[God Quest] Black lace on sweat

Maea

My heroes had the heart to lose their lives out on the limb

This time, Maea chose the climb down into darkness. While the pale Leafchange sun offered her a decent enough lighting to find foothold in the beginning, once she got far enough down it became a slow, painstaking process of fumbling blindly for nooks and crannies in the rock where her feet might fit. It was a proper test of faith, to be sure. How far were you willing to go to reach the shrine? How much blood, sweat and tears could you stand to part with in order to stand face to face with the goddess? Not just any goddess either, but Dygra.

Maea found the answer in every silent prayer of thanks when she shifted her weight onto a perch and found it holding steady. In the dark, time did not matter, and only the burn in her muscles told her how long it took before her feet finally connected with the ground. Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief. Sucking droplets of blood from her cut and abused fingertips, she hefted the bag containing her dress more comfortably onto her shoulders and fumbled her way into the shrine proper. Her palm was sliced open further by the sharp prisms that lined the walls, pricking her fingers and snagging her shins on low clusters until the worn trousers hung in tatters about her legs. It was fine. She wouldn't need them after this.

Smearing her heart's blood on the ruby, Maea knelt and bowed her head, before unpacking the fruit of her efforts.

"Lady, I have returned," she murmured, listening to the way the shadows seemed to swallow her voice. "I chose a dress, covered it in ash from the Climb, and in the blood of a creature I killed, and I have trained against an opponent who wore armor."

And there it was, the dress. Beautiful in cut and in theory; but the fabric was a stiff, cakey mess of ash and dried blood that utterly ruined the black velvet and crimson silk. Or would have ruined it, if this was just any dress. Of course it wasn't. It was the beginning of a new chapter, and the first step on her path towards change.  

Maea had every confidence that it would not remain like this for long.

---

Black velvet if you please
Maea has completed the quest from Dygra.

• 1. Complete a thread trading for or buying a robe or a dress that will be used as the basis for the armour.
  ― Devil with a blue dress on
  
• 2. Complete a thread collecting ash from the Climb or from Apopo in Torchline, and cover the garment from 1. in it.
  ― There's still life in the Armageddon
  
• 3. Complete a thread killing a creature and soaking the garment from 1. in its blood.
  ― I'm high on believing
  
• 4. Complete a training thread against an armoured opponent.
  ― {Training} Who am I without my armor?
  

And I remember thinking — I want to be like them

Dygra

Maea's confidence is well placed, and nor shall she be left in the dark for long. The second her blood meets the cluster of rubies, each gem begins to glow with warm crimson, casting bloody illumination over the proceedings. "So you have, little love." Dygra's voice purrs from all the shadowed places not bathed in ruddy light, her tone low, sensual, welcoming. "And thus shall you be rewarded."

There is a shifting in the twilight, something unfurling and rising, and if Maea cares enough to investigate, she will find that it's her dress, moving of its own accord. It sweeps forth, sleeves outstretched as if in an embrace--

And the second it touches the pale woman, she will find herself wearing it like a second skin, her other clothing burned away entirely. The dress - clean, soft, pristine - moves with her gracefully, and will provide all the protection Dygra has promised.

---

Maea has completed her quest and has received the following!

Type: Dark | Style: Defensive | Level: Basic
Valair Armour | A beautiful black dressed lined with crimson, stronger by far than it appears. This item blocks physical damage at Maea's Basic level. Requires a 3 post cool-down between uses.

Table coding by Sky <3

Maea

My heroes had the heart to lose their lives out on the limb

Shivers raised goosebumps all up and down her limbs as the voice of the goddess purred from the shadows. A grand total of twice now - That she remembered, at least - she had listened to the being that gave her a third lease on life, and found herself torn between curiosity at what the face of the deity might look like, and relief that she had yet to find out. She had been adviced once that there were times when staying ignorant really was the best option... and this might be one of them.

In the ruddy light cast by bloodied gemstone, Maea did watch as the gown began to move. With bated breath she followed its path as it rose, as if about to dance all on its own. When it fell towards her with open arms she reached out to catch it -

- and gasped in wonder as her arms were suddenly clad in black. Soft, supple, warm; her ravaged fingertips brushed reverently over the velvet, up her shoulders and down the sweeping curve of her waist. The cut of the neckline was as bold as ever, but she raised her chin high and stood, twirling before the goddess who had granted her this boon.

It was more than a gift. It was the warmest welcome into a family she had ever received.

"It's so beautiful," the young Ancient breathed, close to tears, hugging herself as if through the armor she could embrace the goddess directly. "And it fits so well! Thank you. I love it." The words sounded hollow in her ears, utterly insufficient to convey the true depth of her gratitude. But she hoped that Dygra would know anyway.

"I... When I made this choice, I really only wanted to avoid dying," she said slowly, coming to a halt with the skirts whispering into stillness around her legs. "But as I get used to this new body, I'm starting to think that I really am learning to live, properly, for the first time. I didn't try embracing the existence as Ascended. But... I want to try now." Was already, for what it was worth, and though some stumbling blocks kept tripping her up, on the whole she was hopeful that she might overcome them.

"Could I ask your advice, on a matter of this body? Or, if you prefer, I can come back another time."

And I remember thinking — I want to be like them

Dygra

Not the type to gush or coo over material items, nonetheless the cluster of bloody rubies pulses with warmth as Maea turns this way and that to admire her new armour. "You are welcome," Dygra purrs, and for a moment the pale woman will experience the strangest sensation of something shifting and moving in the dark, before it is gone.

"Speak freely, little dark one," she permits, though not having a body like the one Maea possesses, it's a mystery as to how much advice a deity might be able to provide, particularly one like Dygra.

Table coding by Sky <3

Maea

My heroes had the heart to lose their lives out on the limb

Grateful, Maea bowed lightly from her waist, in no particular direction as it was the spirit of the gesture she meant to convey. Settling back down, she arranged the skirts around her legs and gathered her thoughts likewise.

"I was hoping you might know if anything of other gods' making linger about this body," she said. "Ludo once gave me sight in exchange for my fertility, and the Voice granted me several of her 'upgrades'. But much have happened since then, and I am very different now from when those things happened. I just don't know how different... Do you?"

Was she still infertile? Was there something left inside her that she could know about? It had been on her mind for a while, and this seemed a good opportunity to find out.

And I remember thinking — I want to be like them

Dygra

Rubies pulse and cast a fiendish glow over Maea as she explains herself, and Dygra remains quiet until she is finished. And in the warm darkness, there might even be a thread of amusement that laces through the air.

"You are a perfectly formed Ancient," she purrs, her low voice seeming to vibrate throughout the cavern. "Whatever was done to you previously, and by whom, is erased now. This is what you are now, as whole as any of your other siblings." It is as complete an answer as the goddess feels she needs to give.

Hopefully Maea will find what she is looking for in it.

Table coding by Sky <3

Maea

My heroes had the heart to lose their lives out on the limb

Was it, truly? Maea wasn't sure herself. That she was free from lingering ties to the Voice did come with a sigh of relief. Though... as a hand came to rest on her belly, she would have to admit that the rest left her conflicted. She had given up every thought of children once, and been content. To have the matter reawakened again... Well. It wasn't exactly a pressing issue. Just something else to keep in mind.
It was good to know, though. And she was glad to have asked.

"Thank you, Lady. It was all I needed to hear. Knowing that, I can move forward with confidence."

With nothing else to bring up, she fell into a comfortable silence. Her eyes roamed the shadows, alert and watching for other hints of her Goddess' presence for as long as she lingered.


{FIN}

And I remember thinking — I want to be like them