She smiled. "Okay."

As your blood entered her mouth, her heart began to pound, her hands fluttering against your back. "Bezaleel ..."

Her gentle light retreated within her, and your shadows returned to you. Her eyes were large and dark with desire . . . and deeper than that, an unmistakable longing.

Her breathing quickened. "Are we . . ?"

Her self control - slipped - the Black Door opened within her -

The golden essence shimmered, leaving her body almost wholly. Biting her lip, she mustered enough control pull it back - to yield as much as she could, without -

Your own essence - hungry darkness - shadows swam over her -

Your essence flared, and the fire stuttered.

She wrapped her legs around you, and the fire was extinguished by a swathe of darkness.

In the half-light of the moon alone, her eyes were like yours - golden slits in the darkness - she bared her neck, touching her shoulder where she wanted you to -

"Bite me."

- her blood was rich and salty, the flavors of five gods in one -

The darkness became perfect, utterly lightless, save for the glinting of silver-and-gold.

=

The kettle whistled from the stovetop, and she poured the steaming water into a teapot. In all the time you'd known her, she'd never had such a goofy smile. Her steps were shaky, and she winced whenever one of her bruises complained. The bite wound on her neck had been a litte more severe than intended with your beast teeth, requiring a touch of healing with the power you'd acquired from Marilla.

She sat the teapot on the table, and with some difficulty poured herself a cup of tea.

She was wrapped in a loose robe you'd woven for her.

"I think . . . before we go after Marilla, we should know each other's powers and capabilities fully. We should spar, train together."

She sipped the tea. "If we're half as compatible in battle was we are in bed, I won't be at all worried." She said.

A mote of your essence was still within her, causing tendrils of shadow to writhe and swirl playfully about her.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:28, Mon 21 Jan 2019.

Bezaleel's eyes looked into here's, they moved from eye to eye as they gazed. His eyes were more subtle in giving his emotions. They were big and full. She had his full attention.

Before she finished her sentence, he nipped her ear lightly, whispering into it, "We are.."

Kissing her body, hungrily, the darkness followed his desire. Covering her body, flowing around and wrapping itself on her.

As she spoke her desire, baring her shoulder and neck. Bezaleel accepted, kissing her neck first "Ophelia.." parting his lips he bite into her flesh. Savoring her taste.

---

Stretching, from the bed. A tendril of shadow lifted the kettle, heeling it's way to her. Floating up from the bed he turned over to his stomach. The only garment was his more boho like pants.

Drifting over as his tail flicked and he crossed his arms to lay his head on. There were his own bruises and fresh wounds that closed. His flesh was pale and fair, softer to the touch yet cold. Drips of black blood still dripping from his body despite the closed bites and scratches.

Bezaleel had a sort of smug look of satisfaction and joy on him. It was the most she had seen of his face. Much less his body, he had fur in the center of his stomach that trailed off as it hugged the lines of his muscles. The center of his chest at a connecting patch. The ends of them drifted like his hair.

She could feel him sneak his body up against hers some as wrapped his arms around her as she sat. Resting his head near hers, kissing her neck and cheek. "I never thought I'd say that you look lovely covered in bruises, but after this night I am going to have to reconsider that."

Bezaleel's hair drifted on her as well as a few drops of the last of the blood on his body. "You know, the shrine of the host has quite a lovely and rare tea. Thinking of it now, it makes me consider how it pales compared to you. Though you should rest up you look so exhausted." he nipped her ear some more.

Leaning his head against her's he spoke, "Yes I agree that would be important."

Giving a fanged smile at her remark.

"I can dissapate in flames, like you. I can also meld into shadow. I can be empheral, fly and levitate. I took Marilla's powers of positive energy, and her capability to meld souls into objects. My artifacts allow me to be both empheral and not. It allows me to harm others while I am in phase, and harm those without a physical body when I'm not. My Dark Flames burn cold and can act both defensive or offensively. I can absorb and negate some magics or effects. My chain, allows me to extend my shadows to make beasts and creatures or persons to my control. Within some limits of numbers, power, and life span. The gauntlet I made with your essence, allows my attacks to harm a soul or essence of a being instead of their physical body. Then there is Marilla's ring. It contains the positive energy for storing and can be released at my will."

