forum Ever Searching (1-1, Closed, Mature)

Started September 14, 2022 by @Serpentess health_and_safety language

tune

Valiel closed her eyes tightly, trying to shut out the pain and the spinning world.
"You're alright, I was in front of you, and I should have seen it anyway." He'd tried, and he'd pulled her out of danger, so she wasn't mad at all.
She'd been trying to stand, but sank back down onto her stomach when he said to relax.
She managed not to flinch too much when he pulled the arrow out, and the soothing from his magic was very helpful. The feeling of the wound healing was odd, almost itchy, and she wasn't used to it with someone else's magic.
He looked tired when he stopped, and she pulled on the light just a little to finish healing the wound.
"Don't be sorry about your teleporting making me sick. You saved me." she said gently.
She looked at the arrow as he did, her brow furrowing. "I have no idea. Might just be a trap from a village we passed by, but I didn't think we were that close to anyone."

De’Tearion chirped in response, acknowledging her words. Though, from his tone and the way his shoulders seemed to sink just slightly, it was clear that he still, at least partly, blamed himself for not warning her in time.

He was glad that she settled back down, as it made it a lot easier for him to pull the arrow out. When she flinched, De’Tearion couldn’t help a short chirp. He didn’t want to hurt her… not anymore, at least… so, he felt a bit guilty about it all. But, it had to be done.

De’Tearion closed his eyes for a moment, resting a bit. When he opened his eyes, her wound was healed. Good.

He paused at her words, not sure how to react. He was glad for her words, but it was also a painful reminder of Mileena, of Agatha. He’d failed them both in the end.

De’Tearion shrugged at her words, then prepared a spell to disintegrate the arrow. However, his eyes fell upon the arrowhead, and something nagged at him. He wiped arrowhead on the ground, wiping off the blood, and looked at it again. A spark of terror breifly entered his eyes.

“Mercy have me. Steel. Why must it always be steel?”he muttered to himself.

He stabbed the arrow into the dirt, then rubbed his temples with his fingers. He had hoped steel would be as uncommon as it was in his homeland. Now, he wondered if it was more common. He didn’t know it the arrow had been a mere village trap, or something more insidious, but nonetheless, he’d have to be extra careful now.

He looked suddenly very worried, and Valiel was concerned.
"Problem with steel?"
That was going to be an issue… because Valiel didn't carry metal weaponry, being a shapeshifter with claws and fangs and venom and flight and great strength. She didn't need them.
But plenty of other people did. They were going to run into metal weapons, steel weapons everywhere they went.
"I try to avoid villages and people, but… De'Tearion, everyone uses steel here. Sincerely, everyone… what's the matter?"
She'd known of creatures who would be burned by iron, or to whom metal was a deadly toxin, but… you never could be sure.

“More than a mere problem,”De’Tearion said vaguely.

He sighed, then took a deep breath. But, the moment she mentioned that everyone used steel, he shuddered.

“Damn it,”he muttered shakily, glaring at the arrow despite the terror coursing through him.

De’Tearion took a few more deep breaths, trying to calm himself. It didn’t really help. He was surrounded by steel. No more was he in a land where even iron was rare. Now, he was in a land that was far, far more dangerous. Maybe that’s why Goliathans had never expanded beyond the island. Because of steel.

De’Tearion finally turned back to Valiel, trying to hide the fact that his hands were shaking.

“Steel be deadly to Goliathans. A mere touch will burn a Goliathan. Yet, if blood be shed, ‘tis a quick and agonizing death without immediate help from very powerful healing magic. On the island where I am from, the creation of steel be known only to one kingdom. One of fourteen. Yet… here… if ‘tis true how common it be… I…”De’Tearion trailed off, shaking his head.

