Death and Tide

[VisAnastasis]

" I agree there is a big risk. But there is still food and medicine there. And Sanctuary apparently creates pocket dimensions and doesn't like fighting, so we should be safe while in it. Entering it and leaving it is the biggest risk to get caught, but we shouldn't take the possible gain for granted. You need medicine, and if we run out of food, we'll have to try... " demon whispered quietly. " I fear I don't know many other places good for stopping by... I never used to travel the land so freely... I used to stick as close to the sea as possible... "

" Xia has an idea for a place! Could we go *there*? It is safe from the scary night, and warm, and there are books, and Xia's friends... " creature inquired, as in times of trouble, like everyone, her troubled mind turned to familiar and places where good memories were.

" Where? A.. Oh, you mean there. I don't know... " Tide didn't get at first, but then he froze a little as he realized what creature meant, and he bit his lip, as with fox's comment it was obvious they were hiding something, and he was unsure suddenly, as he hoped previously that they could keep Cernunnos's existence a secret, before they were forced into escaping with no plan and no map.

[Mirach]

"Your demon friend is safe from me," Death said tiredly, guessing what's the matter. "But not from the hunters."

[VisAnastasis]

" He's not exactly... my friend. I've never met him.  But he is Xia's friend. " Tide said slowly, and turned to a little demon child, and hesitantly encouraged her to say more.
Fox seemed delighted to be able to speak with Death of this.
" Not friend! He is Xia's uncle! " she whistled pleasantly. " He's easily frightened and ill, like you, but he's very nice. He has lovely horns that look like trees! He's gifted Xia the lovely tiny carved toys, but Erdel said Xia should not play with them with you, so you wouldn't be bothered by them. " she explained brightly at the memory of beloved creature. " He's troubled but soft. He heals not, but his hands are soft, like yours. " she purred lightly. " I'm sure you'd like meeting him! "
" We'd see, yeah, of course, if it's the wisest thing to do. " Tide tied in to explain. " Erdel explained to me that he's very ill. There may be too much miasma in his place for you to be comfortable. There are two forts in the middle of his forest, though - he lives in one, and his son and his people live in the other. I don't think we'd be able to restock any food there, as they live quite humbly and it wouldn't be right, but at least we could perhaps get shelter for the night at his son's place. The forest is dangerous and hunted, so we must not under any circumstances land on its ground after the sun sets, I was told, and it's a pretty wide forest... "

[Mirach]

"Do we need to cross that forest on our way?" Death asked. "And what haunts it?"

[VisAnastasis]

" It's kind of a straight line on our path, and it's very wide, so if we'd want not to land, we'd have to fly without stopping until we're out of it... "the demon said, and he briefly explained about how the demon living there is a natural creature that used to live there and used to be king of the two archaic cities of humans that loved him and crowned him - but being attacked by his enemies, he was gravely injured and all but few of his people were left alive. Every animal or creature that ventures out at dark is killed, though, as it seems there are some remnants of his enemies still left present in the world, searching the forest and destroying everything in their path in an attempt to hunt him down. That's the main reason for the isolation he faces - he lives on his own in one fort so, in his wounds and distress, he'd not hurt others with his miasma.
 
" He can't leave anyway, even if he wanted to, I've heard, because if he tried, they'd just go further to hunt him down. He fights their influence every night to prevent the creatures from venturing of further through the rivers of the land, limiting them to his forest alone.  I don't know what they are as I've never seen such a thing, but I wanted to visit him myself anyway to see if I can do anything for him, and that's why little Svarik and Erdel advised me to be careful. They roam free all around the forest, especially close to the river. But he used to be an inventor of a kind, so the two remaining forts have some kind of technology made with runes that make them safe from within.  "

[Mirach]

Death nodded thoughtfully. "Maybe I will sound pragmatic now, but I think we could use that haunted forest against the hunters... If they meet with what haunts it, it could either help us or the forest. In best case both..."

[VisAnastasis]

" Actually... That's not a bad idea. " Tide raised his eyebrows at the thought of it. " Hmm... I admit I was hoping that in a year or two if we get along and I see you'd be open to it, to ask you work up the courage to ask you if you have any advice to dealing with this, " he admitted, seeming a little embarrassed. " But luring the demon hunters there to see if they'd be able to at least do something is rather solid advice, actually... And if at least one of them is killed, it'd be a big difference for us. "

[Mirach]

"If we manage to not bring them to the fortress, it could work. But if they find the fortress, it could turn wrong, same as with the Sanctuary..."

[VisAnastasis]

" Yes, it could..." Tide shook his head thoughtfully, considering something.
" There's this thing Erdel said... When they faced the fortresses, they couldn't feel any presence of anyone in the fortress where Cernunnos lives. There's some kind of special barrier making Beings on the outside feel like there's nothing on the inside. They could only feel there were people in the other fortress. Cernunnos's fort looks more old, more neglected and old fashioned than the other, so they thought it was abandoned. So, it's a wild idea... Maybe it wouldn't be pleasant for us... But if he would be willing to do this for us if enemies come, maybe we could hide in his fort? It's just a thought... " he added quickly. " It's really a heavy situation... It'd be best choice to hide as they'd not know we are there and you can only enter with a key, but... your wounds are so very serious. It may be a bad choice for your health, even if only for one night, to be surrounded by as much miasma... with my cloak, it's better, but it's still just a little piece of me, so not better enough...  "

[Mirach]

"Still better than a sword in the gut," Death said wryly. "If the choice would be between that, then it's clear..."

