the shallow water within bubbles, here and there, with little viscous white spots. isaac watches, and for a moment, his face is very nearly still — no cartoonish sneers or curls of fancy. he waits until she dons the gloves to add, ]
There are worms in the jar, if you want to treat him.
[ it isn't as though she doesn't sound angry. it's just been a while, since he had this conversation. ]
She grabs the jar to fish out a worm and offers it to the toad. ]
How come there's not a way to reverse possessions here? [ She watches the toad instead of him. Partly because the toad is kinda neat and partly because she still kinda wants to throw shit at any and every available authority figure who's so completely failed in making this fucked up world any kind of decent. ]
There are rumours, [ he speaks carefully. there have always been rumours. ] That it can be done.
[ the avvar, the rivaini; they traffic in spirits. voluntary possession —
voluntary exit. and only a volunteer idiot would just take their word for it.
fabria inches forward: a long waddling stretch that leaves him still gripped in isaac's gloves. his mouth distends. flesh shifts by no magic at all to propel him forward; the worm is gone. ]
But even if it could be done, there was no other way for that man to end.
What happened this week was a miracle. [ the toad watches the worm, unblinking. licks its slow lips ] That the Gallows was meant to keep mages, that we had mages enough to stop him.
[ that he came by daylight, that half of riftwatch wasn't lost in the trees ]
And we hardly did, and the walls didn't hold. Abominations level villages.
[ She sets the worm down so she doesn't squish it. Drops her hands to the seat of her chair to curl around them so she doesn't smash the whole jar of worms on the ground. ]
Why did he turn into one to start with? Colin said you gotta make like a deal with a demon for it to happen? [ She only vaguely remembers that conversation. ]
It can be, [ isaac finally lets go. one finger strays to stroke the toad's head before pulling off his gloves. ] I'll teach you such secrets. I'll make you powerful. I'll make them pay.
[ i'll make it all stop. ]
But how often have you bargained with yourself? There's more than one way to let anger in.
drops below the surface. fabria lunges, now with the whole of his body; a mass that hardly splashes to bear down on it. its purple coils vanish into dark. isaac scratches at his beard. ]
You can take those off now, [ a nod to her own gloves. ] May I see your hands?
[ Because misdirected violence is shitty. She squeezes wood of her seat until her joints start to ache and then she lets go, stripping off the gloves and holding out her hands. Whatever he's expecting to find will be mixed in with the barely healed burns from the rampage and cuticles chewed raw from the interchangeable mania and anxiety of the last few days. ]
[ isaac's skin is softer, probably, than it ought to be: streaked with tiny white fissures that never seem to open fully; irritation that never rubs quite raw.
his grip is lighter than it stood on frogflesh. one hand cups below hers, the other turns her fingers with a certain delicacy. how is the motion? ]
It isn't random, [ possession. ] You don't have to fear that.
[ Again she does as he asks, even if she rolls her eyes at his look. Teenage skepticism in full affect. ]
Well, most people don't turn into giant fuck off lava creatures to start. And it's not always bad... That's how Seer magic works. [ Lillian had explained that much, even if it feels like a million years ago. ] But for the bad ones, we got things like exorcisms.
[ She lets her hands drop, the hum of wild energy under her skin easing. She folds up her legs on the chair with her, looping her arms around them and leaning her chin on her knee. ]
Lots of ways. I guess it's not super different from here how they get in. Like they show up and try to make deals with people. Or they're summoned for like a curse.
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[ the true answer is: yes, a bit,
the shallow water within bubbles, here and there, with little viscous white spots. isaac watches, and for a moment, his face is very nearly still — no cartoonish sneers or curls of fancy. he waits until she dons the gloves to add, ]
There are worms in the jar, if you want to treat him.
[ it isn't as though she doesn't sound angry. it's just been a while, since he had this conversation. ]
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She grabs the jar to fish out a worm and offers it to the toad. ]
How come there's not a way to reverse possessions here? [ She watches the toad instead of him. Partly because the toad is kinda neat and partly because she still kinda wants to throw shit at any and every available authority figure who's so completely failed in making this fucked up world any kind of decent. ]
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[ the avvar, the rivaini; they traffic in spirits. voluntary possession —
voluntary exit. and only a volunteer idiot would just take their word for it.
fabria inches forward: a long waddling stretch that leaves him still gripped in isaac's gloves. his mouth distends. flesh shifts by no magic at all to propel him forward; the worm is gone. ]
But even if it could be done, there was no other way for that man to end.
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Why?
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[ that he came by daylight, that half of riftwatch wasn't lost in the trees ]
And we hardly did, and the walls didn't hold. Abominations level villages.
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Why did he turn into one to start with? Colin said you gotta make like a deal with a demon for it to happen? [ She only vaguely remembers that conversation. ]
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[ the worm thrashes in the little pool; every motion draws it closer. fabria's mouth winches open again, in wait. ]
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[ Because she's not stupid, she knows where those kind of questions lead. She grips the seat of her chair a little harder and watches the worm. ]
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[ i'll make it all stop. ]
But how often have you bargained with yourself? There's more than one way to let anger in.
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[ So there was nothing they could have done? That kinda sounds like bullshit, but the kind of bullshit that's part of how unfair life is. ]
And there's no going back?
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[ inch by struggling inch, the worm drifts,
drops below the surface. fabria lunges, now with the whole of his body; a mass that hardly splashes to bear down on it. its purple coils vanish into dark. isaac scratches at his beard. ]
You can take those off now, [ a nod to her own gloves. ] May I see your hands?
[ to check the inflammation. ]
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[ Because misdirected violence is shitty. She squeezes wood of her seat until her joints start to ache and then she lets go, stripping off the gloves and holding out her hands. Whatever he's expecting to find will be mixed in with the barely healed burns from the rampage and cuticles chewed raw from the interchangeable mania and anxiety of the last few days. ]
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his grip is lighter than it stood on frogflesh. one hand cups below hers, the other turns her fingers with a certain delicacy. how is the motion? ]
It isn't random, [ possession. ] You don't have to fear that.
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[ She frowns, watching him move her fingers. All in working order, even if they are beat up. ]
You think it's all bullshit, but we have those too. Back home. They're a lot different though.
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Extend that for me, [ his chin tips, and he finally looks up, to meet her eyes. something of the old animation returned —] What is that like?
[ back home? ]
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Well, most people don't turn into giant fuck off lava creatures to start. And it's not always bad... That's how Seer magic works. [ Lillian had explained that much, even if it feels like a million years ago. ] But for the bad ones, we got things like exorcisms.
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Yeah, it's a way to get an evil spirit out of somebody. Changes a lot depending on the practice, but pretty sure everybody's got one.
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when she's got it, he pats her hand, lets go again — careful to not quite contact; to avoid patches of burn.
And how do they enter?
[ she'll heal. faster, if she doesn't pick. ]
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Lots of ways. I guess it's not super different from here how they get in. Like they show up and try to make deals with people. Or they're summoned for like a curse.
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[ since it's not randomness ]
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Becoming one, I guess.
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[ more or less. ]
But before that, they are prepared. I imagine the library still has a book or two.
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