lay your whisper on my pillow

lay a whisper on my pillow, leave the winter on the ground

"...so, will you help me?"

It wasn't luck that had brought the demi-goddess to him so quickly of course. The spirits around—spirits who he could now feel the ebb and flow of but could not see—had whispered his presence and she'd shown up readily enough. It seemed hardly to matter that it was in the twilight hours, for Delphia didn't look groggy or just-pulled from sleep.

That was for the best perhaps, as the Alchemist explained the Ludo had appeared to him, had given him a name and a deadline, and then disappeared. Delphia's assistance had been all but taken as a given by the herald, but Remi wouldn't assume; he'd made an ass out of himself and those around him often enough he felt no need to repeat such mistakes.

"If you watch over my body here I believe...I can have her come here, where I can.." Pausing, the Alchemist swallowed. If he was going to be a demi-god of death or whatever nonsense he was labeled as, he ought to be able to say the words at the very least. "..kill her. Then you'll be able to take her soul."

THE ALCHEMIST

i wake up lonely, this air of silence, in the bedroom and all around

stay inside the salt circle

Delphia stared back at Remi, steely eyes warm but distant as he explained his reason for coming. It should have weighed heavy on her heart, her personal relationships in play here as well, but instead they flew on wings. Such premeditated rest was a blessing bestowed by Ludo, carried out by it's child, for a soul deserving of peaceful release. "Of course I will. Have you chosen a method?". She asked, wondering how much he had thought this through.

The messy haired demi goddess nodded her head as he continued on. "Would you like Tishy to accompany you? She is very accustomed to traveling through the spirit realm." she offered. The kitten trilled a meow at the Alchemist, shadows pulsing around her.

DELPHIA

Coding base by Odd/Sky!

lay a whisper on my pillow, leave the winter on the ground

"My poison, I think. It is...usually the least painful method." The Alchemist replied in a low whisper, finding it surreal how easily he spoke of his methods of murder as if it had become commonplace. The problem being, it had.

Glancing down at the kitten, Remi was tempted to say no, not wanting to endanger anyone else in this situation. But as a spirit...surely the young cat sith wouldn't be in any danger? "That would be appreciated, sure."

Sitting himself against a tree, fully in shadow so that when his body went still it would begin to fade away, he gave Delphia a last look. "Should things go wrong, you will no doubt hear it...at that point I won't expect your aid." She was here to collect souls after all, not fight off hoards of fae come to protect their leader. "And if I don't come back for whatever reason, well...I suppose I needn't give you my last words now. I'll find you as a spirit."

THE ALCHEMIST

i wake up lonely, this air of silence, in the bedroom and all around

stay inside the salt circle

Delphia nodded, agreeing with his assessment. Poisons could induce terrible deaths, but were far more likely to allow one to simply fall into an eternal sleep than a sword or magic could. The shadows around the kitten pulsed, aware of the task being given to her through the bond she shared with the daughter of Mort. Lead and fetch. This she could do with ease alongside the half-spirit half-man.

They both watched as Remi began to fade into the spirit realm, still seen and felt by both the cat and young woman. A warm smile curved her lips and she shook her head. "The Fae have not thrived so by fighting the will of the gods and spirits which inhabit their woods. Have faith that your creator has not given you a task so fraught with danger." she encouraged. Ludo likely did not want to lose their new helper so soon after all. She herself had no such reservations that this would go smoothly.

DELPHIA

Coding base by Odd/Sky!

lay a whisper on my pillow, leave the winter on the ground

He'd let Delphia worry about faith. All the Alchemist was worried about was not being seen too soon.

Walking through the woods in a body unable to physically affect the world around him was surreal to say the least, despite how often he'd done it now. His footsteps made no sound, his breath didn't stir the leaves around him, and his heartbeat resonated in his own ears only.

He'd been shown Delah's home before, on one of his earliest visits into these woods. Not that holding his breath changed much for him now, but as spirit!Remi slunk through the village, he did indeed hold his breath until his lungs screamed for relief. Glancing down at Tishy as if the kitten might give him some insight, he nodded towards Delah's door. It was locked of course, but that hardly stopped the Alchemist. Without allowing himself even a moment's hesitation, he let his magic take control.

In an instant, his spirit-body was upon Delah's, but no sooner had his form touched hers than he was in her. His spirit filled up her body, pressing out against her smaller frame, trying to wrestle her own spirit into submission while she was still pulling herself from sleep.

Your death-day is tomorrow warrior. Don't fight me on this. Ludo wants your soul collected tonight He tried to say, wondering if he could pulse emotions to her soul through his, the same way he could as an attuned.

THE ALCHEMIST

i wake up lonely, this air of silence, in the bedroom and all around

these violent delights have violent ends

As if Delah would go down without a fight, Ludo's plan or not.

She'd been awake the second she felt a presence in her room, a knife held in her palm beneath her bedsheets. However rather than a regular intruder, she felt her very soul invaded and restrained; an attack her blade would do little against. So rather than lashing out, the warchief settled into bed, focusing her every ounce of strength on ridding her body of this intruder.

