02-07-2022, 04:42 PM
Ryatah
WHEN I WAS SHIPWRECKED I THOUGHT OF YOU
IN THE CRACKS OF LIGHT I DREAMED OF YOU
Even though she had the ability to summon souls at will, it was not something she had ever done. Her relationship with death was different than most—a little too intimate and familiar. She did not like the idea of having the power to withdraw a soul from the reprieve of death, but only half-way; not enough for them to be alive. She had thought this was a mercy, once, had thought this was a showing of what little is left of her moral goodness; that she does not kill and does not toy with souls trying to rest.
She cannot help but to wonder what might have happened if she had used her soul summoning, or quite literally anything, against Gale. How different the outcome might have been if she had thought to flank herself with any kind of protection the moment she had felt that prickle of apprehension come alive under her skin. Perhaps nothing would have been different—he is a magician, after all, and archangel or not she was outmatched.
It does not surprise her that Atrox makes frequent use of his own soul summoning ability, though. As someone that had once commanded both a kingdom and an army she thinks he misses having that kind of control, even if he would never directly take it up again. The souls provided him with an outlet, and she had grown used to seeing them alongside him.
They did not react to her the way the soul that clings to the jaguar-spotted boy does. The abhorrence is palpable, but she says nothing, though something inside of her seems to harden and twist in response. Once the soul is gone she can feel the knot in her chest loosen, and she looks again to the younger boy with that same faint smile. “Ryatah,” she says, as if that is enough. She knows he was looking for a more in depth answer, but she has nothing to tell him. She has always appeared to be more than she actually is—smarter, stronger, braver. She thinks he is asking because he sees an angel, brilliant and bright, and she does not know how to tell him she is an angel in appearance only.
She could not even begin to tell him all the things she is supposed to be, and yet she is not.
“Does that still hurt?” she asks then, gesturing to where the spirit had dug into his skin. “I can heal it for you, if you’d like.”
She cannot help but to wonder what might have happened if she had used her soul summoning, or quite literally anything, against Gale. How different the outcome might have been if she had thought to flank herself with any kind of protection the moment she had felt that prickle of apprehension come alive under her skin. Perhaps nothing would have been different—he is a magician, after all, and archangel or not she was outmatched.
It does not surprise her that Atrox makes frequent use of his own soul summoning ability, though. As someone that had once commanded both a kingdom and an army she thinks he misses having that kind of control, even if he would never directly take it up again. The souls provided him with an outlet, and she had grown used to seeing them alongside him.
They did not react to her the way the soul that clings to the jaguar-spotted boy does. The abhorrence is palpable, but she says nothing, though something inside of her seems to harden and twist in response. Once the soul is gone she can feel the knot in her chest loosen, and she looks again to the younger boy with that same faint smile. “Ryatah,” she says, as if that is enough. She knows he was looking for a more in depth answer, but she has nothing to tell him. She has always appeared to be more than she actually is—smarter, stronger, braver. She thinks he is asking because he sees an angel, brilliant and bright, and she does not know how to tell him she is an angel in appearance only.
She could not even begin to tell him all the things she is supposed to be, and yet she is not.
“Does that still hurt?” she asks then, gesturing to where the spirit had dug into his skin. “I can heal it for you, if you’d like.”
AND IT WAS REAL ENOUGH TO GET ME THROUGH —
BUT I SWEAR YOU WERE THERE
@Fyr