His eyes shifted away, peering at the flame as it started anew by his will. "There is something else as well. You heard of the black king yes? He was made by the blight's infection of my previous self. The old God of shadow. He killed me, and I returned. Left, and returned again. I killed and ate him. His being, infested himself in my mind. I separated him from my being. My current life at the very least. Is connected to his being. If he dies. I die. If I die, he dies. I call him Leech due to his parasitic nature. He is one of the mad and blight. My previous incarnation as well. I do not know all what powers he holds. I know for sure, that he can speak to the blight, he doesn't contain my powers and abilities. He can craft and summon creatures permanently on spot though. That much I know. Though he has been sleeping, resting in my shadow, silently at that."
This message was last edited by the player at 02:44, Mon 21 Jan 2019.

OOC: Post #800. Neat.

"Your essence is untainted, but yes, I saw the bond between you." She gazed into the fire, her smile softening and her mouth opening in pleasure as you nipped her ear. "My jaws will catch hold of the fate that binds you, and by my savage law, your chains will fall in twain," she whispered, speaking in words that weren't hers. You felt those words thrum with strange power.

By the will of the pack mother, the beast blood gnaws at the mortal tether between you and Leech, weakening the bond that stands without the Pack.

She shook her head, took a deep breath. There was a little bit of pain deep within you, but it subsided - and you felt your connection to Leech slowly fraying. A mote of her was within you still, as was yours in her - increasing your retention of training and knowledge. "I can cut the soul from anything I kill. With mortals, I claim the soul and their memories. With gods, I claim a choice bit of their power and leave the chaff, which doesn't traumatize the soul as much. I can even cut the living essence from a realm."

She then detailed the full suite of her powers, including the 'alloying' function. Then she detailed her skills.

It took a little while . . .

" . . . and I'm no slouch when it comes to dressmaking," she finished.

She shrugged. "Overall, I'm weak to any kind of non-physical attack, am better at evading than enduring attacks, but I'm a powerhouse in melee - my greatest skill is hand-to-hand. Anything that's less than a god, I'm going to kill in a single blow. With gods, two or three of my hits is enough, unless I'm seriously out of my depth. I have to get close, though."

She looked up over her shoulder at you. "Do you want to play some more, kitten, or shall we hunt?"

Her aura of soft light rose, and her bruises faded. She stopped the regeneration just before the indentations of your teeth would have left her skin. "I want to keep that for awhile longer. For good luck."
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:24, Mon 21 Jan 2019.

Bezaleel opened his eyes widened, yet the rest of his face remained expressionless.

Then he could feel it and it's affect. A soft smile broke on his face. A hand moved up against hers, turning it, he looked her in the eyes as he moved. "Thank you, darling." as his words trailed off, he kissed her in appreciation and respect. But only for a few moments as it was gentle. Parting his tongue from hers long after the lips.

Raising a hand he placed his face on it, listening to her closely as she fully explained her abilities. Nodding in understanding a few times. "Well between you and me, we should do fine. I much control of field and attention with my control over shadows. I can have a wide range, long, or short. Between using the shadows or summoning, I can create many openings. My speed and strength is much more level with yours, however my agility and masterful work of the kusari-gama leaves few alive within a few strikes. The combination of the incorpreality and shadows leaves many unable to handle focusing on their strikes, especially when the don't know they can't block it."

Moving back to holding her, she asked him if he wanted to continue to play. Kissing her neck, "I'd love to play a bit longer. I could never tire from your touch, or your taste." he smiled, lightly putting his teeth against the previous bite. More careful now than before.

Leaning back he pulled her from the chair holding her closely. Floating in the air, they drifted towards the bed slowly. Hugging her, the shadows removed Ophelia's woven robe smoothly.

Bezaleel's hands traveled her body as his kiss invited her welcome. Embracing Ophelia, they continued where they had left off earlier.

Some could say it was impressive how their touches marked the other's desire perfectly. Their essences flared at peaks of senses or excitement. Their lust and wanting answered and heightened everytime. Taking Ophelia, he wouldn't stop until every single one of their desires were satisfied and their lust for the other sated-

Baring his flesh for her to bite, she did so before he could say a word. Her teeth sank deep inside of him. Inhaling deeply as they carved into his flesh, Bezaleel's hands grasped onto her, pulling her in she did-

Craddling Ophelia's head lightly, he didn't stop a single motion as his flesh oozed blood into her mouth. It was fresh for her to consume willingly for as long as she'd like. He'd give her his being as much as he would take hers. He spoke her name but it was broken up within a moan of pleasure-

Bezaleel's breaths were deep as he continued, all without a single flutter of hesitation. She was his, and he'd fight to prove it- over and over-

Just as their eyes filled with lust shined through the darkness, so too would their pants and moans- their breaths and ecstasy filled voices.

