Oykai's Request
The blue haired deathless watched the other carefully, picking up every subtle hint of how she was taking all of the information that had just been presented to her. He knew it was a lot to take in and he really had wished that it hadn't come out like this, it was far to much information for most people of his race to digest he was sure let alone someone who had been alive for what was a blink of an eye to him and others like him. He took note of her hard swallow, even he who kept people at arms reach knew that this was a sign that she was trying to wrap her mind around the truth of everthing. "It'll take time Yona." he said trying to be as supportive as possible, he knew this would take weeks, months and likely years for the green haired nature mage to come to terms with and he couldn't exactly blame her given what was just thrown on her like a few dozen tons of bricks. There was far more to it but given that just this information was going to be hard for her to deal with he decided that holding off on other things might be the best idea for now. He looked deep into her eyes and seen some of the questions that she was wanting to ask "Yes, they knew death was coming for them. No, it wasn't comforting at the time given the way of death was slow and agonising. Yes, they were afraid, no one wants to pass after all. Yes, in the end they found release from the pain when I took their last breaths. Yes, they were saddened but not because they had died, they were saddened because you were alone. They were however happy that you had been spared such a fate and would live on." he said his voice calm, as he answered each question he kept complete eye contact with her so she could see no lies from him as he read her eyes for things she might want to know.
He turned his gaze once more to the rippling portals around them now attracting pyreflies as well as other wildlife. "I eased Sato by taking the guise of your mother, telling him it was okay to walk away from the fire and towards the cooling water. That they would be reunited again. This also put your father at ease and they came without fight, your mother and father live with me actually. I gave them an offer in the form of a contract of servitude." he said calmly, he knew that to those outside his cast this likely sounded like a horrible thing but it really wasn't like that. "It isn't as bad as you are likely thinking, in my race everything is very structured. Servants are often treated far better than those who are free. Their masters need to make sure they are happy, healthy, have purpose, are well taken care of etc." he explained to her "A contract of servitude means their spirits are bound to serve me until I release them of it. I, unlike many of my cast do not force this on any spirit, I personally find that barbaric and it takes away from the first of the many things I as a master must make sure is in effect. That my servants are happy." he said looking back to her making an orb appear so she could see it. "Your mother has been taught how to look after fairies and other fae like creatures who call my gardens home, they've come to see her as mummy and it brings her joy to look after them I expect." He said with a warm smile, within the orb Yona would see her mother with sprites, fairies, ents and other fae in the middle of her telling them a story on how a brave fairy saved the heart of the forest from a horrible, terrible blighter who wanted to destroy it and thus ruin the forest the fairy called home. She would look as beautiful and healthy as Yona would remember her as a child, her own clothing was of silks in different shades of green, golds with gems sprinkled here and there. She would easily pass as a dryad if anyone was to pass her, around her left arm was a silver spiral of runes Yona wouldn't be able to read.
The orb would eventually change and Yona would see her father how he was before the fire, studying plants and gardening, he too would be wearing silks of greens and browns, gold and gems once again sprinkled around. He like her mother would look happy and healthy, like her mother he would have the same silver runes spiraling down his left arm "Your father is my houses botanist, gardener and has even been trained to be a doctor should the need arise." he explained holding the orb out for her to take. "This will allow you to see them when you want and eventually, when I allow it you could even visit them if you want." he said with a warm tone, he wasn't all to sure how she would take such a thing but he thought he would offer it to her none the less "Sato and I have been keeping them in formed of your growth as a person and as a mage. They are very proud of you and your father loves to boast to servants from other houses about that." he said chuckling, it hadn't been the first time he himself had been at the other side of such a boast. Many masters would have told their servant to stop wasting their time, punished them for doing it and then make them get back to work but he could understand the proudness of a father on some level so didn't mind the man boasting and bragging to him when he got an update about her. "I've not been home of late to tell him of your promotion to being an S rank mage or of becoming a vice presidant for the company you work for. I will be hearing that for weeks if not months to come when he is told." he said it was clear he was sincere when he spoke about how he treated his servants and how he allowed them to act. "My servants are denied very few things, I am one of four crowns within the void so I can flaunt such things to others. My servants are also paid and can go buy things when they have time off and yes, they do get time off to rest and such. Working every day with no break makes unhappy and unhealthy servants so mine do get some limited freedoms." he let her know, he actually took pride that his servants were some of the best maintained within his home realm and it showed.
