Death and Tide

[Mirach]

The touch and close heartbeat helped Death to remain awake, although it was more of a struggle as the time passed.

[VisAnastasis]

Demon held onto him, for all while they waited. Some ten or so excruciatingly long minutes later, finally the door opened and through them, first entered Xia, upon which's back was riding little Emil, with a bag on his back, and steps could be heard behind that Tide was coming in a moment too.
Xia's flight was faster though, and she only stopped her step when she reached the bed, and Emil slid from her back to Cernunnos, as from that angle he could first see him, as Death was in his arms from other side and concealed among protective blankets.
" Dad, are you okay? I thought... at least you'd be safe inside, at least..." he looked at his broken up horns and scratched body sorrowfully, with worry. " Did the intruder reach you? "

[Mirach]

The question was not addressed to him, and Death found it too tiring to give any reply to it.

[VisAnastasis]

" No, dear, do not fret. We were all safe through the night. But night took it's toll. " He whispered. " Our guest... Is not well... "
Boy looked over his shoulder to see the creature in his arms. There was a bit of vague unrest in his eyes as he sow it's different form, as if his mind struggled to put something into perspective that was very far from this image of a feeble dying creature... In the end, worry put the thoughts aside despite unrest and some eery feeling about it stayed ( perception 4).
" Little snake?" He whispered unsurely." Do not fret. I've brought you lot of food, and Tide is also bringing your backpack with supplies." He rushed to say as he placed the bag down and began taking out jars of honey." You will have plenty..."

[Mirach]

Death focused his look on Emil. "Thank you..." he whispered.

[VisAnastasis]

" Don't worry, it'll all be alright. " child smiled at him encouragingly, as the weakened state he had seen his guest in has distracted him from feeling bad about bringing him pain before, as this was a more urgent matter, that needed to be addressed right away. " You're safe now, and you are going to get your strength back, and we will go walk our gardens next time, okay? " he whispered, speaking to him encouragingly, as he tried to keep him away while unpacking honey first. Cernunnos straightened as much as he could and supported Death from the side, so Xia could lie down behind them and they could use her soft body as a pillow. She was purring softly, but with worry, licking his hair to comfort him, and while Cernunnos supported him from one side, from the other the child sat, and it began feeding him the little cubes of honey with a spoon he brought.

[Mirach]

Death swallowed spoon by spoon weakly but dutifully.

[VisAnastasis]

While they were feeding him, Tide came in too.
He was carrying their backpack. Ever since what Death asked from him before, his face was rather more serious than before and pale. He did not address that demand now either, though. He laid down their backpack beside Emil's, and he sat down beside the boy, as, being as little as he was, there was plenty of space at his side.
" May I hold your hand? " he whispered. " I'd like to lower your fever while you eat if you'd be okay with it. It is pretty bad. Maybe it'll be easier if we bring it down... "

[Mirach]

"Yes," Death whispered. "Try it..."

[VisAnastasis]

" I will. And hey, you get a bonus... You get to hold my injured hand, just like you like, you, silly, silly Spirit... " Tide tried to smile, but his words were a little hoarse, and his lips refused to obey him.

He took Death's hand gently, and he closed his eyes, clearly giving his full focus to this, trying his very best - gently, despite the growing urgency. Death could feel the familiar pull, of his blood being controlled and cooled down from the inside with demon's waterbending power... but it wasn't as effective as that first time. ( I rolled and got 3 on Tide's success. ) Lowering fever manually was only treating the symptom of an illness, and Death's illness was greatly worsened by miasma he has been in such close contact with, first when it burned into him when they entered the fort, and then, when he chose to stay with Cernunnos who was oozing it in his distress. That's why, when Tide would lower it a little, it would again rise a little soon enough, anew and anew... It wasn't as high as it was before, but it wasn't being lowered fully either, as it seemed it was a constant battle between illness manifesting it, and how much Tide could go against it without damaging Death's body with sudden drops of temperature instead.

[Mirach]

(I rolled for the fever like for an enemy and got a 6... oops...)

Death was getting too exhausted by the fever. He didn't have the strength to eat anymore, or to stay awake. He struggled to keep his eyes open, but was losing the fight.

