until a bright yellow and sickly looking eye could be seen. The very one that had been watching Shane from inside.

"Alice has lots of things... Items... Materials... Limbs... Tails... Organs... Eyes... Alice can bestow many things... Or Alice can make you a part of Alice... Separate, but not separate... Special like Alice is special... That way one day we can be the answer to all questions together~"

Alice tempted, her voice not coming from the torn apart mouth of what remained of the meaty head. Instead, Shane would be able to see the sharpened mouth that ran down her arm speaking instead, a wild tendril like tongue drooling as it slipped from her torn forearm.

Naturally Mortimer shook his head, a bit concerned with Alice's offer. He wasn't sure if consuming people outright was within the rules allotted to the small girl. Certainly she was the hardest to restrain without their creator present.

@Shane

 

[Tick Tock]

.

"It's a matter of watching your own rot away, Mortimer. I doubt anyone would want their children to see their ancestors in a state of undeath, less so with the implications it may bear. However, I personally see it in a different light." She paused to reincorporate herself, hands set on her back. "The brain rots, the senses fade... Biologically, if one were to live in such conditions, they would sooner or later lose any thought process as their minds fade. There is a limit to everything, and even magic can only hold itself for so long before it ultimately dies off - Even dark magic; Yet let's propose that every inconvenience and little obstacle has a solution. How long until someone loses the will to live? That's, to me, the real problematic: We were not designed to live for longer than what our bodies dictate, and so is madness a tempting offer to those who have no reason to be. Well, there are exceptions of course."

Could she consider Alice one? Even now as she approached, and her own blood turned to ice yet again, Shane awaited the Warden's judgement, only to create a mix of feelings between disgust to the grotesque showcase and disturbing visage of Alice that became inhumane in the blink of an eye. And the intrigue of olde, the curiosity bug that wormed her brain in search of the answers it lacked.

And then it presented itself: The amber eye of earlier, the one only visible past the layers of flesh thanks to her 'gifted' sight; It spoke, 'it' proposed a deal, an offer that went beyond a collector willing to share it's collection. An offer spoken not by the remnants of a head, but one of the mouths that slithers far below.

Shane's silence shattered once the borderline hypnotic gaze of the creature from within finally lost it's grasp on her, despite there being no actual magic in play. "While it's quite the tempting offer indeed, there can be only one Alice, yes? That's what makes Alice special. Besides, having two answers to all questions means a lack of definite. Unfortunately, there is little I can reap from you that would be of use to me, so how about this? Knowledge in exchange of my eye. The next time we meet, I'll make sure you can keep half of my sight, and I hope you will have something of the same worth for me when I do so." An amicable smile. Fear still gripped her heart, the proximity between the both of them didn't help much, at least until she could stand back to her full height once again.

"Do you think the Saintess would be free if I came back later? I do not wish to disturb you two longer than necessary here. I'm certain you have your duties to fulfill."

@Lucia Mierz

 

[Lucia Mierz]

Mortimer couldn't help shaking his head at the woman's perspective of a rotting appearance or decrepit look that undead might carry. Certainly, undead such as the paladins and the workers were skeletal in nature, it may be off putting to some, but if they were to instead forsake power for appearance they would naturally appear something closer to how they were in life. A good example of beautiful undead, Mortimer had also naturally seen, two among their peers were normal looking on the outside, Alice certainly being one of them up until she decided to crazily

"If appearance is the issue one need not appear as a rotting corpse. Preserving one's appearance isn't much more unusual the one might preserve bread or fruit for long periods of time. It would only take a bit of animancy or nature magic I'm afraid. As for one's ability to withstand the passages of time, there's no reason eternal rest cannot be an option... The importance, however, is that it be an 'option' as opposed to an inevitability-- Such is the type of place our Saintess aims to build at least."

The Wraith king happily elaborated. It was content in it's creator's desires to have undead be something positive and something beneficial where most often saw them as negative. Though the man was still weary of the deal that Shane was endeavoring to work out with the small girl monster. The Wraith couldn't help bring a hand to his forehead when the woman made a particular mistake in misidentifying Alice.

This mistake naturally was also not missed by Alice, the yellow eye observing Shane as if questioningly, then as it dawned on her that the woman was serious it closed to a half lid in pure mirth, almost mockingly so. The mouth on her arm laughed, mouths along the interior of her meaty cage also laughed, a cacophonous laugh before gradually settling down.

"Naive assumptions made by the living... Why would you think there can only be one 'Alice'... Why would you assume 'Alice' is special because she is singular... Why can all questions not have multiple answers...?..."