You'd deny me a fight in what are to be my last moments? She sneered, doubling down on her efforts to shove the intruder from her body.

lay a whisper on my pillow, leave the winter on the ground

Given the difference in their stats and the fact that they are both Odd's characters It was almost pitiful the ease with which the Alchemist was able to force control over Delah. He could feel her mind and soul rallying against him, but her attacks were like a child's fists. Full of fury, but ineffective.

He forced her legs to swing out from her bed, pushing the sheets off with her. Is there something you'd like to wear? To bring with you? He asked in a kind voice, trying to be as far from condescending as was possible when you were literally puppeting-someone else around.

THE ALCHEMIST

i wake up lonely, this air of silence, in the bedroom and all around

these violent delights have violent ends

Smart enough to know what battles are worth fighting and which aren't, Delah allows her body to move under the Alchemist's control. All the while she steels herself for her next attack, using eyes she no longer has any control over to try and gauge what she might use in the room to her advantage.

To wear? The panther snarls. To take with me? We greet Mort just as we leave Vi: with nothing but our souls. So get your filthy hands off of mine.

lay a whisper on my pillow, leave the winter on the ground

To this, the Alchemist had no reply. He'd only meant that once, the Grounders hadn't been sensitive enough to the customs of the Fae, and he didn't want to make that mistake again with so much on the line. But realizing that given the situation there was likely nothing at all that he could say or do to stifle the warrior's anger, Remi merely nodded inwardly.

His control over Delah was temporarily absolute as she seemed to cease fighting. We are going to Ludo's woods, where Delphia awaits so that your soul can immediately be taken to Mort. Though Remi wanted the words to be comforting, he settled for merely informative.

Just in case his hold of the warrior's soul slipped, the Alchemist made her grab a bit of cloth from a drawer and stuff it in her mouth. While she couldn't physically fight him, she could call for help potentially.

THE ALCHEMIST

i wake up lonely, this air of silence, in the bedroom and all around

these violent delights have violent ends

Delphia. If the demigoddess was involved, the panther supposed that lent some legitimacy to what the Alchemist had said. Why didn't she simply come to collect my soul herself. Though she couldn't see the Cath Sith, she could feel it. Or perhaps she'll just feed me to that soul-stealer you've got trailing at your ankles. Better hope she doesn't though, because should my soul do anything but find Mort, you can bet you will never have another restful night's sleep again.

Fangs sprouted behind her lips as she was forced to shove a scrap of cloth into her mouth. Clever. She hated him for that. Stiffly she was made to exit her home, undoubtably for the last time. Never once did the warrior have the slightest inclination that she ought to look back, that there was anything to write, or record, or miss.

All there was to do now was make sure her death was a good one.

And take this asshole with her if she could.

lay a whisper on my pillow, leave the winter on the ground

Because Ludo asked me. Your death-day is tomorrow, but it said it would be horrible and painful. I...have been asked to intervene in cases like this. The Alchemist explained rather stiffly, not sure how to put into words the unhelpful and cliche title of mercy-killer. He did, however, tuck away the knowledge that Delah thought Delphia could simply take souls anyways. That was worth following up on.

Through the woods they walked. This time it wasn't silently, but it was very quiet. Despite her efforts, Delah's body was used to moving without sound through the woods, and her muscle memory made the journey swift and, thankfully, uneventful.

Slowly Delphia would come into view, standing over the nearly invisible body of a man seated against the base of a tree. Do I need to restrain you, or will you stay? The Alchemist asked, already knowing the answer, but offering her the choice just the same.

THE ALCHEMIST

i wake up lonely, this air of silence, in the bedroom and all around

these violent delights have violent ends

Unable to lie, the panther merely snarled silently at Remi's question. I'll stay. She replied with a feral grin. Assuming that having the man around her soul might also give him access to her thoughts, she decided it wasn't worth trying to be coy. I'll stay, but I'd prefer my hands free so that I can tear your eyes out all the faster. Then Delphia can have my soul. Does that sound like a fair trade?

Like him, she knew the answer too, but like him, she gave him the choice just the same.

lay a whisper on my pillow, leave the winter on the ground

You would really try and cheat your own death? You'd prefer it tomorrow, gruesome and horrific? I can make it fast and painless. The Alchemist offered as they reached an impasse in their negotiations.

If you run..if you fight, I'll best you. But it doesn't need to be that way. He added a touch sadly. Remi obviously had no problems with killing, but never before had he been asked to take a life in quite this manner before. Normally, they didn't know it was coming. Though part of him certainly gravitated towards the openness and earnestness of this approach, convincing someone to let him kill them—especially someone like Delah—surely had Ludo cackling in its rags, if it deigned to watch this little task play out.

THE ALCHEMIST

i wake up lonely, this air of silence, in the bedroom and all around

these violent delights have violent ends

Fast and painless. Delah barked with a laugh. You sound like the first boy who tried to take my virginity. Nothing in this world is fast or painless. Nothing worth having or doing, anyways. Why should death be any different?

Grinning and coiling inside of herself, the war chief nodded. Good. Let it be a chase and fight then. I won't even call for help. If he was so confident in his abilities to beat her, then it should be an easy enough choice. But oh, how little he knew of her. She was the Greatwood Guardian after all, so named because she'd never before been beaten.