[God Quest] call us the dawn

i was raised as a scorpion
being pulled by the moon in a high tide

Everything was completed and as far as the Flood knew, everything was right in the world for him and his relationship with Hotaru specifically. So much so that he arrives to the shrine, intending to activate it with the prayer he gives amongst the shrubbery for their nature’s aspect, along with the way the fountain itself almost has a phallic look to it if you squint enough. A basket with a few peaches are set right in the center as he clears his voice and looks around the shrine that he’d worked to build, before he aims skyward.

It's an overcast day, the chill pouring in the closer to Deepfrost they get, and Sunjata’s bundled up a little with a thick jacket and a little scarf. The shrine harbors some amount of warmth with the flame within the metal and partial glass encasing being a beacon, like a lighthouse, for anyone passing through Mourn to come and visit.

“Frey, I have finished the shrine. I hope it is to your liking.” He calls out to his deity, excited to show it off.

---

Turning in the shrine building quest!

• Decide where it will go: Mourn
  
• Consecrate the ground in a way Sex Frey would approve of
  ― play me like a violin (Threesome on the grounds of the Shrine)
  
• Consecrate the ground in a way Nature Frey would approve of
  ― (SE) nights of reckless glory (Planted a bunch of shrubs, trees, and flowers in a small little sectioned off garden around where the shrine will go).
  
• Gather earth, wind, fire, and water from the four quadrants of Caido
  ― {se} knee deep in forest rivers Earth (Greatwood)
  ― forgive my northern attitude Wind (Stormbreak)
  ― (SE) what about you? Fire (Climb)
  ― One foot in sea and one on shore Water (Torchline)
  
• In a PQ, build the shrine however you'd like incorporating the 4 elements.
  ― {PQ} bridges built for better days
  Water in the fountain that acts as the shrine, topped with the fire from the climb as a little beacon – made in a way to hopefully keep it from burning out – windchimes surrounding it where the wind had been released, and earth used along the little thin rivers outside of the fountain that curve around where the plants grow to utilize the nutrients of it.
  

the flood

that's why i'm broken, yeah,
am i a villain or a saint?

"It's a bit niply out, wouldn't you say?" Frey's voice is as smooth as it is rough, not unlike the lovers Sunjata has known in the past. The fire from the climb is suddenly engorged as if someone has blown softly as it, and as it swells, so too does the heat and light it gives off. "I think that's better, mm?"

Appearing somewhere behind Sunjata, for all the assumptions about the deity, consent was still paramount for it even now, and whether or not the Flood would choose to turn was entirely up to him. Even so, he'd feel the deity's presence as much as their approval.

The grasses where bodies had writhed whispered with phantom moans of pleasure, and, in response, the flowers nearby stretched and sighed their eagerness.

"This is very good."

i was raised as a scorpion
being pulled by the moon in a high tide

He can sense their presence as soon as they arrive – settled behind him and giving him the option to either look or not, something he’s always immensely grateful for. It gives him the few moments to prepare, especially as he watches Frey work their magic, humming a soft little laugh in agreement. It was chilly – but he was always fond of this season. It was his birthday and blackberries were in abundance – his favorites.

The flame roars to life to never go out and the warmth is immensely comforting as he turns now that he’s prepared and settles his grey gaze onto Frey, lips twisted in a gentle smile. “Much better. I’m glad.” He can’t help the way his smile seems to grow, always pleased with receiving the approval of his deity, the way he feels as though he can have a true conversation with them as opposed to his days with Safrin, watching every other word.

“Hotaru told me you made her one of yours as well. It’s quite possibly the best news I’ve heard all season.” The Flood says softly with a gentle laugh, scanning Frey’s face and spotting the combination of Nate and Lusea and Hotaru, all blended into one seamlessly. Her being their demigod too opens her up for that prospect of immortality, and with it, the disappearance of Sunjata’s biggest fear. He feels free and open, and while a large part of that is because of Hotaru becoming a demigod, there is that violet underlining of comfort in the face of all of the Family drama that seems to not weigh on his mind at all.

the flood

that's why i'm broken, yeah,
am i a villain or a saint?

For Sunjata if perhaps with no one, the amalgam of Frey's features is so equisitiely multifaceted as to be confusing. Here, the slice of a cheekbone made sharp by wit and cigarettes, there, a curve begging for strong hands. Their eyes glitter with colour that shifts through fields of green and seas of blue, but always they hold affection and approval for the man before them.

"Well I would have hoped she would have." They laugh. "She did have one tiny request to make when it came to her ascension." Stretching out a hand, they place it upon the left side of Sunjata's chest. "She had no intention of ruining what you two have for the allure of power, a trait I find most intoxicating in a partner." Tapping their fingers softly, Sunjata will feel the beating of his heart reverberate through his body like a melody played upon his soul.

"Your bodies might be mine, but she asked that your heart ever remain hers. Is that a vow you would make as well?"

i was raised as a scorpion
being pulled by the moon in a high tide

The Flood can’t help the soft little laugh that leaves him as Frey’s own fills the warm air. He remains still as they reach forward and rest their hand on the left side of his chest, where his heart beats comfortably beneath the touch, his steel gaze focusing on his god as his scarred brow lifts. One tiny request?