He remembered the pain of steel, quite vividly. He’d been stabbed many times by steel. The only reason he’d survived any of them was because of his oldest friend, Nwalan. He was a strange youth, but a very powerful sorcerer. Nwalan, and those of his race, were the only ones De’Tearion had ever known to be able to heal a Goliathan before the poison of steel became irreversible. But, it had been a while since he’d last seen Nwalan. Who knew where the youth was now? And, would he even be willing to go near De’Tearion if they ever saw each other again?

He swore, and Valiel knew they were in trouble now. She listened closely to his explanation, her eyes widening as she realized exactly the level of danger he was in. His shaking made sense, and Valiel wanted to try to comfort him, but… she had no clue how. He was right to be afraid. The humblest farmer with a grain scythe was a deadly danger to him now. An uncareful child with a pocket knife posed a threat to his life.
She'd have panicked too.
"De'Tearion… I can't promise you that it won't be a concern… but as long as you're with me, I'll do my best to keep you safe from it…"
She was making the guarantee before she realized the words had left her mouth. Though as they did, she knew she meant it. The people in this area had been no friends to her. Their revulsion at her ability to shape-shift had left them at odds, and she'd more than once had to put down a hunting party.
And steel was dangerous to her, but only as it related to weapons. Not just a touch. So she could guard him.
"The old fortress we're heading towards is secluded enough that it shouldn't be an issue. And then we can try to think about getting you somewhere safer."

(Sorry I vanished for a bit)

De’Tearion’s eyes widened with surprise as he listened to her promise. Why would she vow such a thing? To him? And, how would she even accomplish it anyway? He had always been a magnet for trouble. He hated it, but that was a reality. Hardship seemed to seek him out at every turn.

He didn’t say anything though. He didn’t even react except for when his eyes had widened. He didn’t know how to react.

Her explanation about the fortress was a relief. He preferred seclusion. And, now he had to consider his own safety more than he ever had before. Trying to motivate himself to do that though… Why couldn’t his tormented mind just leave him alone?

“‘Tis a start. Yet… I doubt anywhere will be truly safe for me, regardless of where I go,”De’Tearion said quietly.

He took another deep breath, doing his best to steady his shaking hands, and stabbed the arrow into the dirt. Black mist then formed around his fingers as he cast a spell, one that made the arrow disintegrate into fine ash.

“Let us continue, if you are well enough to,”he bade softly. He didn’t want to linger here anymore.

De'Tearion's silent reaction told Valiel, once again, exactly how unused to kindness he was. Her promise to stick with him had him wide-eyed and slack-jawed.
He seemed satisfied with the explanation about the old castle. "That's a fair fear, but there are places… we can look, we can search, we can find someplace safer for you, or even just make someplace safe for you. We're both creatures with power behind our eyes, these tiny mortals try to trap us out of fear." There was a bit of arrogance in the statement, but Valiel had learned long ago that pretending to be one of the locals only made them hate you more.
She watched as De'Tearion disposed of the arrow. That was a handy skill, and she ws glad they hadn't gotten into a magic fight. He would likely have caused real problems. Their magic looked different, and you never could tell with people form elsewhere.
She stood to her feet, shook herself, and nodded at him. "This way." They continued through the woods, heading North.
They had been quiet before, but healing always made Valiel feel closer to a person, and she had questions now.
"Anything else that could be looked at as a weakness, that someone might use against you?" she asked quietly after a bit. Steel was a big one, but if there were other problems, she wanted to know about them.

“True. Yet, these ‘tiny mortals’ can become formidable in large groups,”De’Tearion reminded evenly.

He recognized the arrogance in her words, as he’d once been that way. But, he had grown quite fond of humans during his time of courting Mileena, and he’d prefer not having to fight too many of them, especially if they carried steel.

De’Tearion nodded at her, following her as they started moving again. He was enjoying the silence, until Valiel spoke again. Then, he was hesitating.

“Without my ring, I will burn in sunlight. My legs are extremely sensitive to touch and pain. Light magic be about as bad as steel. I have also heard that glass causes a similar reaction as steel, yet I have never been foolish enough to test that,”he answered.