Dr. Love, Dr. Death (GargantuaBlarg)

[Tassadar]

Re: Dr. Love, Dr. Death (GargantuaBlarg)

Spoiler

Naltaibur: HP = 45, PP = 53, EP = 49, Status = Fine, Gliding Winds

Uldric and Gloria both wished her good luck, the girl she had rescued coming forward to do so before Naltaibur had left. After leaving the room with the other survivors Naltaibur crossed the empty chapel, the fading light streaming in through the windows behind the altar causing long shadows to fall over the room, and tried the door. It was locked, but the key turned in the lock and the door swung open with nothing but a cry of complaint from its rusted hinges.

One glance at the ancient steps told Naltaibur that the crumbling stone and wood was dangerous, and after she had cast her spell so as to provide a safety net in case she should fall she climbed up the steps carefully. She almost tumbled off of the steps as one of them crumbled under her feet, but desperate grabs at the wall and other steps along with the winds she had summoned ensured that she didn't have to start her climb all over. Eventually, Naltaibur reached the top of the steps, a small wooden platform with a ladder on it and not much else to speak of. The trapdoor at the top of the ladder was open, so she just climbed up.

The top of the bell tower of the chapel of Doraleous was a small, windy place. A short stone wall lined it, and four stone columns at each of the corners supported the roof, from which a copper bell hung, dominating much of the space. Icy wind swept through the space, and Naltaibur saw that it had begun to snow at some point, as a light layer of powdery snow covered the edges of the floor and the top surface of the barrier around the tower. At first glance the tower seemed to be empty, but thunder suddenly sounded overhead, something that Naltaibur had never heard while it was snowing, and the wind took the bell strongly enough to shift it to the side. A sharp ring sounded, and she saw a figure on the opposite side of it, standing with his back to Naltaibur. She only caught a glimpse of him briefly, but she thought that she recognized the figure of the priest she had met when she had woken up.

 

[GargantuaBlarg]

Re: Dr. Love, Dr. Death (GargantuaBlarg)

An "Ack!" escaped Naltaibur's lips as she nearly fell through the winding staircase, though with a bit of a hustle she managed to keep herself from plummeting. Even with the knowledge that her spell would keep her safe, it still spooked the doctor, and her blood was definitely pumping by the time she'd managed to get back on (relatively) solid footing. Rather than wait 'till she calmed down on the rickety stairs, she hurried up the rest of the way.

The freezing winds up in the bell tower was mitigated some by the doctor's thick and enclosed outfit, but heat was nevertheless stolen from the night elf's body with each gust. The door up to it had been open, leading her to expect he was real, after all... but then she found the tower abandoned, peeking around as her head cleared the trapdoor. With her mask obscuring her vision, though, she figured it wouldn't hurt to give the place a closer look - perhaps he'd left some signs of being here? Of actually existing?

An unpleasant thought crossed her mind. Had some enterprising invader managed to find it's way up here, and hid in the room below, waiting for someone to unlock the door and let them sneak in? ...Unlikely. As she pulled herself up and out, into the belfry, she made a note to close it when she went back down - they didn't need a draft, after all.

She had barely stood, giving a sweeping look out across the ruined cityscape, before a crack of thunder split the sky above her, causing her to jump. A very strong gust of wind blasted across her, making her stumble and the bell peal.

She scrunched her eyes closed and covered her ears against the sound, waiting for it to quiet. When it had finally quieted to a level she could bear, she opened her eyes... and saw who she'd been looking for, on the other side of the bell.

He'd definitely not been there when she came up. There didn't look like there was anywhere else for him to have come from... and thunder, now? When it was snowing?

Appeared out of nowhere, heralded by thunder and gale... a thought that had been niggling at the back of Naltaibur's mind raised it's head. It was a silly, thought - preposterous, really... but...

Naltaibur called to the man, her voice barely a whisper.

"Skylord?"

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Dr. Love, Dr. Death (GargantuaBlarg)

Spoiler

Naltaibur: HP = 45, PP = 53, EP = 49, Status = Fine, Gliding Winds

Her whisper brought another howl of the frozen winds, almost pushing Naltaibur off of her feet even though the columns to either side of her were protecting her from the brunt of its power. The bell rose and peeled again, the sound rich and deep and echoing across the city. Thunder rumbled above, and a bolt of lightning split the sky behind her, landing somewhere within the city in a bright flash.

"I am here, my daughter." Above the wind, and the peeling bell, and the thunder, a voice sounded loud and clear. A scuffing sound beneath the winds, boots moving on stone most likely, and then the wind took the bell again. The priest stood across the gap from Naltaibur, only now, he no longer wore the garments of his clergy.

