08-27-2021, 06:31 PM
001 - Wounded
Jason
A blur of metallic copper shot down from the clouds, a larger red blur following close behind.
A lithe, plated dragon with a rider glanced upwards, behind him. His pursuer was hot on his tail, a massive spiked dragon that surely meant to kill them both. The rider clung tightly to his dragon's neck, instinctively leaning with the agile twists and turns of his mount as the copper used every aerial trick he could to evade the larger, angrier dragon.
Let's go let's go let's go let's go!
Jason had gotten used to flying on Mimring's back, but Mimring had never had to employ such evasive maneuvers before and it was starting to give him vertigo. One would think that the dracomancer could get the Pyrespine chasing them to back off, but no, trying to control it had only made it angry-- very angry. And it wasn't like the pair could take off into more crowded terrain to lose the larger dragon, because it had chased them over open coast, over the water where there was nowhere to hide. Jason could take flight on his own by turning into a dragon himself, but Mimring had insisted on carrying him-- they were running, not fighting, and Jason wasn't nearly as fast as his Familiar.
Next time you decide to set up camp in another dragon's territory, remind me to tell you no, Mimring thought in adrenaline-fueled irritation.
Yeah yeah, I messed up. Focus on flying!
Mimring might have replied, but in their dive the larger, heavier dragon had the advantage of gravity and had gained enough to reach Mimring's tail and bite down, dragging him and his rider towards the ground. The two dragons spent a few seconds roaring at each other as they scrabbled for a grip with their claws, but as the lighter dragon Mimring was at a disadvantage. The ground quickly approaching, the Pyrespine set to land on the pair, Mimring struggled to at least right himself so that Jason wouldn't be crushed under both dragons. The Firedrake's jaws clamped on the Pyrespine's foreleg to keep the larger dragon from clawing at the Shapeshifter.
Brace yourself!
The thought was almost immediately followed by Mimring flaring his wings last-second like a scaly parachute, slowing their descent just enough to prevent killing all three of them in the fall. They all went tumbling as Mimring scrabbled his claws at a sea stack as they shot past it, trying to find purchase, but the momentum of their crashing fall dashed them into the sand, sliding several meters before their momentum ran out. Jason barely had time to register what all of their positions were relative to each other before Mimring bucked him off into the sand, twisted onto his side, and used a hind leg to kick him away from the brawl.
What followed next was a series of growls and roars, accompanied by a flurry of wings and claws and tails and jaws as the two dragons battled for position and footing. The somewhat dazed Shapeshifter couldn't quite tell what was happening or who was winning, but it wasn't long before the scuffle was decided with a screeching roar, a spray of blood, and the Pyrespine recoiling into the air away from its adversary. For a moment Jason took the enemy's retreat as a loss, but Mimring collapsed into the sand instead, panting and bleeding badly from the neck. The Firedrake's thoughts were confused and weak, struggling to stay conscious, as Jason sprang up with a newfound second adrenaline rush and raced to his best friend's side.
Destiny
The figure had watched the entire exchange from within the shadows. Its presence undetectable the being began to approach, sensing the perfect opportunity. The shapeshifter was desperately approaching his draconic friend where it lay.
Completely imperceptible, the being strode across the open area, closing the distance until it was mere paces from the dragon. The shapeshifter would not arrive in time.
The being materialized itself to view as if it were a shadow being born into life.
Well.
If shadows were eyeburning magenta.
The being was robed in pink, carrying a pink scythe with floral patterns pointed at the dragon. The face was impossibly obscured. The picture of Death itself.
Well.
If death were eye burning magenta.
The being appeared to be looking away from the dragon, facing the oncoming shapeshifter.
"Hello. Hun." The voice almost seemed disembodied, but definitely feminine.
Jason
Jason ignored the absurdity of the situation. The presence of a cloaked figure, the eye-searing color, the strangely polite voice. Reapers were a common symbol of death, sure, and the reality versus the symbolism of it all was still up for debate, but the Shapeshifter didn't care. Fear was already spiking his adrenaline; any more added just turned into aggression.
