" I have come to pray before the chosen ... " A withered old man crawled into a temple, rags covering his frail body, sunken cheeks and sagged skin, he was in every sense an urchin.
Yet here, in a village far from the constraints of the empire, in a land of beasts and savages. A small village that had stood for no more than sixteen years was centred around a sort of church. A church the village guarded jealously. A church they rearely allowed outsiders to step foot into, a church that shouldn't exist.
It was this church, despite the lechers foreign identity, that let him in despite the knowledge that he may have been denied.
" Of course, those in need are never to be denied the chance for salvation" A bald woman, tattooed to have a rose under her left eye,white robes with red lining its seams, two small blades at her him and a snarly burn on her left side, turned and pushed the wooden doors open with all the force her body could muster.
"Only you may enter" A relatively large audience chamber greeted his sight, where wooden planks lead into sacred hallowed grounds. He couldn't see in, curtains blocked his sight.
And so he did, head low in respect, he refused to look up as was advised. He stepped forward, into crimson carpets that draped the wooden floors. Soft candlelight illuminated the red carpet, as he slowly hobbled his way across the wooden ground, hearing the door close behind him at the door master's bidding.
" State your reason for coming" A deep voice spoke some metres infront of where he stood, and his steps froze, unwilling to step closer to the source of the deep baritone voice.
" I ... my health is ailing. I was advised I have little more than a year, I wish to spend it whole and healthy " He whispered, shaking legs leaning heavily on his cane.
Silence stretched under the soft light, as whispers echoed through the room he couldn't see.
" Your name ... what is your name " Another voice, several paces to the right of the original asked.
" Corwin Voss... " He slowly dropped to one knee on his weak spindly legs.
"Corwin Voss ... you may raise your chin ... " And so he did, he raised his onyx eyes to gaze apon the one they called the lord of roses in this arid wastes. And found himself stunned at what he saw.
A child, face hidden behind a veil of still cloth, a wreath of crimson painted steel barbs and roses sat atop the head of this... boy.
A white robe embroidered with crimson seams sat fastened to this child's body. As he sat on a throne of meticulously carved stone dyed red with dripping paints and wax.
Around this young man, a group of sisters and brothers, warriors peerless from the village who had pledged to serve after a vow of silence, stood around the stone throne in an eclipse formation, ready at any moment to run through anyone unbidden to enter.
They were called the silent due to their habit of looming around the boy, never uttering a single word that anyone was aware of.
At the boys immediate side, two knelt before him. A man who knelt to the boys right, a woman on his left, dressed in complete black and gold robed that completely hid their features.
' Was it they who spoke' His eyes trailed to the two kneeling at the boys feet, yet he could only hold his gaze on the boys self for little more than a couple of minutes.
" Corwin Voss ... you will die in six months ... but you will die with the body twenty years your younger, the strength of ten men and the beauty of a water dancer ... do you accept this divine gift ... " The woman at the child's left spoke.
" I came here today expecting to die regardless, should I die whole ... I would be happy to die tomorrow" Corwin accepted the deal humbly, without any argument or denial.
" Then you may approach" The man finally bid. "Kneel, Hold out your hand, and accept blessing"
" Of course Milord... " He all but fell to his knees, crawled forward between the two kneeling figures and extended an open palm towards the sacred boy.
From the sleeves of the white robe, pale hands slithered out of their confines, and with gentle ease, touched at the open palm of the lecher.
" Ah ... " A gasped escaped the lechers lips, before his eyes rolled back Into his skull and he collapsed unconscious.
The door master quickly came in as the lechers body lay, kneeling down as her scarred side rippled.
" What would you have me do with him "Her softly asked question echoed within the chamber, yet none dared speak.
" To the dessert ... give him a horse, food and water enough to make the trip back to civilisation. Then you may spend your day at your sire" A deep rumbling, doubled voice more akin to a large beasts escaped the shiftless veil that covered the young man's face. A voice befitting s titan that rumbled the walls and made the ground quake.
" Thank you milord " She bowed, and with strength unbefitting her size, lifted the lecher into her arms and strode long strides out of the dimly lit chamber.