---

There was a hard time noting when they finished from when he first entered her room. Nor was he able to tell how much he gave into his feelings for Ophelia. Healing their wounds save parts of their bite. Bezaleel then got dressed, putting on his gear.

Something he had never taken off before, it felt like a second skin as he got ready. Looking over at Ophelia, Bezaleel smiled, "Ready for the hunt, my darling?"

Turning his head, he looked ahead of himself. His voice was softer than usual, "If it can be helped. I'd like my bond with Leech to stay. Until I can figure out a way to save the old shadow. I just have this feeling deep inside. That he deserves that relief at the very least, I owe him that much for doing this to him. If it's possible that is."

Standing up, he headed outside of the room, deciding to await her.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:31, Mon 21 Jan 2019.

At some point, you lost awareness of the room entirely. It was just you and her.

There was still something left that she was holding back, and you wouldn't allow that. You intensified, pushed her harder, even as the last of her strength and will left her in a haze of fathoms-deep pleasure. You were the greater god, and she could not withstand you.

Her essence left her body entirely - and perhaps it was involuntary for you, but in the moment, your essence seized her, bore it down, suffused it.

It was like drinking Marilla's blood, and like creating Ophelia with Diadea, like expending essence, like none of those things. She had bared her soul to you, monstrous you, and welcomed you into the last recess of her being, without fear.

You saw within her a great beast, a ravager of realms, consuming gods and peoples. It was something like your own beast blood, but grander, darker. It reminded you a little of how it had felt when Leech had been a part of you; but this great beast was no parasite; it was original to Ophelia . . .

You saw yourself as she saw you - you were the night, the Knight, a great beast, her patron, her creator, her protector, her predator, her ruler, her owner-

You breathed her last breath, and she was lifeless beneath you. Her heart was still, her body breathless, but there was still light in her eyes, locked with yours -

A burst of black light and golden sunshine, completely alien to Erebus, flashed over the window. Outside the Castle but within the exterior walls, two great pumpkins - one white, the other black, with golden vines - had appeared.

Faint light emanated from Ophelia, and she took in a deep, life-affirming breath.

Ophelia: 1/10, regenerating

She coughed liquid shadow into her elbow, which dissipated into dust, then nothingness. Even the gentle light wasn't enough to dispel the strength of the shadows that enveloped her, lingering evidence of the depth and thoroughness of your intrusion.

The beast blood softens its gnawing, but does not cease.

"I won't leave it for long, kitten. You're mine, and I'm yours, and I will not share you."

=

She met you at the door, dressed in the armor you've woven for her, and wearing a sword. She'd modified the armor with artifice, removing the alignment with negative energy.

"The sword's mostly for show." she did something with her hands, and then she was wielding a pair of brass knuckles. She moved her hands again, and she was holding long daggers. Then they were gone. She stretched her arm out from a fist behind her, and her scythe was drawn out from nothing. She then restored it to scythespace.

"Let's get this hunt afoot."

Bezaleel gazed upon her eyes and lifeless body. He lifted her. As she coughed up blood and breathed in life. He gave a slight sigh of relief and kissed her forehead.

Giving a fanged smile, he spoke teasingly with approval, "So possessive, feisty, and full of energy..I like it." his hand wrapped around her neck lightly as he spoke, drawing close to her, almost kissing. Then retreated.

---

Coming out of the room, Ophelia saw Bezaleel lounging back in a cloud of shadow. His tail and foot swinging about as he was relaxed.

The silver in his eyes gave up his gaze, looking her up and down, "Why haven't you gotten nice and comfortable. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you look more arousing now than if you were already covered in the blood of prey." he gave a slight wink. Inspecting her works and gear closer. It's upgrades and changes.

Extending a hand to her, he offered her to join him. "It'll be quicker if your with me. I already went ahead and sent word of our leave to Esseth and Saesin as well as to safeguard our children. I told them to pray to one of us if something happens. It is time, we shall go to the heart of Taeltresin. Check and see if they Fates still remain first. From there, we shall go on."

Pulling her in he kissed her warm lips, smiled gently. Then left.
This message was last edited by the player at 08:42, Tue 22 Jan 2019.

She blushed at the compliment, and paused after you kissed her. "Bezaleel, I'm in the Valley of Banners now. You knew it as the Tattered Valley. I'm speaking with mother. I've told her what's been going on. With the . . with our children, they'll find out anyway."

