[SE] Ignore all the burdens that you keep

Tryin' to wash away all the blood I've spilt
This lust is a burden that we both share

Liam was suddenly hyperaware of a great many things, so grateful was he to still be alive: the bright sun above, shining down on the great dragon who had saved his life; the warmth of Maea’s breath as it washed over him; the fetid smell of the fyrhunds that now lay dead at their feet. He was also aware that if he didn’t heal the wound he’d sustained quickly, it would probably fester. His protection against Void creatures as a Friend of the Family only went so far, and the fyrhund’s claws were no doubt home to all manner of unpleasant things that could cause an infection.

He was aware, too, of Maea shifting, her massive form condensing down into a small, pale figure that came quickly to tie off the bandage he was struggling with. ”You are incredible,” he told her, meaning it with every fiber of his being. He reached up to cup her face with one hand, stroking a thumb along her cheekbone as he looked her over for any sign of injury. ”I don’t want you to hurt yourself because of me,” he protested, but it wasn’t with any real conviction; it was the best solution they had out here, and Liam knew it, even if he didn’t like it.

Maea slipped in beneath his shoulder, and Liam did his best not to lean too heavily on her. ”Are you alright? Did they hurt you?”

Two sinners can't atone from a lone prayer
Souls tied, intertwined by our pride and guilt

Liam

// won't you breathe with me? //

"So are you, for taking two of them down on your own with a normal sword." Her cheek was splattered with blood and gore, dirty and weary, but she leaned it into his palm anyway. All at once her own pain returned, and rather than holding him up she found that she was leaning into his side, needing just as much support to remain standing.

"I know," she replied, more than a little grateful for his care. "But I need it too. It spat acid at me." Obliging his çoncern she showed the arm where even the armored dress hadn't been able to entirely ward off the searing drool. Her previous self inflicted cut was still seeping as well; the downside to the powers she had been granted, useful though they undeniably were.
"Come on - let's sit down." A flat rock nearby offered adequate distance from the carnage and Maea guided them over. Sinking down with a relief near to tears, she raised a hand to her mouth, steeled herself and bit down hard, until sharp fangs pierced skin and drew blood. Precious blood. Powerful blood, that caused her fingers to shimmer as she guided the dark blessing from herself and into Liam. Hot and thrumming with a subtle vibration felt deep in the bones, it began to seal torn skin, mend ruptured muscle fibers and replenished the energy spent during his difficult battle.

---

Bloodboon (Ancient): Can injure themselves for mastered damage, healing themselves or others at 1.5x their mastered level with a range of 30ft.
Type: Dark | Rank: Mastered

Maea

// won't you take me to your heart? //

Tryin' to wash away all the blood I've spilt
This lust is a burden that we both share

At the end of the day, it hardly seemed to matter who had taken down which fyrhund, for all five were now dead and the two of them were still standing. Still, he was grateful that Maea found him impressive rather than a disappointment on the battlefield.

Upon hearing that Maea had been injured as well, Liam’s brows snapped together. He inspected the wound, gripping her arm gently as he did so. Like his wound, hers looked rather nasty, and despite the fact that Liam hated that Maea would have to harm herself further to heal them both, he had to admit that it was probably a good idea - especially when she began to lean into him, needing support as much as providing it. They made their way to the flat rock that Maea indicated, and Liam sank down onto it with a smothered sigh of relief. He watched as the Ancient sank fangs into her own flesh, reaching out to place what he hoped was a comforting hand on her knee.

The result of Maea’s magic was instantaneous, and Liam was fascinated to feel torn flesh and muscle mend beneath her ministrations, a flood of warm energy coursing through his veins. When she was finished, he felt revitalized - as though the attack had never happened at all. ”Thank you.” Still, he watched her with concern. He’d have preferred she heal her own injuries before tending to his, and he waited patiently for her to do just that, hoping that she wasn’t overtaxing herself in the process.

Two sinners can't atone from a lone prayer
Souls tied, intertwined by our pride and guilt

Liam

// won't you breathe with me? //

He always comforted her. The warmth leeching from his hand through the fabric of her knee and into the bones beneath soothed her, a subtle thrill that might consume her attention entirely if she let it. Liam's reluctance to indulge in her healing powers turned a grim and thankless ritual into a sacrifice she was more than willing to make. Not because she was capable of enduring, but because there was nothing she wouldn't give of herself to see his expression ease with the vanquish of pain.

Her own relief was but a moment away. Satisfied that he was properly mended, she winced as sharp teeth savaged another portion of her arm. The pain was staggering, but brief; turning the power onto herself, as the bloodboon worked its blessings on her injuries, Maea slumped wearily against Liam. Acid burns vanished, lacerations knitted back together; only the mental fatigue of the battle remained, and a bone deep awareness of how close they'd come to ruin today.

A damp breeze cut the sweltering heat of the region, soothing and revitalising. A dervish of ash and dust formed before their feet and swivelled past, dissolving against the rocks. Other than the subtle rustle of shifting sand and the churn of digestive systems still processing a sudden death, all was still.