Mid-stride, Jason went from a human shape to that of a large, thick-furred black wolf. Acting on instinct, the wolf bolted at the Reaper with a growl. He leapt; he closed the rest of the distance with that bound and aimed himself at the stranger. But, strangely, not for the figure itself-- his jaws opened in a snarl and snapped at the scythe's handle, aiming to disarm the opponent before even trying to fight it.
Destiny
The being did not seem perturbed, or make any noticeable action to evade. Or perhaps the shapeshifter was too fast?
Either way, the wolfform would find himself successful in taking the scythe from the reaper. The only reaction being in the form of an exclamation of "Oh my!"
Jason
The wolf sailed past the figure with the scythe in his jaws, landing no more than a few feet away. He whirled around, narrowly avoiding slamming the scythe into the ground, lips curled back to show long, gleaming fangs to the figure.
Hanging in there?
The dragon's reply-thought was a wordless affirmative. Mimring was clinging to that shred of consciousness, just barely. If Jason could get rid of this stranger, maybe he could do something...
Destiny
The reaper followed the wolf's movements and stared back into his eyes. For a moment, the reaper did nothing. Until suddenly...
"Well, you got me, hun." The being simply threw up its sleeved, covered arms in defeat briefly. "Whatever will I do now without my weapon? I'll just have to parley." The hooded faced gestured toward Mimring. "Might need to rush a bit."
Jason
Jason growled, but turned away from the reaper towards his dragon. She was taunting him. Transforming back to human, Jason opened his jaws to let the scythe fall into his now-formed hand, then tossed the scythe away from the group, mostly to get it out of the way. With that, he rushed over to Mimring's side; the dragon flicked an eye open to watch him dully while the Shapeshifter hesitated over the wound.
It was a bad one, he could tell that from a glance. Cracked, displaced scales and a ventral scute nearly torn off, exposing a gaping bite wound that Jason could only attempt to apply pressure to barehanded. Damn! He didn't have the supplies or medical knowledge for this. Jason gave a frustrated noise like a cross between a hiss and a growl as he tried his best to stem the bleeding with his palms.
Destiny
The reaper watched as the desperate shapeshifter made a dash to help his bonded dragon. It didn't take an expert to know the likely end here. And yet the boy tried what he could anyway. Telling him it was futile would be utterly cruel, especially since by now he already knew.
"It's futile. Ah, that was perhaps a bit cruel of me to say. Sometimes I think out loud."
Jason
"Shut up," Jason said curtly, not looking up at the reaper.
Destiny
"Touchy."
Jason
She was really starting to get on his nerves. Jason casted his gaze up at the reaper, giving her a glowering look, before returning his focus to Mimring. The dragon was still watching him with a single green eye; for the first time in a few minutes he actually spoke. No use. Just cut the link, Jason.
No.
A rasp of a growl. Or was it a chuckle? Stubborn. I will not drag you down with me.
Destiny
The reaper leans in a bit as if trying to listen in on their telepathic conversation. In a whispered tone she asks "What are you two talking about?"
Jason
"Damn it, what do you want?!" Jason snapped, his temper rising again.
Destiny
"A lovely chat. Here, I'll make it easier." She brushes over Mimring with her sleeve, the dragon would feel a surge of life energy, but also a complete immobilization as if petrified. "I'll keep him alive so I can have your undivided attention."
Jason
Jason blinked, more confused than relieved at this new development. Though he kept his hands pressed against Mimring's wound just in case, the Shapeshifter finally looked fully at the Reaper for the first time since tossing away the scythe. "Fine. I'll bite." A brief mental poke just to ensure the dragon was still alive; he was. "If you want to talk, then talk."
Destiny
"Excellent. I've been wanting to speak with you for quite some time now. Unfortunately, 'work' is the only way I could get a chance without others watching." The reaper brushes at the back of its hood. "Though I thought it would be the other dragon lying here."