"Like I said many of my cast force the dead they have in their service into contratual servitude but nothing good comes from that in my honest opinion." he said looking to her and he bit his bottom lip for a moment and brought out another orb, within it they would see a young girl no older than thirteen years old, on her left arm would be the same spiral pattern however the runes would have changed and would also be black and red. She would be wearing rags, thin, be scarred and otherwise looking in bad health and unhappy. "The markings on your parents arms and on that girls arm are proof they're in contractual servitude. The silvery markings of your parents show that they entered willingly and are happy with their treatment and don't want to break the agreement." he said looking at the orb he offered her "The black markings on the girl show that it wasn't willing, the red border shows that she doesn't want to be there, she is in bad health and she wants to break the contract but can't." he explained saddly to her showing a little bit of his race and whats more his cast "Those who have died aren't classed as servants even though the term is contractual servitude, they are slaves and have no rights what so ever. Their masters can treat them how they want and there is nothing that can be done about it, so I'm an oddity as I give those in contractual servitude the same rights and priviliages as those not bound in such a way." he explained, in honesty he had to see them sometimes in the worst time of their lives; he honestly didn't want to give them that kind of life for as long as they served him, it was beyond cruel in his mind. "If you so desire, I will intervien and bring that girl and her siblings into my service where they will not have to live in such a way anymore." it was one of the very few nice perks he could call upon given his rank within his cast, he normally wouldn't intervine given it was not his business how others treated those contracted to them but she asked it of him he would without a moments hesitation or even give it a second thought. It was strange to him, he wanted her happy regardless of what it took and he had no idea why this was indeed the case as he had never done such a thing for anyone but Ruvel before and that he knew why he done it, but Yona... his actions for her were beyond a mystery to him.
He looked to the ground as he took a deep silent breath as he braced himself to tell her something, he wasn't all that sure it was a good idea but he felt like given everything else that had been revealed this was something that needed to be said. "Yona, the days... weeks... months and even years after that dreadful night you weren't alone." he started to tell her, of course she wasn't alone due to the medical care but that wasn't what he was meaning of course. "I was there most of the time in my ethereal form, I didn't want you even in my other side as lothed as it might be for it to admit it to be on your own after having such a disaster happen to you." Again this had been the very first time that he had ever taken such care with someone from the mortal realm and he really didn't understand it. "I kept your family up to date with your progress, I can't say I understand the pain fully that you went through but I do understand it to some extent." he said looking to her "Twins of my race share everything, including scars..." he looked to her and the warm smile vanished to pain "My twin was stolen from our crib when we were newborns this lifetime, she was raised as a weapon in a lab owned by a dark guild along side Cirven and several others. She was then moved from there to another place which I will not get into and the treatment there was far worse." he said looking to her "Everything she went through I felt and experienced as if I was actually the one there, it was beyond painful on so many occasions. She might have not died but so many times we had both wished for it." he confessed to her, it was the first time he had openly confessed himself had wished for his own death at one time but then he knew no matter how much he wished it, it wouldn't come until his life cycle was over. "Anyway. Back on topic. I was saying that I was with you through that trying time and I wanted to say that you remind me of a sapling that can be found after a forest fire." he said his gaze going to the stars once more "Even through destruction new life thrives, it becomes stronger than before regardless of the trials it faces afterwards and you proved this time and again." he said before turning his gaze to her "Not many can say they've been attacked by both my cousins at the same time and have came out still being able to think properly." he said with a chuckle "If you hadn't went through that night you might have not become as strong of a person or mage as you are now." he explained trying to show him that as bad as that time was there was a silver lining in it somewhere though he was pretty sure that back then it was so hard to find given all the smoke and darkness that was left by that night. "I keep people at arms length not because I am a horrible person or even want to be one. I do it because I know they will die and I will be left with the pain of that persons passing and again will be left alone, it is a defence of sorts. Better to be alone to begin with and skip the middle man so speak." he said honestly, he wanted her to understand why he always tried to push people away, he seen the pain of those left living after their loved ones passed and he really didn't want to feel it. The imbalance and guilt would affect how he worked and if he could work until he felt better and given how long his race lived that could be centuries.
