Tots and Pears

Flora was dead.

Or at least, that's what the creepyweird Vox guy had said in Tal's brain yesterday. He wasn't entirely sure he believed everything that got buzzed into the center of his skull by an alien that wore his underpants on his head, but since Tal had been one of those friends who had been poking their noses around in the Greatwood and pushing back the Void from it with the Queen, it sure sounded horrifyingly plausible.

"Mort?" he said, voice shaking a little as he lit a fresh candle at the altar in Ludo's Woods and settled back on his heels. He held his wishbone earring tightly in his hand, the metal pressing its imprint into his flesh. He'd been intending to ask for the god's further blessing on it, but first he had to know...

"Mort, is Flora really... is she with you now or... Or..." He trailed off, too sick at the thought to complete it. If she was okay, if someone had gotten to her in time... he desperately wanted to hope, but he was afraid of how much more it would hurt if the worst had come to pass.

---

Tal would like to roll for a prayer with Mort. If the roll fails, I'd like to use his Level 12 Reward: Receive a thread with one of the Big Three Gods

Type: Light | Style: Other | Level: Basic
Lucky you | A wishbone earring blessed by Mort, that when worn grants +5 luck. Must be included in all PQ/PQ+/KQ/DROP posts to be counted.

Magic: Be nice (feat) | Can't be cursed at a shrine
Type: Light | Rank: Mastered

With so many spirits around you, you attract the attention of the gods when visiting a shrine. Roll with advantage when praying at a shrine. (In order to use this, make sure to note the ability at the bottom of your shrine post).

i have died everyday waiting for you

The gentle rustling of leaves in Ludo’s Woods stilled, as if the forest itself paused to breathe. A golden light began to suffuse the space around Talyson, warm and calm like sunlight breaking through a storm. Mort appeared amidst it, seated cross-legged on the soft earth, his dark curls catching the light in a way that seemed to hold every hue of dawn.

“Talyson,” Mort greeted, his voice as gentle as the sigh of a lullaby. His brown eyes were soft with understanding as they took in the courier’s shaking hands and the imprint of the wishbone against his skin. The god reached out, not toward the altar but toward Tal himself, a small, reassuring gesture. “Flora… She was with me,” Mort admitted softly, the words carrying no sting but the gentle cadence of a truth spoken with infinite care. “She came to my halls, and though her arrival was warmly received, she did not stay.”

---

level 12 reward used

He had prayed to Mort many times since his last encounter with the god of the dead. Small prayers of gratitude and desperate prayers for luck in dangerous situations, but none had been as heartfelt as this one was. Tal was still surprised when his cry was answered, but the light that warmed the Woods soothed the fear that choked him. For the first time since he'd heard the news he took a clear breath, and then a second as he raised his face to gaze upon his deity.

In spite of his best intentions hope blossomed in his chest at the sight of the god. Mort's initial admission caused it to wither and the courier's face dropped in distress as he felt the clench of loss delayed squeezing the breath from his ribs once more.

It took long seconds for the last words to sink in through the shock, and even longer for their meaning to penetrate. "Wait, so... if she's not there... then where...?" He blinked and then shuddered as if waking up from a nightmare, hope dawning bright in his pale eyes. "So someone got t'her in time!" He couldn't grin; the memory of loss was still too sharp and recent for that, but he did relax like a puppet whose strings had been cut and it was a good thing he was already on the ground. "Thank you, Mort! Thank you." He reached up to rub his eyes with the back of the hand holding the earring - not that he was crying! - and only then realized how tightly he'd been gripping it. He had to force his fingers to uncurl from around it, wincing at how deeply it was embedded in his palm. "She, uh... she wasn't th'only one who's been gettin' on th'Family's bad side," he admitted with a grimace. "An'... I dunno that I've got anyone who'd be willin' t'come get me from your Halls like she does. Would... would y'help me out again, please? I think I'm gonna need all th'luck I can get soon." He offered the earring back to its creator, his hand only trembling a little now from relief rather than anxiety.

i have died everyday waiting for you

Mort’s dark eyes lingered on the earring, a small, knowing smile touching his lips. He didn’t reach for it; he didn’t need to. The charm had already served its purpose, and Mort’s gaze seemed to speak to the countless stories it had already witnessed. “That earring has done a fine job so far,” he murmured, his voice warm, steady. “It’s carried my blessing, and more importantly, it’s carried you. But… if you’re asking for it to do more, you already know the answer.”

His fingers twitched in a faint gesture toward the charm, but his focus remained on Tal, his expression gently encouraging. “To make it stronger, you’ll have to walk a familiar path. Luck, after all, isn’t something I can simply bestow."

Mort’s smile softened, a quiet pride glimmering in his eyes. “You’ve done well, Talyson. The Family might cast long shadows, but you’ve kept your footing even in the darkest places. You might feel like you’re standing alone, but you’re more capable than you realize.”
The god reached out to softly squeeze the courier's shoulder. []say] “I am proud of you,” he said simply, the words weighty not for their grandeur, but for their sincerity. “And though I may not walk this path with you, I trust you to find your way, just as you always have.”

Mort leaned back, the golden light around him starting to fade, though the warmth of his presence remained in the clearing. “The earring is yours to shape, Talyson, as it’s always been." 

With that, he was gone, leaving behind the faint scent of wildflowers and the soft rustle of leaves returning to motion.


~FIN