With prolonged exposure to the reaper's anomalous voidspace under the hood, by now the shapeshifter would be able to make out an obscured humanish face with impossible to fully comprehend details.
"Let me start from the beginning. No, that's too long. Let me sum up. Basically, the hellspace is waiting for you to be vulnerable so they can steal your rather special soul and eat it. With me so far, hun?" The obscured face would be difficult to decipher, so perhaps that wasn't a direct wink the reaper made when it asked its question?
Jason
The boy narrowed his eyes. Too many questions sprang to mind, but now wasn't really the time. Special soul, what? Hellspace, even more what? He could ask when the situation wasn't so tense.
"I'm following," Jason replied somewhat cautiously, tersely.
Destiny
"Excellent." The reaper continued without skipping a beat. "Thus for reasons of my own your preservation is paramount. Although..." It crosses its sleeves, the 'face' perhaps a bit incredulous. "Your pet dying isn't exactly the most ideal outcome."
The reaper pulls on the scruffs of its sleeve with its other sleeve. "There is... one hang up. In order to meet unnoticed I had to be working. So, awkward, I know, but I do need to take a soul home with me. You understand, right hun?"
Jason
Jason bristled at his Familiar being referred to as a "pet". But still, the Reaper seemed to be on his side... maybe? He narrowed his eyes again as she continued.
"Let's say for a moment that I don't," the Shapeshifter challenged. "You'd better start making more sense instead of vaguely trying to lead me to whatever you're driving at."
Destiny
"Alright alright don't shoot the messenger." The reaper responded, sleaves held up in protest. "I'm simply saying your faltering friend here is doomed to die anyway and I need a soul to take home." The reaper revealed skeletal hands from its sleeves, the scythe suddenly appearing in hand. "Besides, it's not really my fault. It was two against one and I thought I was sending a weak dragon after you." The being shrugged. "You win some you lose some, I suppose."
Jason
Jason's response was immediate. He rose from where he was resting on his knees, coming up into a half-kneeling position while simultaneously moving forward. More alarming than his motion was the growl. One moment, an almost wiry teenage boy at the side of a bleeding dragon, an almost pitiful sight-- the next, a great black and silver dragon, standing protectively over his dying companion, blocking the Reaper's way-- teeth bared in a threatening snarl, head low and wings flared, staring at the Reaper with an unbroken rumbling growl coming from his chest.
"I'd kill you myself before I'd let you take him."
Destiny
The reaper frowned. Assuming the strange eldritch face could be properly interpreted that is. "The only reason he's alive is because I've been sustaining him. Even if you killed me, which you can't, all you'd succeed at accomplishing is killing him as well."
The reaper, despite its grandstanding, seemed to be hesitant when taking a single step forward. "He's dead either way. You're gonna need a better ultimatum, hun." Wink. Probably.
Jason
There, something for him to seize on. Hesitation. Some mix of instincts bubbled up, adding to his fury and his own grandstanding. The sharp, narrow black scales bristled out, his silver dorsal sail stretched up, his wings extended to their full, massive span. All of this made the dragon look larger, more dangerous. A common enough showing off of pure size among wild dragons that it wouldn't always work on them, but the human-sized Reaper?
"Are you willing to stake your life on that?" He rumbled, doing his best to hammer in the point that was "this is a dragon, this isn't some frail, scrawny teenage boy." "How sure are you that I can't kill you, and rob you of the satisfaction of taking him yourself?"
Destiny
The reaper actually took a step back. Though the amalgomous face showed little emotional response, the body language would suggest further hesitancy or even concern. "There is a slight chance I miscalculated you, Shiveztel." There was a pause, perhaps contemplative. "No, no I don't suppose I am willing to take that risk. As obscure as the meaning of my life is, I am rather fond of it."
