Unsure of how to respond, he bows. "You as well, Helianth." He takes some deep breaths before looking back up to it. "So, you seem to have some sort of curse. You've transformed most parts into blessings, but... Well, how long have you had that?"
"How did you- ah, right. Curse specialist. I've had this curse since the very moment of my creation- given to me at the same time as my sapience. The one curse I've yet to dispel."
He nods sympathetically. "It would take surgical precision, but I think I could come up with a cure or seal for it without affecting any blessings it provides." He sits down, the milk tea tanks within him sloshing slightly, muffled by his plush padding.
Eventually, she too is entirely consumed by the sea- the Nocturne claims another soul. It's hard to tell what KK is feeling, or if she's even aware of the metamorphosis happening under the waves. The Dark Energy ripples in the spot where she disappeared into the sea, and occasionally forms itself into the shapes of arms before these fabrications crumble back into inky void.
That same void seems to claim Henry, though his form remains more vaguely humanoid, and in shaping seems to be identical to Henry, though the changes seem to come in his soul and spirit, influxes of power bursting from him in explosions that shake the sea in ripples. After a while, it stops.
Her form- or at least, what can be interpreted from the surface about it- only stays somewhat humanoid, the gradual influx of power causing the rippling to increase in intensity and the shadowy arms to form in greater numbers. After a long while, the sea is still once more. A shadow, almost indiscernible amidst the inky void of the Nocturne, slowly drifts towards the shore. Whatever it is, it's huge, vaguely serpentine in form, and headed to the Beach with no sign of stopping.
A Nightmare emerges from the sea- not a new occurrence by any means, but it's rarer for that Nightmare to have once been a person. The first thing to breach the surface of the Dark Energy is- what else?- an arm, clawing its way onto the shore. An arm adorned in armor plating that bears the color of silver, though has a resinous shine more like chitin than metal. On the back of its clawed gauntlet is a single, emerald green eye bearing the characteristic W-shaped pupil of a cuttlefish, and each talon is stained an inky black. Wiring can be seen underneath some of the plating and around the joints, and that same inky darkness is visible underneath the segments.
Three more of these wretched arms burst forth from the water, clawing into the shore to help lift up the horrific creature they belong to. A large shape rises from the water... oh gods, what is that thing? More armor plating, more darting green eyes, more intertwined wiring- all composing the main body of the monster. Its lower half almost resembles an open ribcage- though in place of ribs, there are many mannequin arms. Even more mannequin parts seem to compose sections of its body under its chitinous exterior, latticed together in a terrible clotted mass of grasping limbs. Emerging from the creature's back, where there should be wings, are two great eel's skulls fused to its back, mouths agape and crackling with black flames. The monster has no face, only an inky void.
It rises to its full height- almost as tall as Helianth- and scuttles onto shore, carried by dozens and dozens of mannequin arms that line the segments of its lower body like centipede legs. It turns back to look at the Nocturne sea from which it was reborn. It seems to see something, carried onto the shore by the ebony waves- the mask. She delicately reaches down with two hands, picking up her Artefact and donning it. The mask seems to fit almost too perfectly, partway fusing into the void of her 'face'.
Far, far away, the Faceless Fair recognizes its new queen.
It doesn’t take much longer for Henry to follow, or more accurately he isn’t Henry anymore, far from the being he once was, his original appearance far from the being he is now.
Walking out of the water with footsteps so silent it’s as if he wasn’t ever there at all, if he were made of nothing himself. His general shape is the same, humanoid, but he isn’t human, skin turned black as if he bathed in tar, there is little face of his left, teeth without a mouth shining white, portions of his body made of bone, seemingly at random, a tundra like cold coming off of him. The only thing that remains the same of him is his eyes and his ring on his finger, his eyes remaining that silver, though it glows brighter than ever before. He doesn’t seem to have an artefact, until he realizes, the only thing that remained intact, his ring, his most cherished possession. He looks up to his wife, the cold dispersing immediately.
Slowly, Sebastian closes his eyes. Saphuno watches with pride of her husband, smiling
"Now, tell me.. Are you an adventurer, old for your species, or recently deceased?" he asks as he puts an amulet around Rag's neck. It makes him already feel less tense.
(Wander?)
Once Sebastian is asleep, Damian doesn’t make the mistake of moving them, turning to Saphuno, “I… love our life, honey.”
“Recently deceased, but I’m only in my late 40s.” He says, sighing as he thinks about how he’ll have to explain this whole thing to Sam, worrying about how Sam must’ve worried about him.
Wander is lying on top of Sylvia, playing the bango despite them sitting still, humming to himself.
"As do I.. I'm glad I broke my promise to myself." she says with a smirk
"Good to know. Anything else troubling you?" he asks as he works on Rag's lower back
Tonya is nearby, playing a harp. Somehow she's matching him, even though she's barely in earshot of him.
He raises an eyebrow, leaning back to let Sebastian lie on his chest, “Oh? And what would that promise be?”