A breastplate made of blue steel and gilded in silver covered his chest, and armbands and greaves of a similar make covered his limbs. The armor was covered in intricate designs, some angular and some whirling. A blue cloak hung about his shoulders, and hanging from a finely crafted leather belt were a hammer and a sword. His hands rested comfortably at his sides, well away from his weapons, but now that he was no longer hiding his nature from her, Naltaibur could feel power swirling around the thunder god. Despite the near hurricane power of the gusts at the top of the tower, Doraleous stood as if he weren't in anything more than a warm summer breeze, his long blonde hair barely stirring as the wind picked up the bell again. Were it not for the power he wielded, Naltaibur might have thought he was human, albeit an extremely physically fit one, and possibly and extremely handsome one as well given his just barely erring on the side of rugged features.

"I am here.... At long last, I am here again. Were that I had the courage to return sooner." He said, his voice rising over the storm that brewed around them. Despite the ringing power inherent in that voice, a hint of sorrow accompanied the Thunderlord's words, and was exhibited in his stance as he looked across the gap at Naltaibur. The bell rang one last time, and then swung down to a resting position, obscuring Doraleous from her sight, but she could still feel his presence, and heard the sound of his boots moving against the stone beneath their feet as he walked around the bell, facing her somewhat more closely than a moment ago.

 

[GargantuaBlarg]

Re: Dr. Love, Dr. Death (GargantuaBlarg)

She... she was right. Naltaibur's hunch was confirmed. She was speaking to none other than Doraleous. A god. A god to whom this entire building was dedicated to. ...The god, of lightning, sky, and storm.

A chill colder than the frozen winds blasting against her from all sides shot up the doctor's spine. Why was he talking to her?! She was a lay worshipper... at best! The loud clanging from the bell no longer even fazed her, now that she knew she was staring at a god. His good looks barely even registered to the doctor in her fear - far more prominent in her mind was the way the wind barely touched him - they were his domain, her mind told her, the winds were at his mercy.

Shivering, another blast sent Naltaibur stumbling backwards, and dropped to a knee, bowing her head as deeply as she could in reverence to the deity approaching her. So many questions filled her head - her original one, 'if anyone else had seen her naked', feeling so insignificant now. Where had he gone... Why hadn't he revealed himself to Uldric... What were those things grey monsters... How could she kill them, especially their master, up in the sky... Why she had been saved... why had he watched over her while she was unconscious... ...Had he stripped her?

That last question gave her a moment's pause, even as she quaked in Doraleous' presence. Had he? Uldric said he hadn't, nor had anyone else... the only other that could have done it was him... but why?

The sound of boot on stone brought Naltaibur back to the here and now. She opened her mouth to say... something... anything, but found herself unable to do so. How would she articulate to Doraleous, the Thunderlord if he had taken off her clothes? She found herself hoping that he could read her mind - surely, it was not her place to play 20 questions with a god?

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Dr. Love, Dr. Death (GargantuaBlarg)

Spoiler

Naltaibur: HP = 45, PP = 53, EP = 49, Status = Fine, Gliding Winds

Doraleous simply looked at Naltaibur for a moment, and then tilted his head as if waiting. He waited a little bit longer, and then smiled and said; "Do not be frightened, my daughter. I am here for you, and it is not often that one may ask wisdom from a god directly. Speak freely." He seemed to not be reading her mind, but her expression, or perhaps just her eyes through her mask. Or perhaps her body language, which was also possible, she supposed.

 

[GargantuaBlarg]

Re: Dr. Love, Dr. Death (GargantuaBlarg)

...Apparently it was to be her place. Why?! Speaking with gods... that was the sort of thing you heroes did in stories, right? She was no hero! She certainly wasn't a great warrior or wizard, no legendary thief... the image of the behemoth flashed in her mind again. Without a doubt, she was no giantkiller... and worse yet, the men she had failed to save could not attest to it - they were dead, and the mouths they might protest or affirm with had been crushed with the rest of them into a gory red paste. The sisters... four women, she had killed, guilty only of being caught and turned.

She was no hero... just a town healer, who spent her free time hidden away in a hole in the earth, toying with flesh and lives. Her mouth felt dry... but...

"Why me!?" Naltaibur shouted, her masked visage shooting up to look at the Thunderlord from the spot on the floor she had affixed them to. She wanted to know. "Why do you speak to me, when I am not one of your clergy, like Uldric, downstairs - or even a devout worshipper - or... or even a native daughter of Crolia?" Naltaibur stared at her gloved hands, knowing that under the leather that enveloped them, her skin was that of strangers - two night elves, only passing though; an orc, whose name she had never gotten; another night elf, who had never even seen her face. "Why were you watching over me, when I was unconscious, on the pews? What made me worthy of being tended to by you?" It occurred to her that these questions were pointless - there were more important things she should be speaking of, but... simply, she wanted to know. "Why... why was I naked?"