Jason
The dragon paused, moving his head slightly. Yes, yes, now the reaper was backing down, it seemed, that was all well and good. But that wasn't the interesting part. She called him Shiveztel. But that's--
-- a Drakine name, Mimring supplied. An instantaneous transmission of information over thought; a name with several possible meanings, none of which really matched up with the idea that it might be a title or something.
"You may have me confused for someone else," Jason ventured, watching the reaper carefully.
Destiny
"You don't..." A long pause as its voice trailed off. "Interesting." It concluded. "A truce a moment, please." The reaper held out its open hands in a symbolic gesture of peace. Yes, hands. Albeit they were off. The hands that emerged from the sleeves seemed almost artificial, yet real, yet also ghostly. They were like the hands of a porcelain doll, shiny and fake. Yet the joints were almost vaporous, the mechanism for bending the fingers operated as if it were liquid smoke. Wholly connected together and pale white.
Then the hands removed the hood.
As if the hood had some kind of magically obscuring property to it, an entirely new face was revealed with the head. Humanoid, alien, ghostly, vaporous, porcelain, pale. The eyes were like voids with shimmering pale pupils. There was no nose or ears, and the mouth was more a gash in the face, like it was put there simply to emulate the fact that a mouth was supposed to be there. A wispy cascade of vaporous pale "hair" fell to the shoulders of the cloak, moving unnaturally in the light breeze. In fact, the hair appeared to "rustle" independent of the wind. The head, like the hands, conveyed a sense of artifice, as if they were crafted to appear human by someone who had only the descriptions of a toddler to work with. Crude, fictitious, elegant humanoid. Feminine?
"I was unaware you didn't know your name. Would you prefer Jason, then?"
Jason
Jason glanced back to his Familiar briefly before returning his attention to the reaper. Stalling was good. It could keep Mimring alive long enough for the bleeding to stop, with the rudimentary attempt at care Jason had given him. A short few seconds of deliberation as the reaper removed her hood, before he replied with a curt "Fine."
The dragon sat, wings partially spread still to obscure the reaper's view of Mimring and potentially block her if this turned out to be some kind of trick. All things considered, it would be a pretty decent attempt at one. Feign apprehension, throw in a bit of nonsense information, and call a truce to lower his guard? It wouldn't be the worst strategy in the world, and so Jason prepared himself for it.
"My name is Jason, so let's go with yes," was his bland comment.
Destiny
"Fair enough, fair enough." 'She' spoke with such a casual banter, an onlooker might think they were old friends having a friendly chat; until they saw the dying dragon. "Well... we seem to be in an awkward situation then, hun. You with your mortal attachments to your dying pal. Me, well, you're interesting. I haven't dealt with someone interesting before. And interesting makes me not want to do my job. This is... a new feeling. Tell me, why didn't you beg for your dragon's life? Or offer up a deal to trade places? By all accounts with my mortal dealings, that's the main reaction."
Jason
Jason would have been offended at the question were the situation different, judging it as an accusation. But if the reaper really did want to talk, well, she certainly sounded curious.
"A few years ago, I probably would have," he admitted with no discernible change in body language. "Alone in the wild with only a dragon as company? A runaway that could only become a wolf? Sure." His claws flexed. "But I've grown stronger since. Both of us have. We're not going to beg and plead anymore-- if there's a threat, we fight it."
Destiny
The reaper smiled. "Fantastic! How utterly fantastic! It was the plan of another reaper to try that exact ploy a few years ago." She spoke with genuine excitement, as if rattling off the details of how Jason would have been manipulated were the same as describing a favorite ice cream. "Wound the dragon, trick you into swapping. Oh, it didn't happen obviously. He's not with us anymore. I took the case and... and I'm rambling again." The last statement brought her smile back down to a line.
"I'm not sure where to go from here." She stated matter-of-factly.
Jason
"You could heal Mimring and let us carry on," the Shapeshifter commented with the same bland affect.
Destiny
"I could, but then I'd get replaced and some other reaper would come."