"We did it." She was still alive. Liam was right beside her, warm and real. They had won.

Maea

// won't you take me to your heart? //

Tryin' to wash away all the blood I've spilt
This lust is a burden that we both share

Maea turned her teeth once more upon her own arm, and Liam swallowed hard. He hated to see her in pain, even if it was necessary. He watched as skin knit itself back together, eyeing her wounds until he was quite sure they’d been fully mended. Then, as she slumped against him, he wrapped her in a one-armed embrace, his free hand coming up to cup her cheek. He pulled her as close as he could, leaning in and pressing his cheek to her forehead, careful to avoid her horns.

”We did it,” he echoed, and though there was victory in it, there was also a solemnity that punctuated each word. ”Gods, Maea. I thought -“ That they were dead, or at least he was; that their love story was about to end before the first chapter was complete. He replayed that terrifying moment when the fyrhubd had pinned her and shuddered. ” I’m so glad you’re alright.”

Two sinners can't atone from a lone prayer
Souls tied, intertwined by our pride and guilt

Liam

// won't you breathe with me? //

Supple and pliant beneath his hands, she let him fold her into his chest with palpable relief. The long tail coiled around his ankle even as she slipped an arm around Liam's back, rubbing a soothing palm against a broad shoulder when the tremors kept returning. For her, being trapped beneath a predator was as nothing compared to the sight of Liam taking off with the rest of the pack in hot pursuit. Such a brave, foolish thing to do – the breath sucked in past gritted teeth wasn't far from a sob, dry and harsh.
"Thanks to you," she acknowledged, thoroughly unhappy about the method even though she knew the options had been limited. "When I saw that last fyrhund – " A spasm wrecked through her body, and with something like desperation chasing inhibitions away she stirred, putting her arms up around his neck so she could pull him closer, halfway into his lap; "Gods, I thought it was over – !"

Maea

// won't you take me to your heart? //

Tryin' to wash away all the blood I've spilt
This lust is a burden that we both share

Brave and foolish it had been indeed, and yet he would do it again a hundred times over if it meant helping Maea. He could imagine all too well what might have happened had he not acted as he did, and he wanted no part of it.

Maea wrapped an arm around Liam's back, and her hand's gentle motions upon his shoulder helped to chase away the worst of his trembling. This - the aftermath - was his least favorite part of any battle, when one's system was emptied of everything that kept one going, leaving only a bone-deep exhaustion in its wake. He would no doubt have a new nightmare to add to his collection, after this. Even the knowledge that they'd made it through wouldn't be enough to keep them at bay.

Liam buried his face in Maea's shoulder as she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, breathing her in to ground himself in the here and now. They were fine. They had won. There was nothing left to fear. "We're okay," he said, his voice muffled. Then, again, as though to reassure them both: "We're okay."

Two sinners can't atone from a lone prayer
Souls tied, intertwined by our pride and guilt

Liam

// won't you breathe with me? //

"We're okay," she agreed, uncertain if she was comforting him or being comforted. With the weight of his head on her shoulder anchoring her to life as surely as his skills with the sword had, Maea thought this might be the more pleasant of ways to process the recent events. Heedless of the dirt that clung to her hands she combed her fingers through his sweat-damp locks, inhaling the scent of him, cheek to temple. Never quite close enough.

A fly droned by. Gradually the reek of offal began to grow overpowering in the heat, an unwelcome distraction as intrusive as the itch of unsatiated bloodlust at the back of her throat.
"We should get moving," she mumbled reluctantly, knowing the scent would attract other predators before long. And they should find a spring to wash up in, and keep walking for some hours more before the daylight faded... But despite knowing better, she didn't move. Couldn't bring herself to let go of the man in her arms; not when she'd come so near to losing him so soon.

Maea

// won't you take me to your heart? //

Tryin' to wash away all the blood I've spilt
This lust is a burden that we both share

Time passed. Liam wasn’t sure how much, but he wasn’t keen to break the spell that Maea now had him under as she combed her fingers through his hair. But eventually, the smell of death grew powerful enough to distract, and with a reluctant sigh, Liam shifted, raising his head from the crook of Maea’s neck to look her in the eye. ”We should,” he agreed. ”But I really don’t want to let you go.”

It was the thought of more predators arriving that finally coaxed Liam to loosen his grip, though his hands stayed on Maea’s waist as he looked around. ”I don’t know the area well enough - is there somewhere safe where we can get out of the open?” Somewhere, preferably, where they could clean up and rest. And, if Liam had anything to say about it, find a way to reassure themselves that that were, in fact, alive and well.