A brief reprieve in her litany of questions made it look like she was done, but only for a split-second. "How... how do I fix this?" she asked, turning on her knees to motion out to the ruined cityscape another gale almost making her lose her balance. "What... what is that?" she then asked, her sharp elve's eyes picking out the massive silhouette in the dark sky, and her finger pointing it out. "How do I kill it?"

"Where... where did you go?" She asked at last, her voice more curious than accusing. As the the last word left her mouth, she recalled the tone his voice had taken...

...Were that I had the courage to return sooner...

...and she clapped her hands to her mouth. "I mean... where do gods... where can... I didn't mean it like... oh, god... I'm sorry, Thunderlord. I don't mean to be insolent."

Her fear was rapidly overtaking her curiosity again... but, she still wanted to know.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Dr. Love, Dr. Death (GargantuaBlarg)

Spoiler

Naltaibur: HP = 45, PP = 53, EP = 49, Status = Fine, Gliding Winds

"Why me!?"

"Why do you speak to me, when I am not one of your clergy, like Uldric, downstairs - or even a devout worshipper - or... or even a native daughter of Crolia?"

"That you are not one of my followers is precisely why I appear to you, my daughter. And you are as much a child of this land as any who were ever born here! Did you not grow to adulthood here? Is not your life centered in this place? Are not those you care for here, where you have settled? Where you were born is irrelevant. You have chosen this place, and so this is where you belong. That is all that matters."

"Why were you watching over me, when I was unconscious, on the pews? What made me worthy of being tended to by you?"

"I desired to see you safely awakened. As for why I tended to you personally, well that ties into why I'm here now, speaking with you."

"Why... why was I naked?"

Doraleous laughed lightly to himself and shook his head. "I am no healer, and so I called another of my servants to tend to you. Mavra, I believe you have met her. Her talents are more natural than learned, but she has some skill with the simpler medicines as well. Nothing to compare to your own ability, I assure you! She desired to examine you, and time was short."

"How... how do I fix this?" she asked, turning on her knees to motion out to the ruined cityscape another gale almost making her lose her balance.

"Fix it? That is not a task that you alone are up to. It isn't even one that I can do alone. A concerted effort is needed, but it is one that shall be. The forces needed are already marshaling, and will be ready to move in shortly after I have dealt with the foe above."

"What... what is that?" she then asked, her sharp elve's eyes picking out the massive silhouette in the dark sky, and her finger pointing it out.

"Even I am unsure. It carried the invaders from beyond the sun, and has a great deal of power itself, but I can say little else about it.

"How do I kill it?"

"That you may leave to me, my daughter."

"Where... where did you go?" She asked at last, her voice more curious than accusing. As the the last word left her mouth, she recalled the tone his voice had taken...

...Were that I had the courage to return sooner...

...and she clapped her hands to her mouth. "I mean... where do gods... where can... I didn't mean it like... oh, god... I'm sorry, Thunderlord. I don't mean to be insolent."

Doraleous's grin vanished from his face, and the Thunderlord sighed. "I.... Left. I know that you meant no offense, my daughter, and I am deserving of more than doubt in this instance. I was afraid, and my fear controlled my course when it should not have. In the face of the Godslayer..... I ran. Fled the field, and left my loved ones and companions to fall, one at a time."

He paused for a moment, and the howling of the wind quieted significantly. "I will not do so again. Never again."

 

[GargantuaBlarg]

Re: Dr. Love, Dr. Death (GargantuaBlarg)

Naltaibur kneeled on the ground a while, silent. It was a lot to take in.

It had never played significantly into her life, but she had always been somewhat self-conscious about her heritage - not Crolian, not High Elven, not Orcish. Her parents - biological parents - had no ties here. She had made her own - grown her own roots with her father, his neighbors, and the people herself - but sometimes, she just felt like she was an outsider. To hear Doraleous himself tell her she belonged here... She felt her eyes starting to water.

He hadn't tended her himself... Naltaibur supposed that was a little disappointing... though she quickly chastised herself for being conceited. He had called Mavra to tend to her, though... she could ask her about that later, when she went back to apologize. ...Her 'hunger' hadn't been from her, had it? She wasn't injured when she blacked out...

She struggled a little, unsure of what to say. "Ah... yes, I have.... met Mavra," came first, Naltaibur for the most part saying it just to get herself to continue. "Um, why was she not there when I awoke as well, if she was attending me?"