Jason
Jason snorted. "What else can you do? If you try to take him, I kill you." His claws unsheathed as if to emphasize the fact. "We're at a stalemate. One of us needs to concede, and it won't be me."
Destiny
"I suppose... hm, I need time to think this over. Though time isn't exactly in his-" she gestures to Mimring "-best interest. And most of my abilities are contract based."
She scratches at her head. It doesn't do anything for her, just an unconscious action that seemed natural for the moment. "Ok I can make you a temporary deal. I can heal your dragon and send you on your merry way. But I have to get something out of it or I can't spin this back at 'HQ'." She puts air quotes around HQ for some reason. "Soul trading is off the table. You won't offer it, and frankly now I only want it if you do. Makes it more interesting that way, hun. So... how about the Rogue Godling does me a favor?"
Jason
This reaper really had a habit of either spouting nonsense or just generally being confusing. At this point Jason couldn't tell if the reaper really was talking about his "special" soul, whatever that meant, or referring to the divine nature of dragons, or just lying to and misleading him. He narrowed his eyes at her in consideration. "What's the favor, then?" he asked, careful not to phrase it in a way which implied he agreed. Something told him it would be a bad idea to agree to something without knowing the details.
Destiny
"I need you to sell me your soul."
Jason
There was a pause as Jason just stared at the reaper.
"... Didn't you just say that you didn't want it unless I offered it?"
Destiny
"Yes, exactly." She said with certainty, as if the contradiction made perfect sense. "You sell me your soul in exchange for his life. No other reaper could come after you then. Then we sign a secondary contractual clause indicating I won't harvest your soul unless you offer it. A surprisingly simple workaround."
Jason
Jason gave a slow blink. With his limited experience with this reaper, that idea had a surprising amount of logic to it. He glanced back at Mimring, who only had a general sense of wariness to offer, before again returning his attention to the reaper. It was a tempting offer. But...
"There's a catch. What is it?"
Destiny
"Well, I still wouldn't technically be able to return for a new job until I finish this one... so I suppose I'd be hanging around off and on. Go on adventures. Tell ghost stories. Try to get you to offer your soul. Pretty fun, right hun?" Wink.
Jason
Jason let out a long exhale. If dealing with this reaper every now and then was the only catch, he could take it. He doubted that she could fly, at least not as fast as Mimring coud, so if they truly got tired of her they could always go for a flight for some peace and quiet. And if she ever became an active threat, well, he could deal with that too.
He opened his mouth to agree, but then hesitated and closed it again when Mimring spoke up.
I have a clause to add. The dragon's words came as clear thought, a request for Jason to relay, as the throat injury and immobilization prevented him from speaking.
"Mimring has a condition for this," Jason elaborated, both to relay the sentiment and to explain the hesitation.
She will not, whether by action or inaction, intent or negligence, purposefully put us in a situation where we are likely to suffer fatal injury.
Jason repeated it almost verbatim, only swapping the "she" for "you".
If we are in a situation as such with her aware of it, she must attempt in earnest to keep us alive.
Another repeat, swapping the pronouns accordingly.
If she accepts these terms, I will agree.
Destiny
The Reaper beamed, almost radiating joy. "Interesting. You'd be removing virtually the entire Reaper playbook from my repertoire. This would be an extremely one sided deal in your favor, when the deal is already based on generosity. What makes you think I would accept, dragon?"
Jason
Because you have no other option, Mimring replied, with Jason relaying the words as they were spoken. Now that they'd switched to this method of communication and gotten used to it, it became clear that this was seamless, even natural to them. This deal is not based on generosity. It is based on fear. Both of your superiors, for returning without the job done, and of us, who are threatening you. The subtle hint that Mimring is backing Jason's threat would be unlikely to be missed.
Besides, if you find us so interesting, as you say, then it would be to your benefit to keep us alive. What will occupy your interests if we are dead?
Destiny
"I don't care too much about my boss's opinions, and losing a fight with you wouldn't be all that permanent for me." She didn't address the final point for a moment, knowing full well it was the major factor. They were baiting her.