The seven gathered Silent stood sentry, they never left their stations, not to eat, not to sleep, they always stood where they were without fail, unless ordered by the word of the lord of roses.
" Leave me, I wish to ponder ... alone " They didn't refuse his request, rather strode forward without argue, along with the two knelt figures that had sat at his feet all day, leaving the chamber and sealing the doors shut in their wake.
" ffffphhh" A deep sigh disturbed the veil, as the boys hesd fell back onto the back of the stone throne.
" Another day " Instead of the voice of a titan that escaped the veil, the voice of a youth came from within, as the young man teant over the throne, resting his head on his hand in thought. " Another day confined to a fucking chair"
A flick of his wrist illuminated a panel infront if the veil that covered his face, a panel of deep purple colour, shining, glistening infront of his dark eyes.
' Hm ... as expected ... rewards I can't fucking use '
[ Name : Steven Smith ( formerly) Malak Thorne
Age : 17
TITLES : The lord of roses, The blessed, The blesser, life giver, the liar, Lord of locusts, The plague, Consumption.
FOLLOWERS : 43 common folk
The silent - 8
BLESSINGS BESTOWED: 35- (TOTAL ) 12( UNCLAIMED) 23 (CLAIMED)
GUARANTEED LIFESPAN - 87.6 YEARS
GAINED ABILITIES - Partial bodily functions- restored.
Enhanced strength. Enhanced sight. Enhanced endurance. Gift of blessings. Gift of taking. Etc . Etc.
ITEMS : Lords veil, lord of roses ensemble,Egg ( ready to hatch ) etc.etc ]
' This fucking system ... what's the use of super strength or enhanced endurance when I can't even stand on my own' That was the caveat of this dawned system. He needed to give a blessing to another, and claim the gift after a certain amount of time, allowing him to recieve a portion if their life force, their strength and intelligence and ontop of that a random gift from the system.
He cursed this system, cursed it every waking moment since his his first breath in this world so long ago. Afterall he had been born without sight, without hearing, without even the sense of feeling, stuck without anything but the ability of thought and the system whispering in his ears.
He didn't know how much time he spent cursed in the shadow, didn't know how long he was forced to endure oblivion.
And then one day, some day after his first breath, it happened.
Sight, sight had been claimed, taken from thise that had coveted his blessings since the very day they found praying to his unseeing, unlearning body as a baby would grant the wishes they prayed to come to fruition. Sight had come from a man whose sight had been ailing, kneeling before the base in the crib and pleading for sight once more. Then he was trampled by his horse, and the very next moment, as his life fled, the blessing came back with tenfold rewards, giving Malak unparalleled peerless sight.
It snowballed from there, hearing ... came from the deaf. Taste came from a vile man seeking to hide in the wilderness, only happening apon their village to hide before taking a chance to pray before the child on the seat.
There were wishes more ludicrous, eight different people asked for immortality, but were bound to servitude to act in his stead, and they accepted it all the same.
His parents knelt and wished for voice out of greed, to have dominion over those in their village. And so they were made to Kneel at his his feet, to speak in his place to those that wished. His mother to the side of his left foot, the listener. And his father, knelt at the right, to speak.
Their greed robed them of their own agency, and it sickened him, for five years they did nothing but listen and speak, occasionally being allowed to swap, but they were in essence once creature, only one could hear at the time, but they both shared their ears. And they both shared one mouth, just in different bodies.
Everyday he was forced to watch them kneel at his feet, and they did it willingly like their lives had meaning like that.
' Disgusting ... ' He didn't see then as parents, more placeholders for the source of his new life. And they didn't see him as a son, more an idol of worship. They never showed him parental love, just worship and servitude.
Had he been born without anything like a former life, had he been treated as a god walking the earth, he feared what he would have grown to be instead.
But most damning of all was this throne, was his broken body. With only arms and a dead lower body, there was but one thing he wished for ... yet the system wouldn't grant it as he couldn't wish for himself, only through others could any wish he granted be returned. He wanted his legs, he wanted to walk. To stride of his own volition. To leave this cursed chamber and stand under the sun.