He realised his request surprised her given the shock on her face and closed his eyes "Think of how you felt when you were left behind after that night..." he began trying to show her one reason why he had asked her never to beg for her death again "Now, think about many people you have touched since that night..." he continued giving her a moment to think her over it "Finally, think how they would be feeling when you passed but more so if you begged for that gift that you have been granted to be taken from you." he said opening his eyes showing saddness, they had been welling and that is why his eyes had remained closed the entire time he spoke this time. "I will give you a little knowledge on Ruvel, he died twenty-four time due to harsh treatment he recieved and wished each time that it would be the final time, my twin was selfish and prevented it from happening. She gave up her immortality so he couldn't die and it wasn't for his benefit, it was because she didn't want to be alone in that place." he said looking into her deep emerald eyes with his own soul filled blood ruby eyes "It would have been kinder if he had passed when he was meant to, and, I realise with you I done something similar but that was my call as I was the one sent to take your last breath. She wasn't the one sent to claim him." he said shaking his head for a moment "Now if you asked him if he wished he passed he would answer yes and no but he wouldn't wish for it because if he had passed and still wished to then he couldn't continue moving forward to help people and wouldn't wish all those people to feel the pain he once did." he explained hoping that he was making some sense in this situation but in honesty he wasn't overly sure given he had never given this kind of pep talk before, given what he done as his main cast. "If you ever wish for death, what I gave you would be wasted, all that pain and suffering you felt would have been for nothing, the mysterious male would have won and most of all those who wish for death are reckless and could cause more harm than good." he explained to her hoping that she would understand what he was getting at "I would be hurt if I heard that wish from you because at that point I would claim you without a second thought." he informed her, he didn't want to tell her that part of the reason he was like how he was, was due to the fact that he had defied the order and allowed her to live. It was something he believed the other didn't need to hear because it would just make her feel guilty over it most likely, it was his decision and if he had to make the same decision again he would without a second thought regardless of wither or not he understood his own motivations. "You also need to remember breaking rules within my race let alone my cast comes with consequences. I done what I did knowing this Yona and would do it again even if it cost me more." he said his voice gentle and somewhat warm towards her "Every life is important until the last breath is taken, yours for some unknown reason is very important to me so please promise me you will never beg for your breath be taken." he said his hand moving to cup her cheek tenderly, as soon as he realised what he was doing he moved his hand back "Apologies, I should have asked before I done such an action." he said scratching his left cheek a little, this wasn't like him and now he had to wonder what the hell he was doing.
His hand lowered as he was bombarded with questions verbally this time, he hadn't expected this type of question but it was to be expected he guessed. "Yes, I care that you would make yourself a target as not all of my cast play by the rules but those people tend to be taken care of swiftly and without mercy." he began his eyes once again meeting hers so she could gadge wither or not he was lying to her or being truthful, then again with how long he had been alive he could lie and most people wouldn't know but still he prefered eye contact when answering questions like this. "I can't answer the reason, because I honestly don't know." he said calmly "I truly wish I could answer this question for myself but as I can not, I can't answer it for you either." he tried to be as clear as possible on this one, he really wished he knew so he could stop it from happening in the future but nope, no answer to give. "What other people?" he genuinely seemed surprised that she thought that he done this kind of thing often "You are the first I ever disobeyed my orders on. So I guess the answer to that one is no I don't care for others like this?" he wondered what she was thinking on that question and on the last one were he shook his head his eyes lowering to the gem currently sitting on his lap "There are other gems as this is how I get my orders and how I transfer souls to judgement and where they need to be..." he said before looking to her once more "However, this is the only gem I have ever kept in its current state if that is what you are asking. I take care of it to make sure it does not get damaged or dull in beauty because one day you may end up within it and you deserve nothing but th-" he cut himself off raising a semi clenched fist to cough a little trying to steer the current situation away from the gem once more and what he was about to say about it and how he wanted her to have nothing but the very best because he believed she deserved nothing less. He was however glad when Yona once again steered the conversation back to the reason why they were there in the first place.