"Are... are you sure I can't help to destroy that blight at all, Thunderlord?"

And at last... "What significance is it that I am not of your followers, then, Thunderlord? Why are you here, speaking with me?..."

"...What would you have me do?"

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Dr. Love, Dr. Death (GargantuaBlarg)

Spoiler

Naltaibur: HP = 45, PP = 53, EP = 49, Status = Fine, Gliding Winds

"She was exhausted by the time she had finished tending to you, and did not wish to risk being around you, lest her will crumble and she began feeding upon you when you were already in a weakened state. You were in no danger by the time she left." Doraleous said on the subject of Mavra.

Turning to face the abomination that had appeared above the city what probably felt like a lifetime ago by now, thunder cracked across the sky just before Doraleous said; "No.... It is not beyond mortal magic to deal with them, but it will be swifter and better for all involved if I remove this eyesore from the skies above Therion."

He turned back to her, "That is not to say that you cannot be of help, or that I do not have a task for you, my daughter. You have already aided my followers below, but there are many trapped within the creature that floats above. They will be weakened and disoriented, and even though I will slay many of the invaders, those who will be released from captivity must be aided. That is what I would have you do, if you would accept it. You will not need to leave immediately, as I know how tired you are... And how tired your companions are. It will be dangerous, and you must all have as much strength as you can manage. Night will fall soon upon Therion, but before it does, the vessel will fall. Come the morning, you must be ready to aid the survivors who will come forth. Do you accept this task, my daughter?"

 

[GargantuaBlarg]

Re: Dr. Love, Dr. Death (GargantuaBlarg)

"O-of course, Thunderlord," came Naltaibur's reply, as she knelt and bowed her head once more. "It's my duty to tend to my countrymen - even more so now, in Therion's time of need. But... if that's where the entire city's worth of captives are, all trapped in that monster... even with Mavra, Father Uldric and his men, I don't know if I am capable of tending to so many, Thunderlord. ...Regardless, I will do what I can."

Her thoughts turned to Mavra. How long had she been unconscious - how long had she been there, starved of the magical energies she needed, on her behalf? ...How bad had she been? She didn't think she'd been hurt... exhausted, yes, but surely that was it, was it not? What had happened to her that made her need tending? At any rate... if she was a healer as well, Naltaibur would definitely need her at full strength tomorrow... which... meant giving her more of her energy.

She wouldn't be able to end that flying blight to her city, either... it wasn't the first lie she had ever told, but even still, she wished she could have had some part in removing it's stain from Therion. But... honestly, it was more Doraleous' city, was it not? The three... or had it been five?... lives it had made her wrongfully claim paled in comparison to what it had done to Doraleous, who could claim the entire city as his ward. Probably hundreds... maybe even thousands dead, how many more wounded or maimed, like that... what had his name been? Caldin? Or violated... and the worst, those whose souls had been stolen... Not to mention all the homes that had been sacked, though that paled in comparison. they were all an insult to Doraleous. Slaying it was rightfully his privilege.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Dr. Love, Dr. Death (GargantuaBlarg)

Spoiler

Naltaibur: HP = 45, PP = 53, EP = 49, Status = Fine, Gliding Winds

"Fear not. You will not be alone in this task, my daughter, for there are many yet in Therion who still battle the invaders. They will see the fall of the abomination that brought them and take heart in it, but not all will work together with ease. I cannot guarantee that you will not have to ease some tensions, but I think that you have decent sources of aid in that regard. Uldric is more than he seems, and Mavra, if strong enough, can be quite persuasive. You will do well with them beside you, and Aluwin and his soldiers will help protect you."

 

[GargantuaBlarg]

Re: Dr. Love, Dr. Death (GargantuaBlarg)

Just how many of her fellow Therionians were in the giant in the sky? She would need food, water, bedding, blankets for all of them! Not to mention a safe haven... the bare handful of fighting men they had right now wouldn't be able to safeguard that many victims - even with their overlord dead, there were bound to be stragglers left behind! If even one of her wards was taken away by another one of those grey monsters, to be violated once more... how would she face them, knowing she had failed to follow through with those Doraleous had been kind enough to rescue?

"How will I provide..." she started... but then, she stopped. It seemed a question the Thunderlord could scarcely answer - what consideration would he give to clothing and food were, to a god? At any rate, it had only been one day... and all the homes hadn't been devastated, like hers had. Surely there would be enough to scavenge out of the homes, until better arrangements could be made?