' It's just a waiting game now' There was a list of those blessed by him, those carrying his gifts, gifts he would never be able to partake in himself.
One in particular stood out, a cripple that had been confined to being carried by his elder brother, having travelled long and far on the whispers carried by tongue about his abilities, having come to plea.
' Hurry up ... uhar ' His most trusted of the silent, a member of the village whom had expressly asked to serve as the hand of her God until their last breath. That one, was the one and only wish that came without any caveats, that system recognising the loyalty... the desire to serve, and rewarding it unconditionally.
He could feel it, feel her from where he sag in this dark chamber. His eyes flickered behind the veil, impatience, want... he wanted it to be done, casting someone to death at his own desire, he felt guilt, he felt shame ... but he felt the resulting and far stretching consequences would far outstrip the immediate consequences.
' Come on ... Uhar ... I sent you out a week ago ... what is taking you so long '
....Dothraki sea ...
" Haha ... look at that" Two brothers stood shoulder to shoulder despite the ferns pricking at their feet, under the blistering sun baring down apon them under the mid day heat.
" Hahaha it's beautiful" Previously a cripple, Collin stood on his own beside the brother that had taken care of him since he was a boy.
" It is brother it is ... praise the lord of roses for this blessing" A habit they had developed since leaving the village whole, Collin and Baker prayed to the gift giver once more.
" Haha what are you going to do when we return to essos brother ... " Baker wiggled his brows before Collin blushed. " Going to give you dear woman a good humping "
" Don't say it like that " Collin didn't dent the insinuation, but he wanted to give his dear Ether what she had earnt throigj years of regardless service.
" Ahahahha got the right idea in mind you little shit" Baker slugged Collin on the shoulder, the two walking between the barren hills. Yet the humorous atmosphere was not allowed to persist. As the whining of a horse echoed infront of them. Causing the brothers to squint and lean forward in confusion.
" What's that ... " A black horse rounded a bend between the rolling hills, where a pitch black rider sat apon its saddle.
" It's... " Baler squinted, and felt his already dry mouth become parched as he realised whom sat alon the horses back. " It's a silent ... how did they get infront of us"
Pitch black robes with a white veil over her head, Uhar stood at six feet tall, a gleaming steel blade hooked to her waist by a sash. Nobody knew what she looked like, all except for those of the village, nobody knew what lay under those black robes, but everyone knew she was tall, and frightening to behold in the attire she never removed.
She slid off the night coloured horse, feet slamming down onto the sands below with a thunderous clap, as armour hidden below her black robes shifted over itself.
She didn't explain, didn't offer words, rather simply drew her sword and broke into a dead sprint the two.
" What the FUCK"
Her strength was thunderous and her speed terrifying as she appeared between the two of them near immediately, rumbling and scattering the sands as her blade fell, which the two brothers barely managed to dodge before the screaming sword split the ground with a loud crack.
" RUN COLLIN " Baker roared, pulling out his own iron sword and slashing at the exposed neck of the silent attacking them.
Uhar leant her head back, allowing the sword to pass by her nape, hood fluttering as she raised her sword from the ground and swept it upward at Bakers own neck where he practically threw himself back in order not to have his head split open.
Baker stumbled back, the tip of her sword cutting his chin ever so slightly as blood began to leak, all the while Collin ran away like a rat, screaming as he ran, leaving a trail of disturbed sand.
" What the fuck are you going demon " Baker slashed right, missing and swinging back left , having his blade parried the next moment and diverted toward the ground to his left where it kicked up sand, his strength failing him as his arm shook from trying to raise his blade from the divet in the sand.,
All the while the silent and her bladeblade kept his arm frok rising even slightly like a father stops their child from raising something dangerous.
He strained to raise it, neck bulging as veins in his forehead pulsed. His anger getting the better of him in this moment of weakness.
" AAAAHHHHH" Baker cried, stepping back and pulling his sword back away from the block, twirling and swinging hid blade at her neck.