Though it was probably a little odd being called Naive by something as innocent and oblivious as the small corpse collector, Alice meant every word. If Shane seemed offended or bothered, The eye would only lift one hand to her other more normal arm. The mouth chewing the arm at the shoulder, taring and pulling. The sounds of bones breaking, clothes taring and meat being sliced could be heard as she removed her own arm before Shane's eyes and dropped it on the ground.

"I am Alice... That... Is also Alice... This too... Can be Alice... Alice can be many... This is Alice's power... Consume... Adapt... Expand...~"

As the girl spoke, her discarded arm would suddenly twitch, the sounds of bones cracking as the hand and arm began to move unnaturally. the fingers becoming clawed save for the middle finger that bent upward gradually growing an eye that blinked open. A mouth opening along the palm, already salivating, the back of the palm gradually mutating, hardening like armor until it began to jerk and move revealing beetle wings beneath the carapace. Much like Alice it repeated the phrase with it's palm mouth 'Consume... Adapt... Expand...'.

The left over stump of her arm however didn't bleed, instead it gradually began to twist and churn, beginning a regenerative process as she grew more flesh and bone began to extend out from the tare to support the structure of muscle and fiber.

"Is Alice's power not tempting?... Better then knowledge... Even knowledge can be consumed by Alice..."

Though before her demonstration could continue too far with the creature that had once been her arm moving out into the world to become a menace in one frame it would continue it's evolution, and in the next it would have a fist full of knives inserted into it. The sudden change ended up making Alice frown as the life gradually faded from it's form through the sheer number of blades that had penetrated it.

The source was naturally the Wraith King, who's hand still held a pair of small blades in preparation before lowering a hand to the human head Alice had discarded.

"Our Miss warned you about 'rapid expansion' Alice. You know you're not allowed to grow too much. The crystal ants were an exception the Miss made in the heat of the moment, but scouting parties is strictly off the list."

"Mortimer... No fun..."

The girl tried to protest, but would quickly begin piecing herself back together. The torn flesh and tendrils receding as if being swallowed back. The eye gradually closed and receded, and she even reached down to the dismembered and dead arm, merely placing it into the cavity of her chest knives and all to be reabsorbed while the arm was still gradually taking shape on the stump of what was left behind when it was removed. Of course, seeing Alice no longer trying to tempt the woman to trade for her eyes, Mortimer returned his gaze to Shane.

"Likewise I wouldn't recommend teasing Alice too much. If she grows impatient she may decide negotiation is more taxing then the risk of taking them which is not an outcome I'm sure neither of us wants. As for our Miss, she will certainly be free if you'd like to come visit her at a later time, she's rather welcoming."

@Shane

 

[Tick Tock]

.

When his own answer rolled out, Shane was left at odds with what to think. What should or should not be, as these were good points. A good reply, if she had to label it.

"Hm. But wouldn't this require consistent maintenance?- Ah, like magias." She quickly shut down herself down with an answer, taking on a much more thoughtful stance by now as her hand reached to stroke her chin. "Preserving one's appearence is a possibility, although I'm not exactly sure for how long one can push this. Regardless, it's a mystery how Animancy works to me. Can you feel, Mortimer? Will you or Alice touch something and get a sense of what it is, it's density if you were to pick it up? Ah, and of course i can't ask for some of these. I have so many questions, but alas, I'm not undead to test them out myself nor do I wish to bother you with more than that, or to become one." She concluded.

It was past that, that Alice picked up on her assumptions only to make a mockery of them, yet she stood idle, stone-cold features once laughter broke and the Warden begun to express themselves in much more imposing manner, and yet it's this when her attention peaked, like a student. Like a doctor.

Interrupted only when daggers flew past and thrusted onto the horrid creature that was 'Alice', or at least, the arm upon the ground that kept chanting the girl's motto over and over again. Yet by now, the disturbing presence felt like a minor inconvenience to her stomach. To her mind?

Well, this was a horror given a child's form. It was hard not to feel sweat run down her back even now when she is most calm.

"I'm sorry. I wished only to get a better understanding of what motivates her, of what she wishes, but I might have crossed the line." Straightening herself once more, eyes set on the Wraith King to grant a solemn nod, longer than the usual, to match verbal apologies with body language alike. "Regardless, you are very interesting Alice. I like you, so I would love to meet you again if you would allow it." Her voice held high, brightful like a sunshine. "So does the same applies to you, Mortimer. It was a pleasure, but I feel like I must leave since i've been a disturbance for far too long, and, frankly speaking, what I got on my bag is not there for nothing." Subtleness. But her stomach almost gave her away with such a low rumble on it. "Maybe next time, if fate allows it, I could meet with your Saintess. It would be a honor, really." But that left her to think, what kind of person is she?

As they would share their last farewells for her to leave, the question repeated itself over and over. Intrigue that would take some time to be satiated...

@Lucia Mierz