"Ah... nevermind. I will do what I can, for Therion, Thunderlord. ...I should probably tell Father Uldric and his men, and see to it that... um, that Mavra is strong enough for tomorrow." Oh gods, why did she say that? "W... um, was there anything else you wished of me, Thunderlord?"

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Dr. Love, Dr. Death (GargantuaBlarg)

Spoiler

Naltaibur: HP = 45, PP = 53, EP = 49, Status = Fine, Gliding Winds

"Do not fret to ask questions of me, my daughter. I am here to aid you, so that you might perform your task to the best of your abilities. There is a fortress in the corner of the city near where I expect the creature to fall, which will have much of what you need to provide for the captured. The invaders claimed all within when they descended, but they left the supplies. Food, water, medicine and clothing aplenty should be present there. What you cannot get there you may retrieve from the nearby homes. Their occupants are likely among those to be rescued anyway." He replied, smiling warmly to Naltaibur despite the fact that she was still on her knees. The wind abated greatly, and he nodded and said; "Yes, go now my daughter, and prepare. There will be much work to do for you and yours tomorrow, but this will be the only task that I shall ask of you directly. I fear that others will not be so kind in their needs for your skills, however."

Dismissed, Naltaibur was free to return down the steps to her comrades, and the warmth that waited below.

 

[GargantuaBlarg]

Re: Dr. Love, Dr. Death (GargantuaBlarg)

Naltaibur nodded, grateful for the information. Having the resources all in one place - and such a secure, sheltered place, too! - would ease the strains of this task tenfold. She wasn't exactly sure which fortress it would land at... but no doubt it would be easy enough to tell, no? Even without a corpse, she would probably be able to see an imprint in the ground where it landed from this tower in the morning - perhaps even the survivors, scattering about.

"Thank you, Thunderlord - for the chance to restore to Therion her... at least, some of her people." The words had stuck rather unpleasantly in her throat, as she thought back to the slicks of gore, coating the streets.

She stood - but instead of turning to leave, she stared at Doraleous a moment - pinching her arm hard outside the waxed leather suit. Was she sure this wasn't some kind of make-believe fantasy? Talking to Doraleous himself would certainly qualify this as a dream, for one... but, then, they entire day had been something of a nightmare.

The Lord of the Sky didn't disappear, surprisingly. With a respectful last bow and farewell, she left the belltower and Doraleous. Would she ever see him in the flesh like that again? Ever be granted another conversation with a god?

Probably not.

At the bottom of the ladder, she realized it might be a good idea to shut the trap door... but, he was still up there. It had been open this entire time anyway, hadn't it? It probably didn't matter. Rather unwilling to risk the stairs a second time, she looked over the railing. It looked clear... she might as well get some use out of her magic, right?

It took her a moment to steel herself for the jump - it was a long way down, and magic or no, she was still instinctively opposed to plummeting long ways down. After a moment, though, she did indeed hop over the railing and out into the space of the belltower's interior.

While she fell, a thought occurred to her. Doraleous had praised her abilities as a healer. Didn't that mean he had been watching her? It was entirely possible he'd just seen her heal the wounds on Gloria, the other soldiers, and her feat of regrowing a man's leg... this building was dedicated to him, after all. But... what if he'd been watching her for longer than that? Did he know what she did, in the laboratory she had hidden under the earth? His face had shown no disapproval...

When she touched the ground, she let her spell dissolve, and immediately made her way back to the priest's quarters, locking the belltower's door behind her with Uldric's key. In the end, it didn't matter right now. If she could help the survivors of Therion, give them a second chance... if she could do good for her city, perhaps her toying with lives and life itself... perhaps it would balance out. Even if it had just been animals and dead meat... her twisting of bodies and minds beneath her home... she thought it horrifically close to the invader's means, changing their victim's minds and body to suit their needs. It was true they ripped their souls from them, as well... but then, was that better or worse than having it endure the manipulation of it's flesh and very thought? Was it to make them more obedient... or was it one of their only mercies?

Naltaibur knocked on the priest quarter's door. "It's Naltaibur, please let me in."

It didn't matter. They had done terrible things to her city and people. They were her enemies - they had brutally killed and raped it's people and stole their bodies. If that was their mercy, it was just as monstrous as they were.



Once inside, she made a statement to everyone in the room, speaking loud enough that her voice would carry through to everyone, even despite her mask - the mercenaries, Uldric, and the two Sisters. "I... found who I was looking for, up there. Thank you, Uldric," she started. "...Shortly, that monster in the sky should be stricken down. When that happens, I would like to make a request."

'I spoke with Doraleous himself. Leave this place's safety and come with me, to march across the city to the colossus' corpse, and help me help the survivors.' If someone she had just met said that to her, she would probably look at them as if they were crazy. With this, she hoped they would be more receptive to her when she spoke as such.

