"... The next person I know, is a man who comes to the exams often... too often. Each time he participates, he leaves with a new rag-tag team. And each time he returns, only he comes for the Anointment. You know what that means, don't you?"
Ikky looked at the woman with a raised eyebrow.
"For a second there, I'd thought you weren't talking to me. Because I never did ask for your stories."
Astrid's head fell back on his shoulder as she explained,
"Information is very valuable in a place like the Realm of Augury. I was simply imparting what I know onto you."
"I see. Pardon me but, this brain of mine is quite inclined to ignore... uninteresting topics. Oh but, do not misunderstand. I really do appreciate the effort. It's just that our time could be better spent on more pressing matters. Like for example, if you have enough energy to move around on your own; or how I should deactivate my Totem?"
A blessing for a curse. That is one way to remove a curse placed on Ikky's head. Had he not done this woman enough favours yet for her to be satisfied, for her to appreciate him giving his life away for her?
On one hand, Equinox... or Līfwin does not care for his own safety, but this matter concerned his Augur spirit as well. He pondered deeply. What should he do?
The golden spirit on his back squeezed onto him even tighter before speaking into his ear as she rested,
"Virtues are the traits of Prophet, Totems are for their Augur spirits to safekeep. There is a simple method Prophets use to deal with their problem of having limited spiritual energy in times of crises that requires endurance. And that is to relinquish their Totem's partial authority entirely to their spirits. In this way, the spirit would take form, and would be able to fight alongside the Prophet."
She continued, realising she had gotten the man's attention.
"If you relinquish your Totem to your Augur spirit, the essence that would be expended will not be yours, but her's."
Equinox blinked. "That sounds great. But how do I accomplish such a feat?"
Astrid replied, "Give it all to her. Your unconditional trust, and your life for her to possess."
His feet ruffled the dead leaves and twigs on the ground as he stopped walking. He was suddenly reminded of something.
Some time ago in his first omen, Yaga really had come out to help him deliver the final blow to the calamity spirit of seduction. She had been able to help him then, but never again. Even now that she was screaming warnings in his mind, he could hear the helplessness in her voice. Could she not just stretch out her grotesque arm once again and pull the gluttonous spirit on his back into her burning pot?
She couldn't. It was quite obvious why. In that dark gloomy cave, Equinox had nothing to rely on, except for that calm voice assuring him that all would be well. He had no other choice but to leave his life in her hands, and trust her to the extent that he was willing to lay down helplessly in front of a creature exhuding all that would be considered profanity into his nostrils, and await its actions without a single drop of fear in his heart.
Now that he thought of it. It really was a great feat, having that much trust in the spirit at first. However, things had changed after finding out she could read his mind.
Ikky did not want someone else peeping into his memories and witnessing all of the disgusting things he had to do to survive. This feeling was especially from Nox. His side of the Realm was a hundred times more unforgiving to creatures who weren't determined enough to lick the flesh off their own fellow brethren to survive.
Equinox didn't even have the stomach to accept the people he had pushed into the spider spirit for a measly second at life, but Nox's gut compensated.
Regardless, Ikky would much rather forget that past, rather than have another person be aware of it. He would die first before allowing Yaga into the realm where all of his shame lied bare.
Astrid could sense a particular resolve in his heart. She was curious, but even she could not assimilate his thoughts through their current connection. Not even Yaga who could exist in his mental space could do it, much less she.
"Are you comfortable?" He asked with a smile.
Astrid nodded, before going back to rest.
———
His outfit looked too neat, too ironed and polished for someone who had spent days in this free-for-all haven.
The shoes of his that brushed over the vines, twigs and brown leaves were still shiny. His pants looked neatly ironed, and his white sleeves were folded up well— just like his neatly tucked shirt below his black waistcoat.
He swung his jacket over his shoulder, the cloth brushing past his blue earring.
There is only one thing Camille de Chevreuse hates more than dirt, and that is people who look down on him.
"Get down from there, Izel!" He pointed up at the woman standing in the sky on her flying serpent.
Izel cupped her hands around her mouth and screamed, "No!"
Chuckling to herself, she fell backwards on Quetzcoat's mane.
"Let's go. This guy's not worth fighting." The growling beast snuffed at the man below, before turning around and flying away.
"I heard that!" Camille shouted.
"Oh my... goodness." He shook his head with a laugh and cleared his throat. "This woman is something else— a quite annoying personality. However, she does have talent befitting of her pompous attitude. But, if her hands were any greener in her line of expertise, why I might have chopped them off and used them as fertilisers instead. Haha!"
He adjusted his sleeves, and the mighty serpent Quetzcoat appeared on the ground, only to be kicked senselessly back towards the direction it had run off to.
Izel had jumped off just in time, looking down at the man with a very fragile smile on her face.
"Don't test me Camille." Izel warned.
"Beg me first." Camille returned her warning smirk, knowing fully well that she knew he was untouchable.
In the time it would take for an intentionally quick blink of an eye, Izel's sword had already gone through the man's body three times and was sliding into the sheeth she held in her other hand.
Camille's smile froze, his face melting into one of confusion.
"Hm? What did you do? Did you not cut me?" He looked around. His Virtue should have activated by now.
He turned back to Izel's blade as the woman planted her feet firmly on the ground and called back her salamander.
"That mist coming out of your blade's sheeth... What is—"
"Equinox quick-draw style— icky sins." She grinned.
It was then that he realised that his body had been stained with a very disgusting looking black fluid. His clothes... his clothes had been ruined!
Izel pointed at the man staring down in stupor. "I made this sword especially for you, 'miss Camille'. So even if I can't touch you, I can at least piss you off so much you faint!"
Camille slowly carried his head up, blood sliding down the side of his red lips as his eyes twitched with madness.
Izel's eyes widened with surprise and something akin to fear for the first time in her many encounters with this man... or perhaps it was fear itself— one of its eerie kinds.
She had never gotten this far before, or seen Camille bleed, ever! So she was quite stumped as to what to do now.
The man brought his thumb to wipe away the blood on his mouth before swinging that hand to the side and calling,
"Gévaudan!"