It was working.
Interesting.
"I accept."
Jason
"Then we have an agreement," Jason said, glad for the deliberation and puffing up to be over with. Mimring was the better one at negotiating and always had been, but the fact that it had worked on a reaper slightly unnerved him.
A moment's pause.
"And since we've agreed...?" A slight head-turn and wing-point to the immobile, injured dragon.
Destiny
No more than a moment was all that was needed. The energy sustaining Mimring virtually exploded throughout his body. Lost blood was restored, wounds closed, frailties alleviated and even fatigue rejuvenated.
"Good as new. Verbal agreement is all I needed. The contract is formed, hun."
Jason
Mimring coughed so violently that it almost alarmed Jason, but it turned out to just be the blood that had pooled in his windpipe from the injury. Viscous red splattered on the ground in front of him, and the dragon instinctively licked his teeth clean of it as he righted himself, before grimacing as his body rejected the taste of his own blood. After a second, Mimring turned his head to both sides, giving himself a cursory look-over for any remaining injuries or cracked scales. Seeming satisfied, he stood and walked to Jason's side.
Jason waited for his Familiar to get settled before returning to the conversation. "Then what happens now? You let us go on our way and check up on us ever now and then, or are you intending to come with us? Because I hate to break it to you, but you may find our travels less "interesting" than you expected."
Destiny
The reaper shrugged. "Not sure, never done this before." She smiled with what was probably an attempt at friendliness. "I'll need to at least 'do some paperwork' first." She accompanied the words with air quotes. "So I suppose we go out separate ways for now until I finish with that. Likely come shadow you for a bit afterward. It's all very exciting." Wink.
Jason
"Right," Jason dryly agreed. Mimring huffed air out in a wordless expression of something akin to annoyance or resignation, before glancing at his master.
Ultimately I am not sure that this was a good idea, but we didn't have the liberty of choice, he remarked.
Destiny
"Well, hun. It's been a genuine pleasure and I look forward to working with you in the future. But alas I must sally forth into yonder horizon, ne'er to reach it, always striving for it. And, well, then sink into the hellspace abyss and do my chores. But that's less poetic."
She replaces her hood and her hands retreat within the sleeves, still clutching the scythe. "And don't worry about setting up a meet, I'll find you."
Wink. And she was gone.
A blur of metallic copper shot down from the clouds, a larger red blur following close behind.
A lithe, plated dragon with a rider glanced upwards, behind him. His pursuer was hot on his tail, a massive spiked dragon that surely meant to kill them both. The rider clung tightly to his dragon's neck, instinctively leaning with the agile twists and turns of his mount as the copper used every aerial trick he could to evade the larger, angrier dragon.
Let's go let's go let's go let's go!
Jason had gotten used to flying on Mimring's back, but Mimring had never had to employ such evasive maneuvers before and it was starting to give him vertigo. One would think that the dracomancer could get the Pyrespine chasing them to back off, but no, trying to control it had only made it angry-- very angry. And it wasn't like the pair could take off into more crowded terrain to lose the larger dragon, because it had chased them over open coast, over the water where there was nowhere to hide. Jason could take flight on his own by turning into a dragon himself, but Mimring had insisted on carrying him-- they were running, not fighting, and Jason wasn't nearly as fast as his Familiar.
Next time you decide to set up camp in another dragon's territory, remind me to tell you no, Mimring thought in adrenaline-fueled irritation.
Yeah yeah, I messed up. Focus on flying!
Mimring might have replied, but in their dive the larger, heavier dragon had the advantage of gravity and had gained enough to reach Mimring's tail and bite down, dragging him and his rider towards the ground. The two dragons spent a few seconds roaring at each other as they scrabbled for a grip with their claws, but as the lighter dragon Mimring was at a disadvantage. The ground quickly approaching, the Pyrespine set to land on the pair, Mimring struggled to at least right himself so that Jason wouldn't be crushed under both dragons. The Firedrake's jaws clamped on the Pyrespine's foreleg to keep the larger dragon from clawing at the Shapeshifter.
