tell me now of the very soul that look alike

[inferus]

WHO: Wrath + Red + Others
WHEN: Event threads / Tower Aftermath threads
WHERE: Serthica
WHAT: November Catch-All. Please let me know if you would like a closed thread with either of mine.
WARNINGS: Cursing, memory-loss, curses, talks of Hell/demons. Will edit if more specific warnings come up.

[ closed starters will be below. ]

Comments

[valeas]

Many things can be said of Cain d'Ubiq, Emilia is sure, but he told no tales: plants remain intact aboard one of the aerial healing units she and Wrath have located. A container the likes of which she's never seen houses at least one of them, as fresh as the charmed lilies that were once sent to Arabella.

The last time she explored this terrain, dark waters seized hold of her and attempted to assume her shape. Pain assailed her as though hundreds of sharp needles descended upon her hand at once.

Needless to say, Emilia wears gloves today as she inspects their findings closely.

"This is juniper," she confirms to Wrath.

[inferus]

Wrath steps up behind her to look over Emilia's shoulder at the plant that she is holding. She is far more familiar with plants than he is, but he has learned. Wrath knows all of the plants used in summoning the Seven Wicked Princes and utilized in any witch spell or ritual. Celestia's book made its rounds within Hell, and Wrath was all to ready to learn all he could from it despite being no witch himself. Demon magic can be utilized in a similar way as those who are goddess-blessed.

Beyond that, he has sat and watched Emilia cook many times before, and she often tells him the names of ingredients and herbs as she goes. It has been some time since he had the chance to watch her cook, and some quiet yearning awakens inside of his chest which is quickly smothered by the nature of their mission and his own careful control.

"...the container is full of it?"

The more they can take back, the better.

[valeas]

She's no less immune to his closeness than before. The opposite, really, which is entirely frustrating to realize. But that realization is for future Emilia to stew on. Even with the heat of him at her back, she concentrates on the herbs in front of them. They're in perfect condition, she's relieved to report.

"Full."

Upon confirmation, she fetches a smaller bag from her satchel. Its design is not exactly on par with what's fashionable in the underworld, nor does it complement Emilia's own aesthetic exactly, but she sends him a withering scowl in preemptive warning. "It belonged to Lily, and she left it to me."

"It's enchanted to expand the internal dimensions without affecting the exterior. Brilliant, really." As was Lily. So not a word about it. "We should be able to fit all of it and then some."

[inferus]

Wrath's expression goes through as much of a roller coaster as it ever could for someone who is so restrained. His eyebrows lift at the sight of the bag that does not remind him of Emilia's style in the slightest and which certainly does not fit in with the King and Queen of Hell's aesthetics, but then she is sending him that withering scowl before he can even get a word out.

He enjoys the sight of it in truth. His gaze falls to her mouth rather openly like he is thinking of devouring it entirely with his own, especially because when she turns to look back at him, her body presses against his own in the process. He can hear her heartbeat.

"I will check the remainder of the area," he says instead of all of the many words that run through his mind. They have a mission to do after all, and the bag does seem like it would come in handy. He knows Emilia misses Lily, and so he smartly keeps his mouth shut at present, turning to look through the rest of the area, following the scent of it in the air until he finds another container.

He opens this one and pulls out another herb, turning back to her. "...there is rosemary here."

[valeas]

Emilia raises one lone brow, observing Wrath as his expression goes through its own gymnastics course, at least a milder version of it. He never looks more human than when he looks confounded, and she stubbornly refuses to acknowledge the endearing element to it, alongside the way his gaze lowers to her mouth.

He had plenty of chance to feast on it before.

Wisely, he says nothing, and Emilia focuses on gathering the juniper into Lily's bag.

She still can't think of it belonging to anyone else, not even herself. It remains a marvel: she always thinks there won't be room. And there always is. She should have never doubted in the first place.

Remembering the tentacles that gave her and Yelena trouble, she forsakes the ache in her chest and hurries toward Wrath with the bag still open, that he may place the rosemary inside. "Do you think it necessary to charm the bag?" she asks. The plants have preserved well, but the return will be volatile.

[inferus]

Wrath shuts the container and places it within the bag, which does indeed appear to have more room than what it looks like it would on the outside. A useful spell which does not exist within their own world but should, could if they were to remember any of this on their return, but they are already aware they will not.

"It may not be necessary but better to charm than regret not doing so. The journey here was treacherous."

They need those herbs to be returned to the city even if it means taking more time to do so. If they lose the containers or if they are damaged, they are in for greater trouble. He moves to where they came in to look outside of the crashed vessel, scanning the area.

They are not alone, and he smiles wickedly, craving battle, and blood spilled at the realization.

[valeas]

"So it was."

Emilia closes up the bag once more, sets it on the ground so that her hands are free and she can cast her charm. Once finished, she follows Wrath, well aware of what that wicked grin means.

He was made for war: some piece of him will always be shaken awake by the prospect. It's frustrating to realize her own dulled senses are not as quick on the uptake, but she sharpens them now to assess their surroundings. Reaches for the dagger strapped to a holster on her thigh.

They're returning with these herbs, one way or another.

[inferus]

Wrath removes his own dagger from its sheath as he senses Emilia walk up behind him- blade in hand, and he nods in the direction of the group who are still some distance away, but are coming in this direction.

"...the Remembrance group."

He can hear them whispering to each other about what they plan to do with this aircraft and what they have done in the past (loud shouts of how the dragons screamed, how Eidris blamed Minaras, how it was all going to plan), and they wear the same outfits as the others who were in their headquarters.

"They intend to take one of these to use against Eidris as they did before."

It's the night she felt the pain of the dragon through Opal, the night chaos reigned in Eidiris and the dragons suffered for it and most importantly, so did his wife again. Wrath intends to make them pay for it.