"Kind of." he said trying to find a way to explain it so she would understand it "Like I said within my race, twins are a one single being so to speak so we share everything. Pain, pleasure, sorrow, joy etc." he began sighing a little "My sister fell into her madness because of Cirven, he broke the door and wards to the monster that was behind it after he forced her to choose him or Ruvel. She followed her heart and attacked the one who she seen as family at one point for the one she was raised with. I can't completely blame her for that, our race is very family orientated." he explained allowing her to take in the information before he would continue "I should have fallen to the same madness at the same time but I kept strengthening mine, well that and I had an extra barrier of defense thanks to the contract I hold with Ruvel." he continued his eyes closing "If I didn't have this contract then I'd be as dangerous as her and likely fall under Cirven's control as well, something I would rather avoid at all costs because one derranged member of the spiritual calling is bad enough without both crowns of it being like that. There would be no order if that happened, in fact, there would be a good chance that Cirven would take charge and people could be claimed or unclaimed with no consequence." he said shuddering a little at the thought, it was the stuff of nightmares for him and it took a lot to unsettle him at this point but this was something that done it with little to no effort. "As I said before, twins share everything meaning if one falls to madness the other will to if the other isn't strong enough. My twin and I were born at the exact same time though she is classed as the higher crown this life cycle as we take turns due to who our parent is. I have sacrificed a lot to place the barriers and protections we had on our doors and Cirven destroyed hers as if they were nothing, if he can do that to her then he can do it to me too." his voice showed fear at that "I do have the benefit of the contract I hold with Ruvel and that I was raised inside my home realm unlike my sister so that gives me an added strength that she didn't but who knows what the future will hold but I would rather cease this life if that happened so I wouldn't be a threat." he explained, he knew the damage that he could do to the delicate balance and he wanted nothing to do with that, that is why he had told Johann and Mars his and Demi's weaknesses. Problem was now there was a complication he didn't know if they could die due to the wedding vows Demi and Cirven had exchanged when they got marriage or when their blood mingled so it was something he would have to research into when he dealt with the blind Ruvel situation. To him it honestly felt like it was never ending but he bore it and kept moving forward hoping that his sister would come back to her senses anymore issues arose thanks to this insanity she was currently going through.
He listened to the next onslaught of questions and nodded "She has, in fact she took life to prevent them from suffering anymore than they already had without orders." he said calmly "In fact, she spared Sol's and that is why if Sol and snow were in a line up, snow would be going to jail for not being white enough." he said trying to crack some humour into such a tense subject "She also saved one of her current family by buying time for Ruvel to make a contract with her since he can't make contracts with spirits or dead people. The day you became a member of the guild Ruvel was dying because he summoned that person, my sister left her weapon in the void on purpose to buy him some time to deal with you when he again should have died there. It was the first time my cousins have ever came fourth without being summoned and acted on their own. We have all have this clause in our contract that we must protect him regardless of his wants or thoughts so, they done just that." he said letting her know her original fear towards Ruvel was misplaced again. "Shindara and Amuul are just people and fair rulers but they do take their duty to Ruvel seriously. Let me explain just what I mean. My race have a weakness to light unless you are of my primary cast and they decided to make a contract with Ruvel who bleeds light. When this all happened they stayed by his side in the light where others could see them just because they didn't want him to be or feel alone, he asked them not to but they refused." he said closing his eyes "He was the first person to see them for who they are and not be afraid of them because of their abilities, it meant the world to them and since then they've always been by his side." he finished, she would know a little about how duty and loyalty worked within his race. He looked at her hand as she caressed his hand briefly, it was a strange sensation for him, one he had never experienced be for. "Do you care for me Yona?" he asked suddenly not holding any punches once again derailing the conversation as he looked into her eyes as he awaited the answer to his question. "Strength comes in many ways Yona, you'll understand this as you grow." he said chuckling as she covered her red cheeks, he found it kind of cute how mortals acted in such situations, he never really did understand but it was definatly something he enjoyed observing as he hoped to understand it at some point. He was snapped out of his observations with her next statement "That is nice of you to say, but, I don't know there is no record of such a situation ever happening before so this will definatly going to be interesting if and when it comes down to it." he said to her his mind scared about such a thing but he was mostly curious about it as they couldn't be born unless they were together it was written into their spirits. He once again took her hands in his "Stay away from Cirven, he isn't the man he once was. He gave into his darkness and it is because of that this whole situation happned. He is a member of a dark guild, one of their highers in fact. He kills without mercy or thought... man, woman and child... he doesn't care." he told her his eyes and tone deadly serious on every piece of information he was sharing with her "It hurts Ruvel so much that this had happened because he was the one that taught Ruvel what a family was and gave him an actual home, so the betrayal is doublely painful from the two for him." he finished shaking his head, he wanted to tell her so much more on the situation but knew better than to say to much or his cousin's would get on his case and that was something he would rather avoid if possible. "So please stay away from Cirven, Demiari and the Mt. Hakobe Settlements, it would be one less worry for me. I want you safe." Even if he did decide when he would take her, he still didn't like the thought of her being hurt by them or any other person on that accursed mountain for any reason.