[VisAnastasis]

" Indeed... We... shall cross that stream when we get to it. Before anything else, we have to plead for hospitality first.  " Tide agreed quietly, seeming lost in thought. He looked up then. " There is something... I should tell you before we go there, then, though, so you can have the hindsight. The box with the apples I've told you to make sure to bring with you but not open... contains three apples, not two. That's the number Erdel was able to obtain from the tree nymphs. " he whispered. " He gave the third one to Cernunnos, in hopes of aiding his injuries, as his soul is very torn up... But through the talks with Xia and Erdel, he found out you're ill and face corruption. He doesn't know you, but he loves the world dearly. So, he told Svarik to hold onto the third for a while, in case you'd need it... "

[Mirach]

Death sighed. "I don't want to eat the apples meant for someone else... I fear I can't judge properly whether I really need them, though. I can't even say when I will be ready to eat them. It's hard to judge the state of my own soul, like trying to see the back of your head without a mirror."

[VisAnastasis]

" Hey, don't worry. That's why I'm here. For an outside perspective.  " Tide managed to smile a little bit. " It should be just the right moment, for it to do most... for you to not have to use more than one, I hope. If I see it's a good time, I could, you know... advice you...   "

[Mirach]

"I would appreciate that," Death said simply and lied down, looking a bit feverish again.

[VisAnastasis]

Tide's heart ached when he was that, as he felt bad for not being able to provide better conditions for him.

" You know... As your loyal adviser and all, I must make a note... " he whispered. " I'm sorry that I forgot to pack your medicine. It is my fault. You were assigned to write notes, I was the one in charge of packing... could I make it up to you somehow? Anyhow? "

[Mirach]

Death smiled a little weakly. "As a loyal adviser... can you think of something?" he asked.

[VisAnastasis]

" As your loyal advisor... It depends on your wishes for the rest of the night, my liege. " Tide smiled a little bit at the peculiar exchange, but his face, ever so eloquent, had a timid, genuine worry. " My brain hurts from all this deciding... It's too much for me. So tell me, will we continue the trip today, or are we going to stay here for a while instead? If we're staying, I could lower your fever as I know, and clean our lake water to give you a nice bath too. You can keep my cloak and use it as a blanket. We agreed to it a day ago, anyway. " he seemed a little undecided, though, as he added timidly. " You need a lot of rest, though... Even if we stay here to spend the night, you probably wouldn't get enough sleep, for your injuries. So, I was thinking, as your advisor... I know you said you don't want us to do the thing with hugging and all that... But I could try to hold it in, so it wouldn't be like that. I'll try my best to keep my aura under control.  It's just that I remembered that you can take on that form of a tiny snake. Well, not tiny, but tiny compared to me. " he explained quietly. " I was thinking, we could stay here for a bit until we rest... but if you take on a form of a snake, I wouldn't have to be wary of you falling down and catching you, and I could carry the pup on another shoulder. While you, being so tiny, could easily climb down my collar and hide under my shirt and just rest there. I'm a little touchy and self-conscious about such things as skin to skin touch, but you could rest and sleep safely without having to hold on to Xia, so I'd be more peaceful knowing you can sleep well, at least. I could wrap you up in that soft scarf you got from Nameless, too, if you're self-conscious about touch, too. "

[Mirach]

"Thank you for the advice," Death said. "I can decide if I know the options. We should press on if we can, the hunters do not rest. Staying in the place where we killed one is not wise. But before we leave the lake, a bath would help a bit. You are feeling well already?"

[VisAnastasis]

" I draw my strength from the positive emotions like joy and happiness, so I generally feel better when I am more happy... It was a bit of a rough patch, but it's neither first nor last. I shall be fine." He smiled a little bit fraily, as if tasting the words, as he added. " My hand is my biggest worry... I really pushed myself into corner with it, with my foolishness. But if it's an option you won't frown upon... How about maybe holding your trusted advisor's hand in yours while you have a bath?" He asked quietly, hesitantly still." It's not easy, but still, choice between hurting less and discomfort is an obvious one, if I do have it... "

[Mirach]

"I can do that, of course," Death said. "At least something I can do for you..."

[VisAnastasis]

" Whatever do you... mean? " Tide asked in confusion. "You've just healed me up, like, moments ago, from just as serious wounds. You helped me fight the Spirit with your illusions so he wouldn't just slice me up in the first few minutes, and you finished him off when I couldn't muster the courage to... Not to even mention that you took care of my hand too. " he stuttered. "How's that nothing all of a sudden? "

[Mirach]

"I can't help myself against comparing what I should be able to do," Death said. "What I am meant to do..."

[VisAnastasis]

" And what is it, that you think you are meant to do?" Demon asked. " Help me understand, please. Because from where I stand, it seems to me that you're doing more than plenty... I mean, you are a force of healing of the whole universe. Only thing you're really supposed to do is heal those that die. Everything else is your choice. Everything else is just your good will, just a plus." He smiled faintly." You're not doing bare minimum of what you are supposed to.... You are doing *better* than you are obliged to. You are better than you have to be. That's something to feel good about, not bad..."

[Mirach]

"There are souls I cannot heal, for the same reason I can't heal your hand," Death explained. "They are hurt in the layer where my own soul is torn..."

[VisAnastasis]

" But you're only unable and heal them because you literally sacrificed that layer to save us all. It's a weakness brought out of sacrifice. " Tide shook his head fervently." It's enough that you hold them for now, nobody says you have to heal at fastest possible way. You are not a machine. You'll do it all at your own pace, when you get better. You are too stern on yourself. When I think about it, actually... You are not really just a healing force anymore. You are a person that has all choices of a person. You don't even really *have to* heal anymore. You can just ignore souls you don't like, push them out as soon as it's possible, or neglect them if they are too much of a bother... Anyone that'd see your struggle would forgive you for taking little longer. Every person has right to be ill, and so do you. You don't have to try so hard for perfect strangers, but you choose to. That's admirable thing... "