' DIE ... ' He cried victoriously in his own head, only for his eyes to widen a fraction as the woman dropped to the ground in an impressive display of agility and speed, allowing the blade to pass over her head as useless as its weilder.
She remained crouched, and her unarmed left hand flingung out to strike Baker flat in the stomach with enough force to shoot him back several feet, tossing up sand in his uncontrolled fall before rolling to a stop face down on the ground.
" BAKER " Collin called over his shoulder as he ran through the rolling hills, seeing his brother momentary knocked away as the silent rose.
" ...." Uhar stepped forward a single foot, before shooting forward in a blitz of black, armour clinking violently, her robes fluttering behind her as she rapidly closed in on the fleeing man, a single step carrying metres as she leapt across the ground more like a beast than a human.
" COLLLIIIIN " But no matter what Baker did, he couldn't close the gap between this fiend and his fleeing brother.
She was apon him in an instant, blade singing through the air, whistling as it cut a violent arc through the air, and separated Collins head from his body.
" AAAHHHHHHHH" Baker rose and threw himself at the daunting demon of a woman with renewed fury.
" .... " And she met him with a flurry,.ready to silence him and return to her lord.
....THE VILLAGE OF THE ROSE ...
Malak arched, mouth opening under his veil, onyx eyes widening as he suddenly arched over his stone throne.
[ Rewards gained- bodily functions restored( complete) ]
He could feel it, the way his legs now ached from sitting so long, the way his toes curled in the open air since he was shoeless. The blood rushing below the skin.
' I've... missed ... this ' For seventeen years he had been confined to sit in a chair, for seventeen years he was nothing but a motionless idol forced to be worshipped. Until now.
' Finish it Uhar ... I need you by my side ... immediately ' He couldn't wait, to stand outside, but he needed her here, his greatest weapon outside of the system and his own body, he had waited seventeen years, he could wait alittle more for her return.
....
" AAAAHHHHHH DIE BEAST " Tears flow down his face as he and the silent exchanged a furious trade of bloes atop the corpse of his brother. Their deadly dance a display of skill vs strength.
Uhar was laughable inept at the blade, but strength and instinct guided her, meeting the practiced blade of Baker.
They kicked up sand, their blades clanging with each strike.
Bakers breathing was haggard, uneven and his face was marred with sweat.
' Fuck ' He misjudged a strike, and found himself slamming into the ground from a savage downward strike that sent a tingling sensation up through his arms, knocking his blade clean from his grip and tossing it into the sands at the side.
" Do it then ... kill me ... " Baker slowly raised his gaze to the white veil of the woman who stood over him like a monolith of death.
In her perpetual silence she leant down, black gauntleted hands clasping his neck and lifting him clean from the ground with little to no effort, the thin veil covering her face as empty as her voice, as she seemed to stare through the veil at him.
Then he acted.
' DIE ' His hidden dagger slashed open her neck, opening her nape and spraying blood all over Bakers face.
He fell to the ground, as she let go of his neck, her hands flying to her bleeding neck a she dropped to one knee, gauntlets being soaked in spraying blood as her would be killed laughed at her impending death.
He laughed, lifting himself up onto his elbows, curses and mocking spewing from his venomous lips.
But she didn't fall, instead, slowly before Bakers slowly softening laughs, she lowered her hands from her neck. There was no spray of blood anymore.
As her hands fell away as she knelt on one knee, her lips sneered, in both outrage and fear. He saw the tear in the fabric of her neckline, the unarmoured neckline which had been cut open, was now completely healed, as if it had never so much as been cut by his blade.
" What are you " His brave face broke, staring at the open tear, eyea rising to stare up at her with open fear.
He would never receive an answer, instead he received Uhar's blade through the chest, stating up at the veil, as the life fled his eyes, arms went slack and body became devoid of all signs of life.
" ...." Uhar pulled her blade free of Bakers chest, running its steel surface over the fabric covering her left arm, cleaning both sides of the blade before sinking it into its scabbard.
And then she left, simply hopping up onto the saddle of her horse, snapping the reigns and trotting off back towards the village of roses, leaving the deceased brothers to bake under the sun in her wake.
....