He burns to the touch, but isn’t so hot that he’d be harmed by contact, “My fiancée, I hope she isn’t too worried about me.”
Wander directs Sylvia to begin walking over to them, changing the pace and notes to see if they keep up.
Slowly, Sebastian closes his eyes. Saphuno watches with pride of her husband, smiling
"Now, tell me.. Are you an adventurer, old for your species, or recently deceased?" he asks as he puts an amulet around Rag's neck. It makes him already feel less tense.
(Wander?)
Once Sebastian is asleep, Damian doesn’t make the mistake of moving them, turning to Saphuno, “I… love our life, honey.”
“Recently deceased, but I’m only in my late 40s.” He says, sighing as he thinks about how he’ll have to explain this whole thing to Sam, worrying about how Sam must’ve worried about him.
Wander is lying on top of Sylvia, playing the bango despite them sitting still, humming to himself.
"As do I.. I'm glad I broke my promise to myself." she says with a smirk
"Good to know. Anything else troubling you?" he asks as he works on Rag's lower back
Tonya is nearby, playing a harp. Somehow she's matching him, even though she's barely in earshot of him.
He raises an eyebrow, leaning back to let Sebastian lie on his chest, “Oh? And what would that promise be?”
He burns to the touch, but isn’t so hot that he’d be harmed by contact, “My fiancée, I hope she isn’t too worried about me.”
Wander directs Sylvia to begin walking over to them, changing the pace and notes to see if they keep up.
"To never get pregnant again." she giggles
"Love can be Mended if it's meant to be." he continues to work, though placing a towel between his paws and Rag's scales
She narrows her eyes at Wander, smiling and indeed keeping pace.
“I’m certainly happy you broke that promise.” He closes his eyes, sighing, “I don’t think I can escape without waking up Sebastian.”
The towel burns and sizzles a bit, but it’s fine “I hope so, I don’t want to disappoint her, not be enough of anything. Thanks Dew.”
Wander eventually stops playing, sitting up, “Hello, nice to meet you, I’m Wander.”
It doesn’t take much longer for Henry to follow, or more accurately he isn’t Henry anymore, far from the being he once was, his original appearance far from the being he is now.
Walking out of the water with footsteps so silent it’s as if he wasn’t ever there at all, if he were made of nothing himself. His general shape is the same, humanoid, but he isn’t human, skin turned black as if he bathed in tar, there is little face of his left, teeth without a mouth shining white, portions of his body made of bone, seemingly at random, a tundra like cold coming off of him. The only thing that remains the same of him is his eyes and his ring on his finger, his eyes remaining that silver, though it glows brighter than ever before. He doesn’t seem to have an artefact, until he realizes, the only thing that remained intact, his ring, his most cherished possession. He looks up to his wife, the cold dispersing immediately.
The looming horror that is- or at least, was KK- looks back down at him with her blank, expressionless mask, leaning down slightly towards him. On one of her hands, her own ring can be seen, integrated into the chitinous plating of her shell. The Architect skitters a bit closer to him on her myriad arms (legs? arm-legs?).
"We did it, dear." She says, sounding overjoyed. "How do you feel?"
Slowly, Sebastian closes his eyes. Saphuno watches with pride of her husband, smiling
"Now, tell me.. Are you an adventurer, old for your species, or recently deceased?" he asks as he puts an amulet around Rag's neck. It makes him already feel less tense.
(Wander?)
Once Sebastian is asleep, Damian doesn’t make the mistake of moving them, turning to Saphuno, “I… love our life, honey.”
“Recently deceased, but I’m only in my late 40s.” He says, sighing as he thinks about how he’ll have to explain this whole thing to Sam, worrying about how Sam must’ve worried about him.
Wander is lying on top of Sylvia, playing the bango despite them sitting still, humming to himself.
"As do I.. I'm glad I broke my promise to myself." she says with a smirk
"Good to know. Anything else troubling you?" he asks as he works on Rag's lower back
Tonya is nearby, playing a harp. Somehow she's matching him, even though she's barely in earshot of him.
He raises an eyebrow, leaning back to let Sebastian lie on his chest, “Oh? And what would that promise be?”
He burns to the touch, but isn’t so hot that he’d be harmed by contact, “My fiancée, I hope she isn’t too worried about me.”
Wander directs Sylvia to begin walking over to them, changing the pace and notes to see if they keep up.
"To never get pregnant again." she giggles
"Love can be Mended if it's meant to be." he continues to work, though placing a towel between his paws and Rag's scales
She narrows her eyes at Wander, smiling and indeed keeping pace.
“I’m certainly happy you broke that promise.” He closes his eyes, sighing, “I don’t think I can escape without waking up Sebastian.”
The towel burns and sizzles a bit, but it’s fine “I hope so, I don’t want to disappoint her, not be enough of anything. Thanks Dew.”
Wander eventually stops playing, sitting up, “Hello, nice to meet you, I’m Wander.”