She had faraway look in her eyes. "She's proud of me, that I've grown stronger and cemented my ties with you. She expected me to hate and betray you, but considering that we've produced more blight-resistant gods and identified a threat to the Tree that was unknown to the Pantheon, she's pleased that I have partnered with you. She's apologizing for not checking in on me; time has passed swiftly in Erebus and the Valley has been awash in new deities and old threats darkening their doorstep,"

She blushed. "She says I'm just like her when she was young. That I've been a very good girl. That I shouldn't be ashamed of my bloodlust. Bloodmeal is a powerful fertilizer, she says . . ."

" . .  there's a place in the pantheon for me. That she'd like me to spend time with her, that she has much to teach me."

She was crying black tears that dissipated as they fell. She hugged you tightly. "I want to believe her. I want things to be okay. I want parents. I want to belong. Maybe I can have everything. You, her, our children, Erebus, Hemera, my beasthood."

She took a deep breath, relaxed, and followed you into the Realms Supernatural.
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:47, Wed 23 Jan 2019.

Bezaleel nodded as Ophelia spoke. He was unsure of the information of the children being given out, but understood. It was better it come out now after it has happened.

Holding her in his arms as she hugged him, his reaction was more brisk. "Your mother didn't really know me much at all when everything happened. I flirted in poor taste. Made a joke. Joke was turned on me, shortly after it was decided I would mate with her. Then well. You know.."

Bezaleel's eyes shifted away, even from that topic. "You have been quite a good girl though, I agree with that. Nor do I think you should be ashamed of your bloodlust...if you would like to spend time with her, I understand. I know we haven't had very much together, but what we have shared is important to me. You waited so long for me on a few occasions, my love. I can wait for you as well. I promise to check up, that you are welcome here, and welcomed with me. You don't have to leave either, if you do not want. Unlike me, you have reason to trust her. When.. I melded with her. I could feel and tell her intense care for her children and maternal nature over them. I may have reasons not to trust her, but I shouldn't rob you of your experience with her."

Kissing her forehead he moved his scarf down and smiled at her, placing his hand on her cheek gently. "You will always belong. In Taeltresin, Erebus, Hemera, and with me. That I can promise and guarantee to you, at the very least. I can not say I enjoy your mother or the Pantheon, or trust them. Maybe with you around, I can see a different light to them. It would be, quite ideal, to have everything. My only fear of you being with the Pantheon, is the risk it will draw of being part of it. Enemies your mother has, they have. May target you, as they have targeted previous members of the Pantheon."

Bezaleel was laid back. He was trying to be considerate of her feelings and position. As well as his own. He would leave it at that. Keeping her held in his embrace as they went to the realm Supernatural.

Continued from The Realm Supernatural

In a rare showing, you returned from battle with two more armies than you had left with.

With Saesin abroad at the Warrior's Rest, Esseth saw to the new troops, housing them in barracks and getting them acquainted with their new unlife.

"If you kill them, they'll probably stop being god-touched," Ophelia said. "And Erebus isn't easy for the living. Why don't we garrison them in my realm?"

She stretched; she was crying a little, too. "I'm still coming down from battle .  .  . emotional release. Most of Erebus is still unexplored, and we don't even have any kind of magic besides a few Shades that know Necromancy. Especially with the children on the way, I think we should stick around in Erebus for awhile. Our enemies have lost their one chance for a sneak attack, and their big gun is off the table too. I think we've got the time."

+ God-Touched Foreign Legion (100)
+ 75 Umbral Knights

Bezaleel was tended to agree with Ophelia. "It isn't easy on the living no, but they are God touched. With time and willingness, they will become shades here. If you would like them to be housed inside your realm I shall not stop you. But I think it best for your gilded dead to rest and live in there. But, it is up to you...I was planning on quickening the process by replacing their souls with shadowstuff myself. Rather than it weening to it."

Bezaleel gripped his shroud, he agreed with her to some point. "No we should not let them recover from this loss. Catch them off guard while they recoil in defeat. We struck many numbers from them. Damaged one greatly. I doubt all together they can recover quickly. How ever with time and preparing, they will learn from these mistakes and pose a greater threat. I do agree that we must put a focus on Erebus and magic for our people, especially while I have borrowed your power. But to leave them running amuck, would cause us greater concern in the future."

"We ruined their built up attack, killed Marilla twice, got rid of their ace card that they each gave up a life for. We kill Marilla now. She will be gone for good, she is on her fourth and final life."