Bowing her head, she left the room, heading once again for the one Mavra was in. She would still have to convince the injured she had healed earlier... but, given that they were still probably catatonic at the moment, that would have to wait. She had to speak with the demoness...

She knocked on the door. "Mavra? I'm sorry for running away earlier... can I come in?"

Spoiler

Slight temptation to try and blow Doraleous. I'm in the right position already, and godly jizz must do something fun, right?

Cancelling FeatherfImean Gliding Winds also.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Dr. Love, Dr. Death (GargantuaBlarg)

Spoiler

Naltaibur: HP = 45, PP = 53, EP = 49, Status = Fine

Doraleous said nothing further, and Naltaibur departed down the way she had come. Well, not entirely the way she had come. After she'd jumped the railing, powerful winds reached up and formed a pocket of air beneath her, and while she couldn't stand on it she could certainly sit comfortably as she floated down the tunnel in the center of the stone steps.

The door promptly opened as she said her name, everyone still doing much the same as they had been doing when she'd left, but it seemed that even through her mask some of her troubles showed, as Uldric immediately looked concerned upon seeing Naltaibur. Even before she could get a word in the old priest said; "Doctor Naltaibur, are you alright? What did you find up there?" When she spoke, not directly to him but at the room as a whole, everyone stared at her in surprise and confusion. Before anyone could recover, she had left them to ponder her cryptic words and gone to see Mavra.

"Yes, come on in." Mavra's voice immediately called from the beyond the door, and when Naltaibur opened it she found the beautiful demoness in the same position that she had been in when they'd first met, lying on her back with a book in front of her. The two bound people had fallen asleep while she'd been away, as they were now lying peacefully in their cots. "It's quite alright. I suppose you must be overwhelmed, what with all that's happened, so I can forgive you for being a little flustered. Did you find what you were looking for?" She said, looking up from her book as she started and then closing it as she finished.

 

[GargantuaBlarg]

Re: Dr. Love, Dr. Death (GargantuaBlarg)

Naltaibur closed the door quietly behind her, finding Mavra once again lying in her cot on her back, reading, same as she had been when she'd first laid eyes on her. This time, though, she wasn't being born down with her scent and waves of arousal, nor was she being bore through, by those deep, purple eyes. She still felt a pleasant warmth down in her groin when she entered the room... but, it was nothing like the overbearing arousal she had experienced earlier. Even if the small size of the room was magnifying the effect, she was feeling quite... sedate.

Naltaibur took off her hat and reached behind her head to undo the straps keeping her mask on. She'd probably have to put it back on in a few minutes... but, it felt good to have someone she could show her real face to - the first person who'd seen it in years...

A sudden curiosity as to what the demoness was reading hit her. There were more important things for her to be doing... but, still, she couldn't help but give a little glance at the cover. She was so used to her mask hiding where she was looking, though, it took her a moment to realize how very obvious the glance was.

"Er, yes, I do believe I did, though he wasn't who I thought he was, at first. He said you were a... friend of his," Naltaibur started off. "And... that he'd asked you to look after me, after I'd collapsed... which means the state you were in was probably my fault, isn't it?" While she had been speaking, Naltaibur had made her way over to Mavra - though, given the room's small size, she had been standing over her well before she finished.

She knelt down, and then hugged Mavra as best she could, given that she was still in the cot. "Thank you..."

She let a few moments pass by in silence, enjoying the feel of Mavra's nearness... until she eventually broke it with a question.

"...Was I really that bad? I don't recall being injured at all today... though, uh, there was that fall... and... erm, that... other thing..."

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Dr. Love, Dr. Death (GargantuaBlarg)

Spoiler

Naltaibur: HP = 45, PP = 53, EP = 49, Status = Fine

'Caramon's Poem' was inscribed on the cover of the book that Mavra had been reading, and when Naltaibur glanced back at the demoness with her face no longer covered by her mask, she found the woman smiling warmly at her. As before, Mavra showed no discomfort at Naltaibur's strange appearance. "It's a love story." The demoness said and gestured toward her discarded book. She sat up as Naltaibur came toward her, "Not a friend, per se, but.... Well, he's not the sort one can easily say no to, particularly one in my position."

She seemed about to say more, but then Naltaibur knelt down next to her and hugged her, and Mavra went silent following a low murmur and hugged her back. Smiling, she quietly said; "You're welcome." Then, she let the moments that followed pass silently, not breaking the embrace even after Naltaibur had broken the silence between them. While it still wasn't as severe as it had been the first time they'd met, the increased proximity only helped to strengthen the power of Mavra's aura.

