Always a nightmare, never a dream

So there had been a lot of stabbing happening lately.

Tal didn't notice the chill of the desert night as he settled onto his knees in front of the bony altar. His Cuff protected him from that discomfort, at least, but it could do nothing against the chill in his heart or the dread that twisted together with hope as he set his Dagger on the pale, polished surface. The sheen of poison on its blade almost seemed to sparkle beneath the moonlight that flooded the desert and turned the scene to monochrome. The unicorn horn from the slain Daemon joined the blade and last of all came a bag of bite-sized candy sugar skulls dyed in bright colors, looking oddly cheerfully amidst such a grim scene.

Boreal sniffed eagerly around the perimeter of the shrine, chortling happily to herself in excitement. She knew who they had come to see and was clearly delighted at the prospect.

It was unfortunate that her human didn't seem to share her enthusiasm.

"Hi Ludo. I, um. I did... everythin' y'asked. Stabbin' myself... again," he recounted with a wince for the memory and Zavien's horror at what he'd done. "An' I stabbed Ronin, on account o' he's one o' my heroes. An'... I even stabbed... Sah," he admitted, the words pulled reluctantly from his throat. "Since he's... y'know. I guess we're... kinda close at this point. Just don't tell 'im," he hurried to add. "Please." Not only because the hunter would be pissed, but because his swelled head would get even bigger if he ever found out the requirements for the task. "So, uh... can y'make th'poison stronger now? Pretty please?" With sugar skulls on top?

---

Quest received in Dig my grave shallow:
1. Stab a good friend frenemy with the Special Delivery Dagger. [SE][Training] No thanks Sah
2. Stab someone he wants to impress with the Special Delivery Dagger. [SE][Training] Take the left at Albuquerque Ronin
3. Hunt and slay a Daemon in King's End, harvesting part of it (e.g. fangs, claws, scales etc.) [PQ+] Nails on my skin like the teeth of a shark Harvested a unicorn horn
4. Stab himself (yes, again) with the Special Delivery Dagger. Cooking Hazard ouch!

ludo Braved the forests, braved the stone Braved the icy winds and fire Braved and beat them on my own You know what they say - you can't make an omelette without stabbing a few friends! The assorted skulls and bones of the shrine seem to quiver and shake with the Messenger's arrival, creating a strange, hollow melody that echoes in the cool night air. Once they've gotten over their excitement, one of the skulls' jaws part and hangs open, expectant. "Oo kno' 'at oo oo," it says, and though there are no eyes in its hollow pits, they do seem to be focused on the sugar skulls that Tal has so kindly brought. But oh - right - the poison. In a blink of light that will momentarily blind the courier, the Daemon horn will disappear, though the poison glistening on the Special Delivery Dagger will seem more sinister, somehow. Tal has completed his quest and has received the following! Well done, Tal! Type: Dark | Style: Offensive | Level: Mastered Honed by Nightmares | A curious silvery coating covers the Special Delivery Dagger. Causes extra physical damage at a Mastered level.

Is... is that what they say? Tal was pretty sure that wasn't how the saying went, but it didn't stop him from tossing the sugar skulls into the bigger, bony skull that looked hungry. It didn't have a tongue or internal organs, but that wasn't any of Tal's goddamned business, and by the time the bag of candy was empty and he looked back at the altar his Dagger was looking pretty damn scary.

"Ohhh wow. That's lookin' potent," he observed, fervent gratitude in his voice. "Thanks, Ludo. It, uh... I'm sure it'll be worth it." As long as he didn't have to stab himself anymore. And certain people didn't find out that he'd been doing tasks for the mischievous herald of death again. Right? "You, uh... y'take care, alright?" Because Tal wasn't really feeling like he'd be back again too very soon. Not when so many of Ludo's tasks involved getting hurt, or hurting himself deliberately. Or worse, hurting his friends!

The courier hurriedly retrieved his weapon and made a bowing retreat from the shrine, much to Boreal's dismay. They dragon wanted to play with the wriggling rags! And she wasn't impressed with her human's shameless cowardly 'advance to the rear!'

~fin