"I believe the Pantheon might allow me access in her realm. Especially after her attack on the fates and heart realm. After that, we will be back here, in and out. They will lose a head, have lost the battle promptly and will lack the way to make many numbers proper."
This message was last edited by the player at 23:43, Sat 26 Jan 2019.

She took another breath, let it out, closed her eyes.

"No. We're not going after them, not with that state of mind. She invaded Erebus, took out quite a lot of mindless undead, and made a dumb play when we sparred and paid the price for it twice over. Our grudge is done."

She clenched her fist, stopped her foot, dug her heel into the earth. "But that's not even the issue! You're too willing to just follow where you're lead. Think for a second! Ask why. Why did Marilla want to kill Death? How'd she even get that idea? How did she get a group of other lesser gods together, convince them to join her in such a dumb venture, and then build a sizable army and invade Erebus? None of this smells right. Lesser gods are arrogant, sure, but they don't just start throwing lives away and abandoning their realms for invasions of greater gods."

She paced, her irritation growing. "And you just believe Ichor that he lost so easily, let you go without more than scratch on you, played that nice? That Gods willing to take a death just to gain our alliance, gods willing to give up a life each to gain an big shot ally, would flee the field of their one biggest chance to succeed because we showed up with a smaller force and less gods? Didn't you notice that NONE of them had artifacts?"

"Something is up. Something is wrong. They've already invaded Erebus once. How much you want to bet that Ichor is pulling the strings, has some means of controlling those lesser gods, and engineered all this just to test your defenses, learn your abilities, acquire the means to efficiently counter you, and then get you to chase his subordinates while he steals in here and gets what he actually wants?"

"We don't even know Erebus. We've explored maybe half of it at most. Erebus obviously is older than you, you told me about the previous god. The two things we can even really know is that we're involved and maybe also the Fates."

"But I REALLY don't think they want to kill Death. That's dumb and I don't think that would really work. But gaining control over death? Some way to cheat it at every time and become unkillable? Maybe Ichor just wants the BLOOD of Atropos."

"So no, father, we're not going after the subordinates. We're not following the obvious trail of treats leading us into the woods. We're going to explore our realm, shore up our defenses,  and figure out the real reason that Erebus got invaded."

She rubbed her temples. Her expression fell from angry to cold. "I love you, grimalkitten, but I feel like maybe I'm not the only one who could use some time spent getting their shit together."

She walked over to you, fell into you. "It's tiring speaking up to you and I always feel like I'm being a bitch when I do." She put her arms around you and buried her head in your chest.

"I guess if you're weren't so impulsive I wouldn't already be a mom."

Bezaleel listened, and closely. He didn't have a reaction of surprise or anything else. Just a calm demeanor as he listened. Touching her shoulder he wanted to calm her, "You needn't speak up to me. You're always free to speak your mind..You don't sound like a bitch when you speak up your opinions, but you work yourself up too much over this and so soon. You needn't speak down to me to get them across...I.. Apologize, about my impulsiveness."

His eyes shifted away from her as he said that. Holding her in his arms, he realized how much more it affected her than he had realized. As well as what she said had affected him. It was, after all. His own fault.

The same time she spoke up to him, she spoke down at him as well, it wasn't often. Nor was it much on purpose. More brash than anything.

"It is suspicious. I do not doubt that, the fact she could raise an army, invade Erebus, the lack of artifacts on them, all of it. I do not like it either. It is a set up, and it feels it. Death, is a law of reality here. If they wanted it broke from the whole tree, they'd be paired with the blight. They wouldn't have launched an attack on Atropos for that."

Petting her hair, he continued, "Much less do I enjoy that Ichor left like that. He could have killed me. He didn't lose, in the slightest. He won, and was winning. Could have killed us both. Maybe he was getting a feel for us maybe not. But I doubt that they would follow him in fear and not garner allies to best him. We get answers if we go after them. If we stay here, it's waiting for them to attack, while they know more about us than we do them. At the very least I wanted to gather as much information as I could."

She brought up good points, he couldn't deny that, "If they wanted to entrap us, they could have. If they wanted to kill us there they could have. If they wanted to kill us here and take something, they could have. I don't know if you noticed, but they all have powers that counter my own. Ichor would be the biggest threat to you as well as me. Why play coy? Why lose so many lives just for something we have here? They had forces there, they didn't know we would be coming to interfere, I had no reason to, I gained nothing.
Even if that was a feint, why would they do that? What is there to gain in all of those losses when they could have attained it without all of that? Just to get me in a power fight with Ichor?"

