[ Mysterious chamber (within a bald man) ]
Unaware of the looming plight outside the time-skewed mental walls of a shiny-headed uncle, Viviane drags her hands down from her face with her own related problem.
Specifically, an overeager medieval king who founded the Order, the same one that wishes to help bring about the Flood.
"I swear, my lady, if only you were here. Humanity has grown to be so full of potential, yet we're constantly limited ..."
Viviane tunes out Frederick's words as his flaming declaration of duty turns into a rant about his enemies, politics, and difficulties with the state. With barely any history to remember Britannic kingdoms, she can't exactly relate.
"Damn it..." Viviane mutters. Turning away from the flaming monologue, she lifts a hand to her chin. "Let's see here..."
Sometime in the past before she sealed herself, she created this stone domain by some magic involving colorful flames.
'That's kind of cool, actually. So, I'm not limited to my own. It's something that can be created.'
However, this smaller domain has been passed down to others through the Book of Isis like a shared journal, waiting for her return.
'I wish I knew what I was thinking back then. If I can read more of it, though, I'd probably find the answers.'
Then, at some point, a great, overachieving king decides he must take point, not only learning the goddess' flames, which should have been limited from spread, but creating a secret Order to welcome her.
...
A pause lingers before Viviane drops her head. Opposite, the king is still going in the background, his flames bursting with energy.
"What a mess," she mutters.
Frederick's abrupt gasp pulls Viviane's attention back as the chamber falls silent. Before the slime can raise a brow, the king clears his throat and shuffles his feet. "Sorry, I've gone for too long! I apologize, my lady. Unfortunately, you've designed this to only capture our voice once per guardian. We don't know when you'll be released, so I didn't want to leave anything out."
"Thank goodness," Viviane adds flatly.
Blind to his listener's dismay, Frederick lowers his head. She can almost make out an earnest smile behind the curtain of flames. "In any case, I wish you well in the future. May our efforts shine in these dark times."
The featureless king disperses with his final bow, fluttering away in small crackles back to the center fire. Once gone, Viviane's shoulders droop. She stares into the fire pit's depths.
"..."
It waits for her.
Viviane shuts her eyes. "What do you want from me? Next!"
FWOO!
It really does respond to her will.
'Please don't be another king. Please don't be another king,' she begs, pressing her palms together.
Perhaps her wish is being received as the flame does not rise as high this time. In fact, it doesn't even bear a silhouette. Opening one eye, the elder slime's forehead creases.
It's faint, but she can hear something mixing with the crackles.
"Urgh..." Pursing her lips, she draws closer to check.
"...Elessi... v'sha... v'sha... thul... m'na... oru... oru... s'lath'iel..."
Making out a language of a sort, Viviane's eyes quiver. Despite lacking senses, she can somehow feel the weight of each pronunciation like a heart beating within her.
She considers retreating, but as soon as the thought crosses, the fire and its voice sputters to a halt.
Swooo...
It flutters like a breeze passing through, but before Viviane can register what's happening, it abruptly snaps back, shifting into a yellow hue like a card flick from a magician's hand.
"!"
The exchange is immediate. Viviane inhales silently, finally taking a step back. She blinks a few times, processing the abrupt change.
'Is this my doing or...?
Regardless of fault, the change feels rather... empty. After the build up of some sort of spell, she expected more, but it's as if all the liveliness of the fire had been whisked away...
"I must say, history has failed to describe your delicate shades, mia signora."
...To someone behind her.
Viviane's breath hitches, her shoulders tensing before she twists around to meet a new voice and another fire. There is no flaring entrance, no firework, but her pale form is nevertheless marked by the previous violet hue.
Except, this new guest is completely removed from the pit's now-yellow fire.
[IMAGE]
He's also completely visible.
No longer an outline, every feature of a man can be seen through the purple flames. If Frederick was a jump in form, this man is a leap. His blue eyes shine through, yet shadowed within his long flowing brown hair as he receives her stunned gaze while standing in colorful garments.
A long silence drags between them before he lowers his head, a hand to his chest. "It is an honor to be faced with such a dazzling canvas. I greet the remnant of Isis."
The slime holds still, taken off balance by the strange compliment. She expected him to continue by himself like the previous voices, but the man straightens, cocking his head with a chuckle. "It would appear I am not so expected?"
The Italian accent lacing his deep tones shake Viviane to attention. Fumbling, her mouth hangs for a moment before she points. "Wait, you're real?! You can hear me?"
The man raises a brow, then glances at the stone surroundings. "Real? I believe I am no more real than what you see."
Viviane's finger twitches in place before she snorts.
'Why should I even be surprised?'
"Please, don't test me." She lowers her hand and huffs. "I hardly have any clue what's going on! I came to learn about The Order and the current holder's studies. Instead, I find myself locked to these stone walls."
The man closes his eyes solemnly. "Your confusion is understandable, signora. Much has advanced in our practice of the goddess' fire since Frederick II founded the Order. While I am able to speak with you better than any other, rest assured that I'm still a memory."
Viviane stares flatly. "Color me skeptical because I've seen a lot of 'living' memories." She sighs. "Real or not, who are you?"
"Ah, yes, apologies." The man bows once more. "The name is Leonardo da Vinci, at your service."
...
Viviane's lips rise crookedly. "C-come again?"
While the elder slime wonders whether she misheard his name, the Italian raises his head, offering a patient smile. "Leonardo." He repeats, unaware of the weight to his name. "I assume you have already heard from the king and others before. Since the founding of The Order, the Book of Isis was sealed away and left untouched for five hundred years."