"It wasn't just you that drained my energy, don't worry. Just a few scrapes and bumps, and I found nothing of the invader's presence in your mind except the traces of your previous encounter with the two in your basement." She said, and then winced slightly, "I'm sorry.... I had to look through your mind, in case you'd been controlled or something of the sort. We don't really know what these creatures are fully capable of, and... I just had to be sure." She gently pulled away until she could look into Naltaibur's eyes if she hadn't pulled away already, searching her expression for the physician's reaction to the fact that she'd been inside her head.

"I also had to help them." She continued, gesturing toward the two unconscious turned on the cots next to them with her head. "They won't eat or drink anything if there's anyone else in the room, and we couldn't let them lose just so that they could feed themselves. They might attack someone. So... I had to take control of them to get them to eat, or else they would have starved to death." Mavra sighed darkly when she stopped speaking, and then turned back to Naltaibur. "I'm not sure if that was right, or what we can do for them.... But I didn't know what else to do. I couldn't just let them die, and I wouldn't feed from them just to regain my strength.... It just... Wouldn't be right, if they couldn't really give consent."

 

[GargantuaBlarg]

Re: Dr. Love, Dr. Death (GargantuaBlarg)

Shock crossed Naltaibur's face when Mavra told her she'd looked into her mind. Did she know about her laboratory? What she said next confirmed that she did. How many of her secrets had she seen? While she was unconscious, her mind had been completely defenseless... so, in all likelihood... the answer was probably 'all of them'.

The things she did down in the secrecy of her lab... all the times she'd failed, from the time she'd been overpowered by one of her subjects, to the lives she hadn't been able to save... Mavra hadn't mentioned the giant - had she seen that, too? Anything she'd ever wanted to hide away, all the questionable things she'd done down there in her pursuit of magical understanding... even all the times she'd not been at her best - when she'd been petty, or spiteful - she'd been able to see.

Those thoughts flashed through her mind in just a few seconds, but once the initial wave of panic had washed over her, she calmed down. Mavra had known all this from before Naltaibur had even set eyes on the demoness - so, really, it didn't change anything, did it? And she probably wouldn't even have bothered to look deeper into her memories than when the invaders appeared - so a lot of her worries were pointless.

"No, it's okay... I understand," The doctor began, her face softening, as she looked into the demoness' eyes. "I would've done the same thing, too... and, you let me see into yours, so we're even, aren't we?" She didn't want to say anything about her encounter in her lab... it was true, they'd gotten the better of her there... but, even worse, she'd enjoyed it. The feel of that slime covering her... her mouth... ngh. Naltaibur shook away those thoughts, and tried to focus. Naltaibur pulled the red woman back once again - another hug, to reassure her - before finally letting go, and taking a seat on the cot - her hands pushing down the rather embarrassing bulges that were visible even under her heavy leather breeches and robe. It was rather awkward, if her body was going to do that every time she was near her... though, her mentioning the encounter in the lab surely didn't help.

"Mm... I can understand that, too," Naltaibur said, when Mavra explained how she'd had to use her mind control to get them to eat. She hadn't thought of that... she knew their minds were consumed singularly with rage, but to the point where they wouldn't even eat, even if someone perhaps pushed food into their mouths...? That even basic bodily functions like that could be wiped from their minds like that... the thought was terrifying. Though... they were sleeping now, so perhaps that wasn't the case? "It... it's a strange thing, to make something eat, if it doesn't want to, isn't it? But... well, I don't think you should let that trouble you, Mavra. Sadly, they don't really know any better... and as long as they're alive, we have a chance to reverse this... thing that's happened to them, however slim it is."

"Ah... and I suppose he's not one you say 'no' to, either. What did you mean, though? About your 'position'?"

Naltaibur would explain the task Doraleous had given her... but, later. Surely, it could wait a few minutes... right now, she wanted just to spend a few moments with her crimson beauty.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Dr. Love, Dr. Death (GargantuaBlarg)

Spoiler

Naltaibur: HP = 45, PP = 53, EP = 49, Status = Fine

Mavra smiled slightly and nodded as Naltaibur seemed to understand, "Aye, I'd say that we're even, though you saw farther back than I did. I only looked at the last day or so, but I suppose we both got the important bits of information from each other, right? I knew you weren't secretly working for the invaders, and you knew that I wasn't going to hurt you." The second hug was returned as warmly as the first, Mavra quite apparently happy for the nearness of someone that wasn't afraid of her, much like Naltaibur herself ironically.