His heart seems to beat differently — not harder with the gentle tapping from Frey, but more as if he can feel it along his bones. It’s a unique and comfortable sensation in the face of Frey and over the subject, Sunjata’s smile shifts a bit crooked, his cheeks lightly warm and flushed from the heat and the subject before he dips his head a little, immediately without zero qualms.

“Of course.” He murmurs, before his chin lifts and he presses in a little against the hand Frey keeps at his chest, as if to prove his point. “I have vowed not to make the mistakes I made previously with her and I fully intend to keep my promises. My heart is hers.” But his body, he supposes now, is for whatever Frey wishes of him, (and perhaps whatever the violet thread running through his mind wishes of him).

“What must I do?” Is it something Frey can fix and do, or is it something he must venture out for? Placing his heart in a proverbial bottle to protect for her (not unlike Davy Jones)?

the flood

that's why i'm broken, yeah,
am i a villain or a saint?

"Nothing much." The herald whispers. Their thumb smooths over where the beginnings of fire have been etched onto his skin before their hand plunges through his tanned skin. The Flood will feel a moment of weightlessness as his heart is wrenched from his body: Not his real heart of course, not the one that kept his blood racing around his impressive body, but the one which had always caused such a fuss. The one that never seemed to know what it wanted until it was too late.

Pulling out a swirling ball of light, Frey looks at it for a moment before grinning. "Upon this you shall write your name." They murmur, before holding it out for Sunjata to take. It will feel like nothing at all while simultaneously reverberating its monumental purpose.

Sunjata knew better than most what it meant to mark one's heart with the name of another. Only this time with a god to bear witness, the effects would be much stronger. "Mark it, and I shall...help you keep your vow. Should this, your heart, ever begin to wander, you will be swiftly reminded to remain on track."

i was raised as a scorpion
being pulled by the moon in a high tide

There is such stark difference between offering his heart up on a platter to Frey versus Safrin, one that is intimately made aware when the sensual sound of their voice says nothing much. So he watches, awaiting the answer before their scarred hand touches his chest and seems to go through it. His body feels tingly, a weightlessness overcoming him for a moment as he gasps a little sound.

He finally feels like he can control his arms again a second later, when the ball of light is offered out and he takes it, preparing to do exactly what Frey asks of him. But there’s a small amount of hesitation there, not wishing to interrupt the explanation. And gods, if only he’d had something like this before, perhaps things might have ended up differently for the Flood.

But, you live and you learn, and with it the Flood takes a deep breath, leaning in to start to sign his name in his regal handwriting (a meticulous craft he’d learned in Korofi). “Like that?” He asks softly, lifting his steel gaze to search Frey’s face, seeing the bits and pieces of each and every person he’d loved as he settles back on his heels after writing his name.

the flood

that's why i'm broken, yeah,
am i a villain or a saint?

"Perfect." Frey whispers their approval as evident in the tone of their voice as in their chimeric features. Reaching out the herald softly places their palm against Sunjata's cheek, and through their eyes, all those he had loved and lost beamed radiantly at him. Yes, things might have been different for the Flood had he this gift sooner, but would his love for the Valkyrie have been the sort to have granted it, had he not endured so much?

"We all must do whatever we need to protect the things we love most, isn't that so?" Smiling, they step back slightly as they hand the orb fully to the Flood. "If ever this bond is to be broken..return to me and you need only say the words. Until then, perhaps this is best kept in Hotaru's possession?" She had requested his heart, after all; now Sunjata was in a position to deliver on that request, quite literally.

---

Sunjata has received:

Sunjata's Heart | Should Sunjata develop feelings for another, he'll begin to feel physical, emotional, and mental discomfort in their presence proportionate to what he feels for them. Should he begin to fall in love with someone other than Hotaru, he physically won't be able to be in their presence (i.e., can't be in threads with them).

i was raised as a scorpion
being pulled by the moon in a high tide

Leaning into the touch like a cat might press into an offered opening of attention, his steel gaze meets Frey’s, watching them shift and change from vibrant blues to honey browns, rapidly changing and shifting to all of those loved and lost, and a pang of sentimentality flickers through him, lighting up his scars in a small vibrant lightning strike.

“Yes.” Sunjata agrees immediately. After all, everything he had ever done was for that reason. Trying so desperately to keep Nate alive, protecting Lusea at all costs.

Taking the orb in his hands, it feels surprisingly warm and light for how much Sunjata’s heart felt scarred and war torn, but perhaps that was the point. “I will. Thank you.” It was everything, truly, and excitement burns in his chest at the prospect of giving Hotaru such a full gift, ensuring that no matter what, his heart will remain with her.

the flood

that's why i'm broken, yeah,
am i a villain or a saint?