Brace yourself!
The thought was almost immediately followed by Mimring flaring his wings last-second like a scaly parachute, slowing their descent just enough to prevent killing all three of them in the fall. They all went tumbling as Mimring scrabbled his claws at a sea stack as they shot past it, trying to find purchase, but the momentum of their crashing fall dashed them into the sand, sliding several meters before their momentum ran out. Jason barely had time to register what all of their positions were relative to each other before Mimring bucked him off into the sand, twisted onto his side, and used a hind leg to kick him away from the brawl.
What followed next was a series of growls and roars, accompanied by a flurry of wings and claws and tails and jaws as the two dragons battled for position and footing. The somewhat dazed Shapeshifter couldn't quite tell what was happening or who was winning, but it wasn't long before the scuffle was decided with a screeching roar, a spray of blood, and the Pyrespine recoiling into the air away from its adversary. For a moment Jason took the enemy's retreat as a loss, but Mimring collapsed into the sand instead, panting and bleeding badly from the neck. The Firedrake's thoughts were confused and weak, struggling to stay conscious, as Jason sprang up with a newfound second adrenaline rush and raced to his best friend's side.
Destiny
The figure had watched the entire exchange from within the shadows. Its presence undetectable the being began to approach, sensing the perfect opportunity. The shapeshifter was desperately approaching his draconic friend where it lay.
Completely imperceptible, the being strode across the open area, closing the distance until it was mere paces from the dragon. The shapeshifter would not arrive in time.
The being materialized itself to view as if it were a shadow being born into life.
Well.
If shadows were eyeburning magenta.
The being was robed in pink, carrying a pink scythe with floral patterns pointed at the dragon. The face was impossibly obscured. The picture of Death itself.
Well.
If death were eye burning magenta.
The being appeared to be looking away from the dragon, facing the oncoming shapeshifter.
"Hello. Hun." The voice almost seemed disembodied, but definitely feminine.
Jason
Jason ignored the absurdity of the situation. The presence of a cloaked figure, the eye-searing color, the strangely polite voice. Reapers were a common symbol of death, sure, and the reality versus the symbolism of it all was still up for debate, but the Shapeshifter didn't care. Fear was already spiking his adrenaline; any more added just turned into aggression.
Mid-stride, Jason went from a human shape to that of a large, thick-furred black wolf. Acting on instinct, the wolf bolted at the Reaper with a growl. He leapt; he closed the rest of the distance with that bound and aimed himself at the stranger. But, strangely, not for the figure itself-- his jaws opened in a snarl and snapped at the scythe's handle, aiming to disarm the opponent before even trying to fight it.
Destiny
The being did not seem perturbed, or make any noticeable action to evade. Or perhaps the shapeshifter was too fast?
Either way, the wolfform would find himself successful in taking the scythe from the reaper. The only reaction being in the form of an exclamation of "Oh my!"
Jason
The wolf sailed past the figure with the scythe in his jaws, landing no more than a few feet away. He whirled around, narrowly avoiding slamming the scythe into the ground, lips curled back to show long, gleaming fangs to the figure.
Hanging in there?
The dragon's reply-thought was a wordless affirmative. Mimring was clinging to that shred of consciousness, just barely. If Jason could get rid of this stranger, maybe he could do something...
Destiny
The reaper followed the wolf's movements and stared back into his eyes. For a moment, the reaper did nothing. Until suddenly...
"Well, you got me, hun." The being simply threw up its sleeved, covered arms in defeat briefly. "Whatever will I do now without my weapon? I'll just have to parley." The hooded faced gestured toward Mimring. "Might need to rush a bit."
