Bright light fills my vision as I open my eyes, my vision greeted by an infinitely expanding grass plain, the sound of birds chirping fill my ears as the contrast of the green grass and my dark red blood drips to the ground, making its presence known.
After a few seconds of blinking and pinching to confirm where I am, I let myself collapse to the floor, a satisfied groan escaping my lips as I bask in the warmth the divine sunlight gives me. It was only a couple of minutes before a shadow loomed over me, blocking the sunlight from washing over me. I open my ears and greet my lover with a smile,
"It's been a while hasn't it Mary?" I ask my gorgeous lover, her long, dark hair swaying in the slight breeze. The majority of people would think that a deity with the title "Mistress of pain" wouldn't choose to live in such a… peaceful place, but like most villains, Mary is one of the most misunderstood of them all.
"It has darling" Her sultry voice stimulating my ears. As usual, she was wearing a thin, white gown, the type you wear while sleeping and that leaves nothing to be desired. Sometimes she changes it up a bit wearing dresses or abnormal-looking clothing called jeans, certainly clothing from far away lands. I get into a sitting position as Mary joins me, both of us silently watching the peaceful scenery around us. My ever-increasing amount of blood pools around me staining her white dress ever so increasingly crimson, she doesn't mind, however, resting her head on my bare shoulder.
"How are you?" I ask the meaning behind my words evident, just like always.
".... Better than last time I suppose," Mary responds, ending her words with a sigh. Gods, goddesses, and deities don't just grow off but live off faith. You would think the more faith the better, but that's not always the case. Due to Mary being the Mistress of Pain, lots of sadists, masochists, serial killers, and downright bad people devote themselves to her, but that type of faith is extremely toxic to her, causing her not only great pain and sorrow but also infecting her personality. I understand it the best, after all, I feel that same, toxic faith slowly but surely infecting me with its deadly vice.
I rub her hair, her angelic, fruity giggle blessing my ears as she playfully slaps my hand away.
"Stop it! I'm not a little girl!" She whines, an adorable pout spreading across her lips. For someone who's a century-year-old, she still acts like the age she died, as if frozen in time.
"Sure, sure" I get a light flick on my forehead for my troubles. Her carefree attitude tells me my main body is safe, wherever it is anyway. A newfound pressure falls upon my wrists, and upon closer inspection I see bandages being magically wrapped around them as if invisible hands are at work.
Well, at least I'm getting treatment, wherever in the holy hells I am.
Mary notices my bandaged hands as well, her bright smile turning into ash and being replaced with a more serious demeanor.
"You need to master your emotions and fast darling. You were seconds away from pouncing on those noblewomen, and I had to be more than a little rough with you." She nibbles on her ear, her telltale sign of her hidden silent apology, begging for my forgiveness.
A soft sign escapes my lips. "You're right my Qual, I seriously underestimated how far my emotions can get the better of me, and the dark faith we receive daily doesn't help either. I'm far from mad with you for your rough treatment, it got the job done." I respond, snuffing her frantic begs of forgiveness.
Relief and calm immediately show their presence, her facial expressions softening as her once tense and slightly shaking body relaxes into something more comfortable. I give her the most heartfelt hug I could muster, internally signing at the bullet I barely managed to avoid. The chummy feeling of my astral being slowly turning into ashes doesn't startle either of us one bit.
"It seems our time together is at an end dear" Mary's sultry voice softly enters my sense of sound.
"So it is, I haven't forgotten our deal Mary, and I intend to fulfill it" I stand up, my arms wide.
"I know Ceaser, I'll be watching" Her cold voice replies, finally showing her true colors as the rest of my astral self turns into ash and I'm swept into the breeze.
I shouldn't fool myself, we both know the truth after all
"Is he going to be okay? I mean he lost an abnormal amount of blood,"
"Oh my skies, do you see those scars? How can someone so young have so many? Even military veterans don't have a quarter as many scars he has. Poor child" Compassion drips from their voice, whoever she is. Her compassion reawakens the indescribable pain in my wrists, and it takes all my leftover willpower to make sure it doesn't show
"Mister! Mister, please be okay!" A feminine, childish voice sobs.
These voices, sound familiar… and elderly
"... Are those… no way… it can't be! Those… those can't be runes right?" A male, elderly voice murmurs in disbelief
As if on cue, my eyeballs flutter open, my deformed consciousness slowly seeping back into my body. Ashes dance on the edge of my vision momentarily, ever so reminding me of who I've become. After a few blinks, my vision finally clears, and I'm greeted with Julie's small form loudly sobbing on my seriously bandaged arm, her tears sinking through the gauze and on my fresh wounds, the watery liquid like fire on my cuts. On my left and right respectively are who I assume are her caretakers.
Apparently, my bloody arms are somehow a great pillow as she falls asleep in seconds. I rise to some sort of sitting position with a mute grunt of pain. I slowly and carefully get Julie's wet and snotty head off my arm and on the bed. I look to my saviors,
"You didn't need to," I begin, my voice raspy and my mind muddy. Looking at my bandages, they are at least 95 percent bloody, barely any of their telltale whiteness visible. Judging by the small pile of absolutely blood-drenched bandages and my ragged breathing, I must have lost roughly a liter and a half of blood. Not bad, could have been two, or two and a half. Those suck wolf balls.
"You saved our daughter from rape and most likely certain death, and on top of that, you rose us out of certain poverty. When Julie rushed to your bloody and battered body, of course, we are going to save you," The old man replies, his gravelly voice filling the small room.
Heh, so this must be "good karma" right?
"Fair enough I suppose, can I trouble you for a pair of clothing and Ardor, I intend to get out of your hairs as quickly as possible." I cut to the chase, testing my arms to see if they are even hardly workable. I hide any expressions of pain from the old couple, not wanting to add any more concern. They hurt like a traumabane's bite, but I can work with them. The expedition is tomorrow and I need to finalize my preparations.
"Ardor?"
"Have you looked at yourself! You can't even sit properly, let alone walk out of here!"
Heh, seems like the couple is wondering about two different things huh?
I swing my legs across the bed and let them hit the floor, ignoring the old woman's cries of concern as I test my weight, happy to see I can move even if I look like a drunken asshole.
"Look, there's some silver in my pocket, help yourselves" I reply to the woman, also clarifying that Ardor is my dagger to the old man.
"I don't care about the bloody sliver! You need to rest!"
I couldn't help it. My mouth hit the floor as my eyebrows rose in confusion, usually, they just take the money and shut up… what do I do now?
The old woman's features quickly soften, realizing the reason behind my confusion with as much accuracy as a veteran ranger.
"I… can't. I have to go" I whisper, rushing out of the room as I grab Ardor and whatever else I had on me from the old man's arms. I grab a random jacket and painfully put my arms through its sleeves.
I put a silver coin on the dresser nearest to me. "I'm sorry I need this jacket" I shout, ignoring the elderly couple begging me to stay here and rest.
"Judas please wait-"
That was the last thing I heard before I carefully opened the door and rushed outside.
I swallow the blood threatening to leave through my mouth as I half run half stagger back to the Masked Pig.
Even karma huh? It hurts just like the others.