A Bleaker Favor

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Saiceles
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Joined: Sun Feb 23, 2020 9:04 pm

Posted by Saiceles »


It wasn't that often that Saiyuu did this particular ritual. Granted, nobody tended to consider the usual implications of it, and while she knew of it, it was one of these things that implied a degree of mystery when it came to priesthood. But the boy seemed to need it. Certainly loss was a part of life, but so was life itself.

Saiyuu was currently standing in an empty chamber of a temple in Arborea, having taken a few portals from Sigil to arrive there, bringing in tow a casket, two acolytes who carried it, and one certain Bleaker named Fritz. It wasn't a rocky trip, thankfully. The particular spot where Saiyuu tended to work in Olympus was a calm one. Or calm as far as her perspective of the word went. To Fritz, the place probably looked lovely at first. Beautiful gardens, lush forests, an air so pure that it invited one to never leave, an endless streak of blue sky with beams of light that seemed to amplify the natural, otherworldly beauty of the land. The temple where Saiyuu worked was one of many, and like most temples dedicated to Dionysus it wasn't just a temple. It looked like an estate of sorts, with a main building dedicated to the rituals but a number of surrounding plantations, full of grape vines, and the sight of mortals and immortals alike in the daily process of preparing wine and nurturing for the fruits. Another area seemed like a festive chamber, where even from afar Fritz could hear cheering, yelling, in plain light of day, as if there was a perpetual festival going down there. It was one place where even someone like Saiyuu was treated like a common sight, and none of those present seemed to worry too much about the Succubus' presence. Some acolytes even seemed to offer devoted words, probably recognizing her as one of the priestesses.

Once they arrived in the main chamber for the intended ritual, Saiyuu gestured for the acolytes to place the body on a circular, wide table in the middle of it. Water seemed to fall from some walls, landing in ponds, but one turned out to be wine, perfectly drinkable and ready to be served. Drinking cups and jugs could be found around the room, along with other items that represented Dionysus' faith. A laurel crown, a scourge, some hunting boots, some masks, paintings on the wall that depicted a number of varying things. One of the paintings showed what looked like a child-like version of Dionysus, feasting on wine even in his youth. Another depicted him as a friendly-looking old man, sharing wine with what looked like other deities. Another had him in his regular, youthful and handsome self, sometimes drinking, sometimes hunting. One even had a gruesome depiction of his very body mutilated into pieces, dismembered in very livid detail. The chamber had a dim light coming from the glass tile upon the ceiling, and a few torches that were currently lit. It was a place of worship, beauty, but also madness. Sitting there for long, Fritz might start noticing that whenever something in that place seemed to make sense, it broke patterns to turn into utter chaos. A faith of deep compassion and dedication to merriment, and wine, who carried the dichotomy of death and rebirth and madness as parts of its own rites. It certainly wasn't evil, but it was unsettling to the eyes of the unprepared.

The nude woman was placed on the altar, her body cold and dead, stitches still closing where her surgery had been performed. A considerable number of flawless, expensive diamonds were placed around her body. The woman had died giving birth to a child, and Fritz blamed himself for being unable to save her. A mistake that Saiyuu was familiar with, but had come to terms with in her earlier days, though the feeling of being responsible for her first lover's death had never completely left her. She certainly didn't blame Fritz for feeling it so deeply. For a moment, while she stood next to the body, Saiyuu appeared as what she was: A devoted priestess with her own sort of wisdom and charismatic faith, a figure she did not often show. Often her joking, laid-back and relaxed demeanor made it hard to see her as such a figure, but standing there it was as if only a blind man could have not seen it. And yet, as she started carrying on the ritual, it once more defied expectations in its simplicity. One might think that bringing a woman to life would require fervent, tearful prayer, worship and kneeling if one went with stereotypes, but such was not the case. Instead, Saiyuu simply seemed to sit down close to the body, drinking from a glass of wine while holding another that she slowly poured over the dead body. She spoke in a language unknown, but it sounded calm, casual. Like someone speaking about their day, or about what dream they had last night. The conversation carried on. Sometimes there was a cheer to it, something that elicited a laughter from Saiyuu, as if someone had just told her a joke. Sometimes there seemed to be moments where she simply sat there pensive and distant, empty, as if possessed by a quiet sorrow. Eventually, she leaned over the body to place a kiss upon the woman's stomach.

At that point of the ritual, the madness increased. The dead woman's body, still in one piece, was slowly torn apart by an unseen force. The light that shone over it seemed to rip off limbs, causing them to simply burst out of the body in a gruesome, ugly display. Once the limb was deattached, it seemed to float into the light, slowly being consumed into motes of red, infesting the air with the scent of red wine. Maybe it was enough to bring some despair to Fritz, but Saiyuu had warned him that it wouldn't be an easy sight, but it was part of the ritual and that it was a small sacrifice to make. The sounds didn't help. The echo of the chamber made it too easy to hear the crunching sounds of bone and ripping of flesh. Saiyuu stood close, observing, holding a glass of wine in her hands still. Once it was finished, only a heart remained, floating a few inches from the table, dead and bloodied. Stepping closer, she would pour the wine over the heart, offering a few small words before walking back to Fritz and offering him the glass.

Should the man accept, he'd notice his senses dulling, but other parts were sharpening instead. His sense for the unnatural, the spiritual and magical. Upon focusing, Fritz would be able to hear laughter, feasting. It was as if there was a feast going on in that very room, with dozens of people bustling and chatting and playing, including a timid, but familiar voice - that of the deceased woman. It was as if the other voices encouraged her to take part in the feasting, to be happy, be merry. An hour would pass, and the woman's voice would become clearer, louder, more vivid. And the more it did, the more it happened - the heart on the table would start beating once more, despite being absent body. Upon reaching a point, it would beat strongly, vividly, full of life and joy, the golden light that fell upon it now causing its body to slowly reform around it. Long moments would pass, but by the end of it, the young woman would be laying on the table, breathing, eyes closed, but definitely alive. More alive than Fritz had seen her even. The filth she might have carried from her life was gone. Scars and bruises from suffering had been removed. There was a health to her that was worth envy, and even her emanciated body had gained some meat. Fritz could swear one of the gossiping, spiritual voices in the room mentioning the woman was an avid eater when in a mood.

Saiyuu would finally turn to Fritz, letting out a tired, but happy sigh, smiling. "Well... She should wake up in a bit, but I have a feeling she will be fine.".


The Godsmen might hear rumors of the deed, as Saiyuu was one who recently joined their ranks. The other day, she would still show up for work in the Foundry as usual, although she did seem like she was yawning more than the usual.
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