"I fear, us staying here will only let us shore our defenses and advancement. There is nothing we can learn of what they plan from here."

Kissing her forehead, he spoke softly, "I love you, dear...but, I digress, I'll stay in Erebus. I'm going meditate, you can come if you want. I think it would be better for you. I also think it would be best if we kept their god-touched separate from each other in positions under close watch. Anything suspicious at all should be reported to either you or I."

Bezaleel released his arms around her and fell back through the floor. Looking up his eyes gazed nothing in blinks, as well as ceilings and floors. Going through until he reached the level of tomb of the old shadow. Moving through the ground to the tomb.

He needed to outlet his emotions. Keep himself cooled and calm. Usually he only meditated when he needed to think about something, or nap. Yet this one served to keep himself in check.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:25, Mon 28 Jan 2019.

She joined you below. Something else was on her mind; she didn't address you.

She assumed a meditate pose, on her knees and sitting back on her heels. She began to whisper.

"Shadow, shadow, child of shadow. Darkness, darkness, consort of darkness."

"Gold, gold, golden child. Garden, garden, heir of garden."

"Iron, iron, thief of iron. Battle, battle, friend of battle."

"Beast, beast, little beast. Mother, mother, of twins unborn."

She repeated this mantra, and began, softly, to glimmer.

"Heir, heir, heir of shadow. Alone, alone, standing alone.

"Darkness, darkness, queen of darkness. Tall, tall, standing tall."

"Garden, garden, grower of garden. Perfect, perfect, careful and perfect."

"Gold, gold, realm of gold. Vast, vast, old and vast."

"Iron, iron, wielder of iron. Last, last, until the last."

"Battle, battle, victor of battle. All, all, victor of all."

"Beast, beast, great beast. Terror, terror, almighty terror."

"Mother, mother, pack mother. Proud, proud, blessed and proud."

She repeated this new, longer mantra. The glimmering grew greater.

The mote of your essence left within her swirled into her hand.

The essence began to glimmer, and then she pressed the mote of shadow in her hand against her face. It formed a mask, that of a shadowy cat.

That of you, albeit feminine and suited to her.

Shadow swallowed her, the glimmered, resolving into a slightly . . .  different Ophelia.

She was drained entirely of color, a study in shadows and contrasts. Her skin was smooth and she was taller, like in her marble form, but didn't have the unnerving 'unliving statue' quality, and instead continued to move naturally.

She gestured, and tugged at the shadows around you gently. She then pulled shadows to herself. Without any other saturation, she appeared as only a silhouette.

She then glimmered, returning to normal, smiling.

"That will come in useful." she whispered, removing the cat mask and tucking it away in her scythespace.
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:31, Mon 28 Jan 2019.

Bezaleel raised an eyebrow as his concentration broke in the otherwise silent tomb.

Opening his eyes, he watched Ophelia chant, the moved from spot to spot in the otherwise dark room. A single candle all that lit it.

The kindness to him in the mask could be off-putting, but it was after all made of his essence in some way. It was peculiar, and peaked his interest.

It is like she made an artifact, however out of his essence instead. The silhouette that was Ophelia was beautiful, and recognizable.

Raising his head, he spoke, "What a keen new artifact you've made of me. One that pulls the shadows."

Standing up, after clearing his mind, he offered her a hand. "There is business to attend to here in Erebus. Would you care to join? I must speak with Thin-Finger. He has information for me and it seems I may owe him a new cloak as well."

She smiled. "I just wanted to have cute ears like you."

"I harvested the mote of your essence within me. Turns out my alloyed nature combined with my natural abilities means I can do some interesting things with the essences of other Gods."

She laughed. "I don't think I'm going to let anyone else ravish me just to harvest some essence, though, so I don't think I'll be making any more masks." A thoughtful pause. "Maybe I'd mess up Anathema, come to think of it. She's goofy and weird, I like her. I remember you two being rather friendly when I was little. Perhaps we'll have a little ménage à trois someday?"

Her brow furrowed. "Wait, can a group of gods conceive a child? The process does seem more spiritual than material. We should give it a shot. If we tell her it's for science and an experiment she should get on board our train."

She put the mask back on, fading into a silhouette. She followed behind you as you left the tomb, disappearing into invisibility after the first step.

"I'll join you! As just your little shadow, hmm?"

Bezaleel smiled, petting her hair, "You know, you can just give yourself ears if you desired to change your form like that." his smile was more genuine, he felt enamored.