He listened to her once again and quirked an eyebrow "Are you sure about that? I have never had the title teacher before and I believe myself not appropriate for such a position. It is a highly reveared title inside my race and with how I am... well... there's a reason I don't teach lower tiers of the spiritual calling their duties." he said rubbing the back of his head "And don't get me started on how Demi taught Sol, I swear the guy isn't completely stable but then again dealing with my twin it is hard to believe anyone could be." he said earnestly, he was truly worried about having Sol so close to Ruvel but there was more to that than was allowed to be said right now. He knew Shindara and Amuul would deal with that and he would rather not get into that mess if he could help it, especially as this wasn't the first time Sol and Ruvel's paths had crossed. "Fire is a good thing, stubborness to an extent is as well but the recklessness and the demon... are huge issues." he said shaking his head on the matter "You realise demons tend to not do good things and you can't yet control him so that makes what you're thinking even more dangerous." he said sighing, he could understand what she was wanting and why but he was also worried about it, the vampiric demon tree that had crawled into her would use everything in its power to gain control and keep it in time. This was something he couldn't allow "Fine, I will help you but you will follow my rules and regulations Yona. This is not up for negotiation, understood." he said sternly, he wanted to know his time wasn't being wasted and she knew what she was walking into. "If you agree, I will have a contract sorted for you to read and sign." he said, everything had a way to be done and he was a stickler for this kind of thing especially given what was being asked of him, he hated dealing with parasidic demons, more so because he had his own to deal with but then his was locked behind a warded door and that was where he wanted it to remain. He went quiet observing her, wondering what was going on behind her emerald eyes, their had to be more to this but he wouldn't push for the information, the answers would bubble to the surface and show themselves in due time; he was sure of it as he knew that no secret remained that way forever.
The blue haired deathless remained still and quiet as the demon took his leave, he knew that his threats wouldn't be understood fully by Yona and he was glad for that fact, so longs the one who he aimed it at understood the implications and that they weren't merely threats then he was perfectly fine with that. He did realise that there would likely be another onslaught of questions at some point about what was said but it wasn't that important right now as far as he was concerned. "It wouldn't get that bad because I would deal with him as I technically now have two gems, he is inside you meaning I have claim over his life too. His gem, is so very flawed I would likely just eat it." he said with a shrug, it wasn't something he done really but certain people needed to be wiped out if they caused to many issues and well Ketsueki was nothing more than a giant headache as far as he was concerned, one that had to be eliminated but Yona wanted to try and control him and gain his aid so he would help her to the best of his ability as he had already agreed to it. "The race is called Deathless and not all deathless take final breath, also we hate the term reaper. My primary cast is called spiritual calling, we don't reap anything but hatred for doing our jobs." he tried to make it clearer since what he said seemed not to be understood. "There are several casts within the Deathless race. Very few ever become my primary cast and those who do tend to take a second cast they enjoy so they can destress." he finished explaining hoping she understood this time around. "Where you are technically immortal at current if you do something to foolish I will have to claim you, because I would rather you be with me than be in eternal pain and suffering." he knew what it was like personally to live in an hell that seemed like it would never end because it wasn't your time to pass he didn't want that for her and would spare her from it if that time ever came to pass. Hearing her words about how everything had changed made him more than a little confused "Not really Yona, you are still you. You're just you with knew knowledge." he said scratching the side of his head before pushing his glasses up. "Well, right now the gem is just plain. We can do things together and it will change it's shape, colour, give it patterns, motifs and the likes." he said answering her question his eyes once again going to the crystal in his lap "At that point it would be one of a kind and so special." he finished wondering if that was something of interest to her. "Well before we deal with all that given all of the information I have given you today, how about we just spend sometime getting to know each other. It'll make it easier to teach you I guess." it was clear that he had no idea what the hell he was doing, he had never done this kind of thing before but it would be nice he was sure. "How about we go through one of the portals for a while or we can go to the void and you can learn a little more about my race and culture first hand." he said allowing her to make the decision on what they would be doing.
<~~~~~"Even the light has darkness if you look close enough."~~~~~>Notes:
My total word count: 17,722
Yona's total word count: 7,531
Total word count for thread: 25,253