The demoness did notice the bulges forming in Naltaibur's pants, a smirk appearing as her eyes darted back up to the night elven doctor's face slyly. "I'm happy to see you too~!" She said, and then let out an impish giggle, covering her mouth and silencing the sound quickly even though she still glanced at Naltaibur's crotch from time to time and smiled.

She did sober greatly at the mention of the two sharing the room with them, however. "You're right of course.... I don't like it, but if we keep them alive, maybe we'll be able to help them somehow. Or, at the very least, learn something from them about the things that did this to them...." Mavra trailed off, her expression going dark, and her voice was low and tight as she said; "Their loss has to mean something. Something good has to come of it. I don't know what, but something."

Letting out a sigh, Mavra tilted her head and shot Naltaibur a confused look, but then understanding dawned on her a moment later. "Well, I'm a demon, and I was confronted with a god. A literal god. In his city, where I'd been living for some time, occasionally feeding on his charges. I expected.... Well, I expected to be disintegrated, to be honest, but he didn't seem to be bothered by it. He just asked me to have a look at you, and when I found you to be alright said to make sure that the others let you in when you woke up. He said that it wasn't time for him to appear to his followers yet, and that was why he called me to do it." Mavra paused, and then shrugged, "I guess... I guess it didn't matter where I was from, to him at least. After the last invasion, when I fled here, a lot of people weren't kind to me because of my heritage, but I refused to hide it even though I could."

She smiled warmly at Naltaibur, "Maybe you should give that a try? You've already proved yourself an ally, a friend even. After you healed the wounded, Uldric, Grace and Aluwin will accept you for sure, and the rest would follow their lead." Mavra delicately raised a hand, and brushed it across Naltaibur's cheek, "You wouldn't have to hide, Naltaibur.... Never from me, but not from them either."

 

[GargantuaBlarg]

Re: Dr. Love, Dr. Death (GargantuaBlarg)

The doctor blushed as hard as she could when Mavra made it obvious her erections hadn't gone unnoticed. "I er um um erm I uh..." now not only using both her hands to hide them, but crossing her knees as well. So embarrassing!

Apparently, what she said next would kill any sort of levity in the room, however. While the crimson woman explained her rationale for preserving the prisoners, she merely nodded, letting her talk. Though still embarrassing - Naltaibur's arousal was pushed to the backburner. That didn't stop her from trying to keep it concealed by squeezing her legs together.

Naltaibur had listened intently while Mavra related her plight to her, but her suggestion - that it would be okay for her to show her face to Uldric and the others - sent her into a rather mild panic. "Wh-what? Ohh, no, nonononono," Naltaibur said, almost immediately. "I... my skin... it's... I... it's tainted," she said at last, struggling for an explanation. "Letting them... letting them see would be like showing them the things I do down there. I don't think... I just... I don't think it's a good idea, Mavra..."

After some stretch of silence, when Naltaibur had calmed down again, she went back to Mavra's story. "'Last invasion'? Do you mean that thing that happened in Badaria, around... two years ago, I think?" she asked. She'd heard about that... she'd wanted to go - she remembered literally salivating while she imagined how much progress she could have made studying the effects of corruption from real, actual demons. Though, that hadn't really counted, since her drooling had been a side effect of one of her experimental brews she'd just tested. At any rate, her duties came first, and before she could even reconsider leaving, word had got to her that the whole thing had ended, somehow.

"...You know, when I met him up in the tower, he said something to me. 'You have chosen this place, and so this is where you belong. That is all that matters.' It's not any different for you, Mavra... and we're lucky to have someone as kind and caring as you among us." Naltaibur wrapped her arms around the demoness' waist and drew herself against her, cuddling up against her.

One of her penises' heads ground far too pleasantly between her thighs as she shifted, and it twitched hard enough to pop out, tenting her thick clothing once again - another tingling inhalation of Mavra's scent helping to pitch it. "...Uhm, and as beautiful as you, too." Naltaibur added. "I'm sure it's nothing compared to how relieved you were, but, for what it's worth... I'm really glad he didn't disintegrate you, either, Mavra." She gave the demoness a kiss on her red cheek.

If Mavra allowed her, she would stay like that - snuggled up against her, sitting in the cot - for the next several minutes. Eventually, though, she would have to broach her request. "...To be honest, there was a favor I needed to ask, Mavra."

"...Doraleous tasked me with tending to the survivors after he kills the monster in the sky, which he should be doing... soon. Tomorrow, I'm going to leave the church, and make for where it lands, which I think will be one of the forts along the wall. ...Would you please come with me? I have no doubt I can't handle them all alone... I was going to ask Uldric and his soldiers, just... not yet. I wanted you with me when I did..."