"Five hundred years..."
A big skip between guardians, but Viviane can't really focus on that.
Is she really talking to the Leonardo da Vinci, the famous polymath of the High Renaissance era?
Daniel and Mary would have absolutely dropped to their knees.
Leonardo hums. "Indeed. Frederick intended to be the last one you saw. Sadly, I stand before you because the Order has..."
He stops, his brow furrowing while he turns to the fire pit. The sudden, deafening silence in the chamber pushes Viviane to set aside her many curiosities to Leonardo's history as it appears he has caught onto something troubling.
Viviane shuffles. "What is it?"
Leonardo shifts his eyes back to her. "Forgive me, but do you not sense the fires outside this domain?"
"Fire? Oh, so you can see them too?" Viviane recalls how Victor, Merlin, and Nimue can sense the goddess' fire in others. She smiles bitterly. "You see, that's the thing. Since I was released, I've been kept from my memories, including any knowledge of how to control these flames, much less detect them. There are others that I've connected with, so they might be what you're sensing."
The Italian man lowers his gaze, humming. "So, it's true."
Viviane frowns. "Care to elaborate?"
"The Book of Isis has been studied by many in order to better prepare for your return. As others progressed upon Merlin's teachings, though, some found oddities in the ritual you performed. It felt as if it were... incomplete."
He snorts, a wry look on his face. "I have my fair share of incomplete works, so I would know, but it also felt like Merlin's design for you was intentional."
"That's my thought as well." Viviane thins her lips. "I don't suppose you know how to fix me?"
Leonardo's smile is tinged with regret. "Even if I could, it isn't in my right to change how one is painted."
Viviane groans. 'What did I expect? He's an artist, alright.'
"But, you are not as lost as you think if you are here, signora," Leonardo adds before waving. "Let's put that aside for now. I recognize that you have followers that share your fire. Everyone who has been passed on the Book of Isis also shares in your light, but I'm not talking about us. There is another that just recently appeared that does not share your flame."
The elder slime stiffens. "What?"
══════════ ∴ ══════════
[ Outside of Marlin ]
Mary clears her throat before raising her hands. "Okay, let's calm down. I'll meet this guy and politely tell him to shoo. What can he even do in broad daylight?"
"A lot!" Daniel cries, barely able to keep his voice down. "Based on Marlin's experience with Morgan, and my own with Victor, we don't know fully what these guys are capable of. Let's just ignore him. If he doesn't leave, we call the cops."
Anne folds her arms, shivering. "I... I think that would be for the best."
Marlin shuts his eyes while Viviane maintains her hold on him from behind. "No. If I don't meet him, it'll look suspicious. Even if he leaves, we're not safe here anymore."
"How can you even meet him like that?" Mary gestures to her uncle's head.
"I don't know, but maybe someone can try removing her already!"
Bzzt... Bzzt!
Mary stands up, huffing. "Okay, enough! This is my studio! If a guy can't ignore a closed sign, then I have every right to tell him to fuck off. Rather than waste time debating, someone can at least stand behind me."
Daniel snaps his hand forward to grab his girlfriend's arm. "Mary, don't be hasty!"
She harrumphs. "Love, if he's as capable as Victor or Morgan, then he could very well come in here on his own, but he's not. Now, are you going to support me or not?"
She doesn't wait for Daniel's answer. Her slimy lining on her arm softens, causing Daniel's grip to slip off as she pulls away.
Stumbling forward, he catches himself and grits his teeth. "Damn it, Mary!" He takes off to join her.
"Wait!" Marlin calls, then tries to join them, but Viviane's hold doesn't budge. His chair squeaks uselessly as he strains against her.
His eyes frantically switch between Anne and trembling Rachel before settling on the former. "Anne, please, you need to remove your sister."
The slime mother hugs herself, twisting her lips with uncertainty before looking to Viviane's frown-laden face. "I... I don't know if I can... or should."
"Just try anything! Can't you cut her arm or something? That wouldn't harm her, right?"
Rachel's stomach clenches at the prospect, but she takes a deep breath, turning to her friend. "Dear, while I don't know much, it's already been long enough. Something must be done if we're sitting ducks."
Anne lowers her gaze before nodding. "You're right."
Swallowing, she steps to Viviane's side, her arm forming into a gelatinous blade. It helps to know that her sister had already demonstrated cutting herself without any problem, although, the idea is still a cold comfort.
Regardless of her feelings, she steels herself, steadying her blade-arm between the two. Shutting her eyes, she swipes down. "I'm sorry about this!"
Shwomp!
Sure enough, Anne cuts through, a clean line spreading on Viviane's pale arm. A second later, it completely fades.
"...Oh."
She figured.
Marlin blinks, feeling the same level of grip on his head. "S-she's still holding me?".
"Cutting her isn't going to break the connection," Anne admits. She moves to focus on the uncle's shiny head, pressing her lips into a line. After wavering for a second, she rests her hand on his head as well.
Marlin flinches. Rachel's hand flies to her mouth. "A...Anne?" Marlin calls.
"Sorry, but this is the only thing I can think of. Maybe I can meet her within you."
Rachel snaps up. "Dear, let's not try going that far!"
"No, do it," Marlin concedes with a scoff. "What's one more person violating my head anyway."
Anne raises her brows, her expression apologetic. "Sorry about this."
Marlin holds his breath as Anne's fingers sink through.