[VisAnastasis]

Tide watched him severely. At one point, he knew it won't matter if fever is lowered if Death never wakes up. He pressed his hand, and he lowered his mask then, revealing two sad but determined blue eyes.

" I thought about what you have asked from me... About cutting the limb, " he said quietly, with little hoarse voice. " And I won't. I assume this is around the hour when you will ask me to... so I want you to know you should not waste our time by trying to convince me otherwise. I won't give you an easy way out. "  

[Mirach]

Death's eyes looked a bit alarmed. "But the world..." he whispered with effort, hoarsely. 

[VisAnastasis]

" But you... " Tide retorted with equal quiet terror to his voice. " I won't let you give up - we have to fight this! " he said fervently. " Why do you immediately reach for the executing axe? I did not consent to this. " He shook his head. " If we can't treat the symptoms, damn it, let's treat the damn illness. If you wish to save the world, you better push your every atom into this too, because I am not cutting you off, not ever, get it? "

[Mirach]

"Damn you..." Death rasped, feeling too tired and in too much pain to fight. Tears welled in his eyes.

[VisAnastasis]

" Damn me ten times over, but I will not. I will not. " Tide whispered hoarsely in Spirit language, his own voice betraying him. He knew he must speak for both though, and so he spoke." Let's check our options. You are unstable... You need something to stabilize you quickly... Or someone." He said, daring to ask what he dared not ask once before tonight, not before he was sure he was able to offer it." It is as bad time as any to ask, so I shall ask... Answer as it is true for you, yes or no - would you... like to be my Semai?"

[Mirach]

Death's eyes widened, momentarilly fully awake. "I..." he bit his lip. "Y-Yes..."

[VisAnastasis]

" Not for the world, though - I am asking what do you want for you."   Tide repeated the question urgently, as he knew Death may agree to anything to save the world, and he rushed to add." I see two options. Either we become Semai, and stabilize between each other... Or we use one of the golden apples. " He said seriously." I can't guarantee it would work - but if you eat apple and enough of your soul grows between torn layer, it may stabilize you enough to stay alive enough to be able to wake up. It works in theory, so I am not sure how well it would work in reality, but that's all I can think of. I am stupid, stupid Being, and I am sorry, I have nothing else...  So choose." Tide said with bathed breath, as if, despite his words, it will make difference to him to see how Death truly feels." A Semai or an apple... Pick either of those and I shall understand, I won't be mad. I will only be mad if you would have picked to die, and I am not letting you do that."

[Mirach]

"Semai..." Death whispered.

[VisAnastasis]

Through sweat and worry, Tide's face despite that little up a little with a smile, and with it, as if with relief, his aura sparckled up a little, as if with something he didn't expect, but that pleasantly surprised him.
" I.... Choose you, too. " He whispered quietly, not solemnly, though, but with a timid, warm note. He streched his arms to him." Come here, then... Let's go to the second layer... "

[Mirach]

Death reached for him weakly, taking both his hands, so they could enter the second layer together.

[VisAnastasis]

Tide knew creature was distracted, and that he must be certain where it is unsure. He accepted his hands and slowly slid one arm behind his back - so that, when they slipped into the second layer, he could support him not to fall, holding onto him.

[Mirach]

Death let himself be led and supported by Tide, a bit overwhelmed by everything.

[VisAnastasis]

Landscape in the second layer was different. Here, there was no fort, but the big hill they stood upon. It was rather silent, though, as nothing could grow there when so many layers around the fortress were contaminated by darkness, miasma, and the terrible shadows. Now though, there was something a little bit different in the air - a fragrance of cleared out land, and seeds that were long forgotten, beginning to grow beneath the soil, not sprouting to the surface yet, but being there still, as if in a promise of a better time for this place to come. The landscape around them proved rather barren, so Tide didn't spend much time gazing around - he picked a spot beside one dried out the tree-like shape.
" Let's sit down here... It'll be comfortable soon... " he whispered gently. He watched for any clues about Death's mood and wishes carefully, so he wouldn't accidentally do anything against them - as he slowly sat down, and helped Death sit down in his lap, just like that one time before.

[Mirach]

Death leaned at him tiredly and a bit shyly, trying to relax and open his mind to him.