Two sinners can't atone from a lone prayer
Souls tied, intertwined by our pride and guilt

Liam

// won't you breathe with me? //

It was neither the time or the place for the mind to wander, yet even so Liam's admission made the air in her lungs feel thin, too faint to counter the light-headedness it induced. That his hands remained around her midriff did nothing to soothe the sensation either. "I think... probably."  Gazing around to regain her bearings, in the end she nodded in the direction of a jagged line of mountains on the near horizon. Not immediately close, but they'd be able to get there within an hour or so. Though given their tired states, it would be a rough hike. "There should be caves there, a few tunnels into the Burrows..." She hesitated. "I could... fly us there?" The dragon waited only a breath away, skin deep and eager for the sky. The idea of sharing her first flight with Liam was very enticing, though she could understand if that was one adventure too many today on top of the rest.

Maea

// won't you take me to your heart? //

Tryin' to wash away all the blood I've spilt
This lust is a burden that we both share

Liam followed Maea’s gaze to the nearby mountains. They were close enough to hike to, but it would certainly be a grueling journey - and that was if they managed to avoid other wildlife on the way. The soldier wasn’t entirely certain that he had another fight in him today, but he had nearly resigned himself to walking when Maea hesitated.

Her next words took him by surprise, and he blinked down at her. It wasn’t that he objected to the idea, but it seemed… intimate, somehow, in a way he couldn’t quite describe. Still, flying sounded much nicer than walking, and safer, too, so he reached up to stroke her cheek and said, ”Only if you’re sure.” While he was willing, he didn’t want her to offer out of some sense of obligation.

Two sinners can't atone from a lone prayer
Souls tied, intertwined by our pride and guilt

Liam

Maea

Beware the darkness of dragons,
Beware the stalker of dreams,

Smiling against his hand, Maea nodded. She was sure, her only concern being whether he would be able to stay on her back. "Stay here while I shift," she told him, rising abruptly before the arm around her waist could change her mind.

Retreating past the carcasses until she was certain she would fit, she drew a steadying breath and shifted. It took longer than she was used to, making an unaccustomed transition last beyond comfort. It was rare that she felt her bones realign, but that was the case here; and when her vision cleared and the dragon shook its head to clear it of lingering sensations, she took a moment to absorb the change.

A dragon. She was a dragon? Like Sunjata, like Ronin, big enough that Liam appeared toy-sized to her eyes. Inspecting herself, she spread the vast wings, testing their weight, the strength of the muscles needed to operate them... and when she was satisfied, she gently lowered herself onto her belly, so that Liam could climb up. At the base of her neck was a spot without spikes; if he could get there, he should be able to sit somewhat comfortably.

Beware the talons of power and fire,
Beware one who is not what she seems.

Tryin' to wash away all the blood I've spilt
This lust is a burden that we both share

Liam nodded his agreement to Maea’s instruction, and leaned back against his hands as he watched her move far enough away to shift. The transformation was absolute; if he hadn’t known it was Maea, he might have missed the pale eyes that marked her as his partner. She was all darkness and intimidation in this form, and yet Liam was unafraid. If anything, he was rather impressed.

And, suddenly, quite nervous. What if he fell from her back, as tired as he was?

Forcing himself to his feet, he made his way to Maea’s side, looking her over to find that the most reasonable place to sit was a clear spot at the base of her neck. Swallowing down a sudden wave of protests, he thought of all the times he’d thought it might be nice to know how it felt to fly and clambered onto Maea’s back, doing his best to do so quickly and efficiently, without kicking her or stabbing her with the sheathed sword at his side.

It was, perhaps, the slightest bit awkward - he hadn’t imagined this particular outcome of the day, and riding Maea felt strange - but he settled in comfortably enough astride the base of her neck, gripping the spikes before him to use as handholds. ”Ready when you are,” he called, and braced himself for takeoff.

Two sinners can't atone from a lone prayer
Souls tied, intertwined by our pride and guilt

Liam

Maea

Beware the darkness of dragons,
Beware the stalker of dreams,

He could have been a squirrel scampering up the trunk of a tree, for all she knew. Featherlight upon her back, she rose as gently as she could, suddenly afraid that dropping him wouldn't even register until it was too late. Praying that he would be able to hold on, the black dragon braced against the rocky ground, spread her wings high - and leaped off with all her might.

She was strong! In a heartbeat the ground vanished beneath them. A veil of ashy clouds and mist enveloped them as she rose through the clouds, then brilliant sunlight flared out, clearer than ever. Above the clouds the wind was cold, biting compared to the suffocating heat near the ground, and beyond the jagged peaks of the coastline, a blue horizon curved subtly where the sky and sea connected. Marvelling at her own power, Maea couldn't resist letting out a roar to announce her presence to the world. Behold, she had arrived! At long last, she was strong - she was happy - she was free!

And Liam was still there, clinging on like a burdock. For his sake she angled her long neck towards the closest peaks and beat her wings in slow, measured strokes. Coasting gradually downward, through buffeting winds and past obstacles that would have taken them hours to bypass on foot, the flight lasted little more than a handful of minutes. Finding a flat piece of ground, she landed with a soft thud, exhilarated beyond words - she was a fucking dragon and never before had she felt so unbound by borders and oceans. Even the moon seemed within reach, if she decided to go there.

Beware the talons of power and fire,
Beware one who is not what she seems.