"To be frank, I find it quite interesting that you can do something with their essences. If we can find a way to, replicate it without children. It would give us quite an expansive list of experiments." his smile showed a fang as he finished speaking.

Bezaleel nodded some, "Well depending how you'd mess her up that is. She is quite goofy, I can't really call her out for being weird considering how I am myself. I always was quite fond of her, she plans to visit here soon. See how you are doing, get some readings in our realm, learn under our mortals in weaponry with a staff. She was impressed with their powress in the Battle of Noor. Mentioning that, I want to see if I can get my people back who volunteered to the Pantheon tithe. Give them others who find this place still not to their liking,or a possible cycle of leave and stay."

Thinking for a moment he laughed, "I do not know if gods can make children like that, but if there was ever a way to get Anathema on board. I think that idea would definitely help."

Bezaleel seemed to be in a much better mood after his more neutral one while meditating. Patting Ophelia's head he nodded, "Never quite thought I'd have so many shadows, and I'm supposed to be the God of Shadows." he amused himself lightly. "Are you sure you want to be my shadow? I could hold you in my arms the whole way, kitten.

Making his way out, he sent a shadowed raven off to Thin-Finger to give him time to ready and meet them.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:56, Tue 29 Jan 2019.

"Are you sure you want to be my shadow? I could hold you in my arms the whole way, kit-"

You didn't finish that sentence, because that was when she pounced, her arms wrapping around your neck. She was light, barely over a hundred pounds even with her gear.

With her so close, your shadows engulfed her with remembered hunger. You could faintly hear her mind, and below that, a faint music - a lilting, mournful tune, wrapped in the sympathetic love of a predator for its prey and the inevitability of that ancient drama's conclusion.

Holding her like this, as you ascended the stair, brought to mind the innocent newborn godling you had brought to Erebus, and the viciously romantic woman she had become. Would she have turned out this way, no matter what? Had her bestial fate been fixed at conception, or was this corruption - corruption for which you were to blame, corruption that you fed, corruption that you had tamed?

You could feel your shadowy chains wrapped around her soul - placed there when you had formally made her your consort. Someday, you knew, those chains might the only thing that would stop her devouring you and all else you cared for, as sinful as their creation had been, as much as you might be shamed and ostracized for it by some. You had done the best you could for your daughter - for the both of you. Perhaps only you would ever understand.

Woe betide the Tree if you should perish, and those chains be broken . . .

=

Thinfinger arrived in the throne room shortly after you did. The clever skeleton had his trademark grin. "I've done well, haven't I? Held up my end of the bargain? It's been a good long while since we saw your face. I'm glad we didn't go through another Age of Night."
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:15, Thu 31 Jan 2019.

Bezaleel smiled as he gazed upon Ophelia. His shadows wrapping around her, extending from his being.

Holding her close to his being, he could feel her heart, her essence, and his own. The tune, though mournful was pleasant.

The thoughts that traced his mind were conflicting, he felt guilt and responsible for what happened. Maybe it was his being when she was made that gave her that corruption, maybe his presence. It could have very well been that it was set in stone, especially between her mother and himself.

He fed that corruption though. Maybe aside from those chains of his being, they can both together find a higher being than divine and beast both. Something to lead past the path of their nature. To tame help tame themselves.

Looking at Ophelia he brushed her hair with a tendril of shadow, silky soft to the touch. "I love you, dear kitten. I will do all I can to help protect you and your path. As well as helping guide when ever I can." maybe it seemed like it came out of nowhere, maybe not. Looking up he continued.

---

Bezaleel nodded at the arrival of Thin-Finger "Indeed you have, I plan to investigate it personally and would like for you to lead me there. I believe I owe you a reward, and a new cloak."

Waving a hand, foggy shadows lifted up behind Thin-Finger. A black furred cloak wrapped around his shoulders and chest, falling down to his feet where it tattered and torn despite its new existence. The back of it was covered in dark metal scales for protection and the inside had a layer of leather. It was an intricate piece of work but sturdy and light enough for him, quiet and dark.

Thinfinger wasn't known for his variety of expression, but he was pleased. "Fine work. Anything that makes idiots think that stabbing me will work is gravy."

"We can set out now, if you like. I'm bone tired, but that's more of a permanent state of being than an impediment, heh. I recommend we bring the scouts you blessed back when with us. They could use the field experience."

Ophelia assented. "After we investigate this, we'll move on Marilla, right? Hopefully the witch ends up being friendly and can help us find out more about a couple of things.

Or would you rather I do something else in the Realm? We could cover more ground by splitting up. Is there something else I could go look for?"