As Sunjata leans into their hands, Frey's head tilts ever so slightly to the side. As they release him, their eyes strobe over his body, descending all the way to his feet before fluttering back up. "Before you go grey eyes...how've you been feeling lately?" It's casually asked, but there's a curiosity in their gaze that's entirely divine. Entirely frey.  

Reaching out for one of Sunjata's hands, they interlock their fingers through his and press their thumb against his palm. As they do, lines of violet begin to glow from beneath his skin; illuminating the intricate tattoos that wander over his body. In response, Frey simply glances up, one eyebrow raised. "Eaten something purple lately, have you?"

i was raised as a scorpion
being pulled by the moon in a high tide

Confusion clearly flares in Sunjata’s face at the question, blinking dumbly up at his deity as he’s scanned incredibly calculated. Far more than he’s used to seeing, but with an underlying current of power, the kind inherent to him given his status as their demigod. “I feel fine.” He admits, suddenly wondering if that isn’t the correct answer. Shouldn’t he be worried about the current threats? He can’t find it in him to find it threatening, though.

Suddenly, the glowing streams of purple glow beneath his skin and he watches it, jaw working in confusion at the mention of eating something purple, shaking his head. “Have I?” His brows pinch and he tries to think about what he’s done, before a dawning realization hits, and his gaze lifts to Frey, not seeing for himself how it could be a bad thing, given the influence of his infection that he doesn’t know much about other than being drawn to Stormbreak and Dahlia in particular, and how the creatures of the void don’t affect him anymore.

“I haven’t eaten anything purple.” Kissed, is another story though, as Frey would see the memory flash in his mind, despite feeling like it wasn’t something terrible.

Perhaps it was with the intrigue that Frey has. His confusion over it is evident as he remains still, looking up at Frey as his body glimmers shiny purple.

the flood

that's why i'm broken, yeah,
am i a villain or a saint?

Frey sees much; they aren't as invasive as the likes of Safrin, but still, Sunjata's thoughts flutter in spurts as if revealed by curtains billowing in a warm breeze. Trickling their fingers up the Flood's arm as if to chase the lavender tendrils that pulse beneath his skin, their hands rove up to his shoulders and down his sides.

"How interesting." They purr, lifting their gaze to their chosen with one eyebrow raised. "But if you feel fine, then there's no need to worry." As they remove their hands, the purple disappears from the Flood's skin. "Who are we to judge what we don't know, mmmm? Imagine all that we'd miss out on?"

Still...

"If anything changes grey eyes, you'll let me know, won't you?"

i was raised as a scorpion
being pulled by the moon in a high tide

Despite the fact that the violet tendrils that glow from his skin should be alarming, Sunjata isn’t worried about it. The worry that’s shared is what Frey thinks of it, because Dahlia had been right when she’d told him he needed to relax more. And since that day, well, he’d certainly felt a lot better from the looming threats that everyone else seems to be getting into a tailspin over.

The way Frey’s hands smooth out along his shoulders and sides have him relaxing, however, even as he still feels like he’s being looked at through a microscope, and Sunjata nods, dipping his head. “Of course I will.” He promises, despite not knowing what would change. As far as he’s concerned, he feels the best he has in a long time, bolstered by the strength Frey has given him and the mental relaxation that Dahlia had granted somehow. He still isn’t sure how. What he does know is that he lit up purple when Frey touched him, and purple = void at this present moment. Given the streak in the sky above them.

But he imagines it might be something worth mentioning to Hotaru. So he clears his throat a little, tilts his head, finds his gaze scanning Frey’s face as if trying to read them back (which is an impossible feat, to be honest). And he immediately starts to feel stupid when he utters, “do you think it's the void?” Pausing to take a sharp inhale as if to explain, like he's fucked up and ruined things again, despite not knowing how he'd managed it in the first place, the Flood continues. “I’ve seen what it does to the flora and fauna, of course, but… If that is what this is, I feel more relaxed than I have in admittedly a long time. Not aggressive or... dangerous, like the river stars or the unicorns here.” Unsure if it helps (yet knowing deep down that Frey and Rae, are often rather interested in how life changes and adjusts), he is honest with the admission, and it’s clear in the relaxed stature of his posture, his unbidden happiness prior to accomplish this task for Frey, to live and thrive. "If I do start to feel that way, I'll come and see you..?"

the flood

that's why i'm broken, yeah,
am i a villain or a saint?

"Is that what the kids are calling it these days?" Frey purrs softly as the fingers of one hand slither up the side of his face to curl into Sunjata's hair. Their fingertips pulse and seem to spread like roots, stretching out to massage and ease away tension even as the herald continues to gaze adoringly at him. "Things come and things change." They say with a shrug. "But if you feel good, what's the problem? There's nothing wrong with you that I can feel." As the words leave their lips, Sunjata will feel his entire body feel as though it's being touched by thoroughly examining hands.

"The Family are predators to be sure, moving in and wanting to take over, but that's just the way nature works. You can either fight, evolve, submit, or die, and you, darling boy, seem to be evolving." It's said with pride, and indeed the way Frey presses themselves against the Flood, their approval can be felt in the opalescent brightness of their touch.