She casts levitate, and Sebastian gently floats into his crib. "there ya go."
"Of course.. Rag, right?" he moves to their shoulders
Tonya ends in a flourish. "I'm Tonya. Likewise, wander."
He sighs, sitting back up and cracking his neck, “Ah yeah, I forgot we both have magic.” He chuckles.
“Exactly right. You don’t have to do everything, I need to find Sam soon.”
“Where did you learn to play like that ma’am?” He asks, moving his hair from his face.
He rolls next to them, nuzzling into their chest and yawning, “Love you.”
He does as they say, relaxing his neck, though it’s naturally tense.
“Something our families have in common, though mine’s more found than born.” He smiles.
"I love you too.. Oh what mother would think of me now."
He pops it as much as he can before letting Rag be done. "5 silver, please."
"Well, it's a beautiful thing. Like this harp my husband made me.." she smiles, looking at it rather than him
He looks up at the ceiling, “I wonder if my parents even think about me at all, I still need to meet your parents.”
He pushes himself up and hands Dew a platinum, “Saw you weren’t getting too many customers, think of this as a gift.” He leaves with a smile, going to Sam’s demiplane.
He understands the sentiment and doesn’t feel offended “Your husband must be a good man, it is a beautiful harp.”
*Thank you, dear Salem.*
*I'd be up to continue the previous interaction, if you'd like! It's just on the previous page- along with KK's completed metamorphosis.*
Former Spider Queen of the Spider Guild, and friendly neighborhood scheming creature.
"Made by spiders, for spiders, of spiders."
My pronouns are she/her.
Web Weaver of Everlasting Narrative! (title bestowed by Drummer)
He nods sympathetically. "It would take surgical precision, but I think I could come up with a cure or seal for it without affecting any blessings it provides." He sits down, the milk tea tanks within him sloshing slightly, muffled by his plush padding.
Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.
Awake, impure, divine
Breathgiver of the Strugels
It doesn’t take much longer for Henry to follow, or more accurately he isn’t Henry anymore, far from the being he once was, his original appearance far from the being he is now.
Walking out of the water with footsteps so silent it’s as if he wasn’t ever there at all, if he were made of nothing himself. His general shape is the same, humanoid, but he isn’t human, skin turned black as if he bathed in tar, there is little face of his left, teeth without a mouth shining white, portions of his body made of bone, seemingly at random, a tundra like cold coming off of him. The only thing that remains the same of him is his eyes and his ring on his finger, his eyes remaining that silver, though it glows brighter than ever before. He doesn’t seem to have an artefact, until he realizes, the only thing that remained intact, his ring, his most cherished possession. He looks up to his wife, the cold dispersing immediately.
He raises an eyebrow, leaning back to let Sebastian lie on his chest, “Oh? And what would that promise be?”
He burns to the touch, but isn’t so hot that he’d be harmed by contact, “My fiancée, I hope she isn’t too worried about me.”
Wander directs Sylvia to begin walking over to them, changing the pace and notes to see if they keep up.
“I’m certainly happy you broke that promise.” He closes his eyes, sighing, “I don’t think I can escape without waking up Sebastian.”
The towel burns and sizzles a bit, but it’s fine “I hope so, I don’t want to disappoint her, not be enough of anything. Thanks Dew.”
Wander eventually stops playing, sitting up, “Hello, nice to meet you, I’m Wander.”
The looming horror that is- or at least, was KK- looks back down at him with her blank, expressionless mask, leaning down slightly towards him. On one of her hands, her own ring can be seen, integrated into the chitinous plating of her shell. The Architect skitters a bit closer to him on her myriad arms (legs? arm-legs?).
"We did it, dear." She says, sounding overjoyed. "How do you feel?"
Former Spider Queen of the Spider Guild, and friendly neighborhood scheming creature.
"Made by spiders, for spiders, of spiders."
My pronouns are she/her.
Web Weaver of Everlasting Narrative! (title bestowed by Drummer)
*Im sorry for disappearing, and I may be gone for a while longer, I’m sorry.*
*Okay I’m here, if you want to continue. It’s okay if you don’t.*
He sighs, sitting back up and cracking his neck, “Ah yeah, I forgot we both have magic.” He chuckles.
“Exactly right. You don’t have to do everything, I need to find Sam soon.”
“Where did you learn to play like that ma’am?” He asks, moving his hair from his face.
*Cut for Salem.*
He rolls next to them, nuzzling into their chest and yawning, “Love you.”
He does as they say, relaxing his neck, though it’s naturally tense.
“Something our families have in common, though mine’s more found than born.” He smiles.
He looks up at the ceiling, “I wonder if my parents even think about me at all, I still need to meet your parents.”
He pushes himself up and hands Dew a platinum, “Saw you weren’t getting too many customers, think of this as a gift.” He leaves with a smile, going to Sam’s demiplane.
He understands the sentiment and doesn’t feel offended “Your husband must be a good man, it is a beautiful harp.”