Bezaleel nodded in agreement with Thin-Finger. Making a raven he sent it out to Saesin to gather the blessed scouts.

Looking over to Ophelia, he spoke, "We shall deal with the witch. Then we shall deal with Marilla. I do not want her to gain more allies to use against us. Having taken two of her lives and butting into her attack. I doubt she is happy with us. I want to take control of her realm though. So we shall leave her alive. You can keep her as your pet. We'll use her. So we won't devour her. I have other plans for her."

"Thin-Finger, when ever you are ready. The scouts will catch up to us. I'll leave a light trail for them to follow until they catch up.

The shadow-raven dispatched, you set out with your daughter and Thinfinger in tow.

Thinfinger might be a tireless undead, but even so he was the slowest member of the party, given your flight and Ophelia's unnatural quickness. With a day's travel, you were a third of the way to the where Thinfinger had located the witch, and from a hill were able to catch sight of the Temple of the Host off a little to the north.

Ophelia insisted on bedding down for the night. "You and he might be undead or partly so, but I'm living, and as far as I know get tired like anyone, need to eat and drink, and what have you. So, I'm exhausted and need to rest."

Drawing from her scythespace, she set up her own tent with Thinfinger's help, along with myriad other camping tools and quite a bit of fresh food to supplement what she was able to gather nearby. Pretty soon she had stir-fry of various vegetables and fried bean curd going over what would have been a large and blazingly hot fire anywhere else, but was instead only just sufficient to keep the pan hot. "You can actually use shadow-fire to cook, but it's like . . .  anti-cooking, and weird to work with. I prefer to just make ordinary fire."

She was kneeling next to the fire, keeping the stir-fry moving in the pan set on the iron cooking frame, using a wooden spoon.

"Will you want any, father? It's good to eat, even for gods."

Bezaleel helped where he could with Ophelia. He felt it best to let Thin-Finger ride a summoned shadow beast for convenience until too close.

Cocking his head, Bezaleel's tone of voice was curious. "I've not really had many cooked things. I mainly have devoured meat. I know of some herbs and vegetation from my time with my blessed apothecary, as well as some of their uses. Though I didn't think to make practiced consumption of them outside of learning and getting familiar."

"I would like to try it though. Not much, I don't need a large portion."

She shared some of the prepared food with you. Despite her cooking, the food was still infused with negative energy, which was pleasant for you - almost like a spicy-ish minty aftertaste that lingered after the savory food was washed down. Eating the local food was probably what had dulled her colors and washed her sun-kissed skin and blonde hair into the pale flesh and cool brown tresses she now sported.

The moon passed pleasantly, and gave time for the elite scouts to join you. Another moon's travel, more time spent cavorting in the moonless darkness, and you arrived at the approach to the witche's cave that was ensconced in a crevasse between two high buttes.

"Sneaking in was easy enough, but on the way out they were alerted, so unless we create a diversion or you have some shady tricks to pull, this isn't going to go smoothly." Said Thinfinger.

Ophelia, once again wrapped in tell-tale tendrils of shadow that betrayed the intimacy you had shared with her, took on a thoughtful expression. "We might want to have father announce himself and call on the witch, bring her out in the open. Either I or Thinfinger could probably infiltrate and have a look around while the lady of the house is distracted, and we might keep the possibility of an alliance on the table that way."
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:05, Thu 07 Feb 2019.

Finishing the meal Ophelia prepared him, Bezaleel savored it with each bite. The natural food of the land was delicious to his mouth. Unlike that found in the bouy or the Fields of Noor. "Thank you, it is quite delectable, kitten.

Bezaleel listening to Ophelia and Thin-Finger both. "I am god of this land, it is mine. I have not to hide. If I call the witch out into the open then either Ophelia or Thin-Finger go in, you can still possibly alert them. Betraying our possible alliance. I'll be upfront with the witch. Confront and delegate with them. If you so choose Ophelia, you can snoop though, just know that it also may betray the alliance I shall try to conclude to. I trust you to stay ethereal in that situation. It'd make it harder to be detected that way."

Looking at them both he spoke, "Any other suggestions or opinions on the matter?"

"I'll wait to sneak in after you've done all the diplomacy stuff. Either way, so long as you don't declare war on her, her guard should be a little more down after she gets a chance to confront something directly," Ophelia said.

Thinfinger shrugged. "Might be best for me to make myself scarce. Don't want her spooking because you're with the bones that boogied out of her house a couple years back."