Jason
Jason growled, but turned away from the reaper towards his dragon. She was taunting him. Transforming back to human, Jason opened his jaws to let the scythe fall into his now-formed hand, then tossed the scythe away from the group, mostly to get it out of the way. With that, he rushed over to Mimring's side; the dragon flicked an eye open to watch him dully while the Shapeshifter hesitated over the wound.
It was a bad one, he could tell that from a glance. Cracked, displaced scales and a ventral scute nearly torn off, exposing a gaping bite wound that Jason could only attempt to apply pressure to barehanded. Damn! He didn't have the supplies or medical knowledge for this. Jason gave a frustrated noise like a cross between a hiss and a growl as he tried his best to stem the bleeding with his palms.
Destiny
The reaper watched as the desperate shapeshifter made a dash to help his bonded dragon. It didn't take an expert to know the likely end here. And yet the boy tried what he could anyway. Telling him it was futile would be utterly cruel, especially since by now he already knew.
"It's futile. Ah, that was perhaps a bit cruel of me to say. Sometimes I think out loud."
Jason
"Shut up," Jason said curtly, not looking up at the reaper.
Destiny
"Touchy."
Jason
She was really starting to get on his nerves. Jason casted his gaze up at the reaper, giving her a glowering look, before returning his focus to Mimring. The dragon was still watching him with a single green eye; for the first time in a few minutes he actually spoke. No use. Just cut the link, Jason.
No.
A rasp of a growl. Or was it a chuckle? Stubborn. I will not drag you down with me.
Destiny
The reaper leans in a bit as if trying to listen in on their telepathic conversation. In a whispered tone she asks "What are you two talking about?"
Jason
"Damn it, what do you want?!" Jason snapped, his temper rising again.
Destiny
"A lovely chat. Here, I'll make it easier." She brushes over Mimring with her sleeve, the dragon would feel a surge of life energy, but also a complete immobilization as if petrified. "I'll keep him alive so I can have your undivided attention."
Jason
Jason blinked, more confused than relieved at this new development. Though he kept his hands pressed against Mimring's wound just in case, the Shapeshifter finally looked fully at the Reaper for the first time since tossing away the scythe. "Fine. I'll bite." A brief mental poke just to ensure the dragon was still alive; he was. "If you want to talk, then talk."
Destiny
"Excellent. I've been wanting to speak with you for quite some time now. Unfortunately, 'work' is the only way I could get a chance without others watching." The reaper brushes at the back of its hood. "Though I thought it would be the other dragon lying here."
With prolonged exposure to the reaper's anomalous voidspace under the hood, by now the shapeshifter would be able to make out an obscured humanish face with impossible to fully comprehend details.
"Let me start from the beginning. No, that's too long. Let me sum up. Basically, the hellspace is waiting for you to be vulnerable so they can steal your rather special soul and eat it. With me so far, hun?" The obscured face would be difficult to decipher, so perhaps that wasn't a direct wink the reaper made when it asked its question?
Jason
The boy narrowed his eyes. Too many questions sprang to mind, but now wasn't really the time. Special soul, what? Hellspace, even more what? He could ask when the situation wasn't so tense.
"I'm following," Jason replied somewhat cautiously, tersely.
Destiny
"Excellent." The reaper continued without skipping a beat. "Thus for reasons of my own your preservation is paramount. Although..." It crosses its sleeves, the 'face' perhaps a bit incredulous. "Your pet dying isn't exactly the most ideal outcome."
The reaper pulls on the scruffs of its sleeve with its other sleeve. "There is... one hang up. In order to meet unnoticed I had to be working. So, awkward, I know, but I do need to take a soul home with me. You understand, right hun?"
Jason
Jason bristled at his Familiar being referred to as a "pet". But still, the Reaper seemed to be on his side... maybe? He narrowed his eyes again as she continued.
"Let's say for a moment that I don't," the Shapeshifter challenged. "You'd better start making more sense instead of vaguely trying to lead me to whatever you're driving at."
Destiny
"Alright alright don't shoot the messenger." The reaper responded, sleaves held up in protest. "I'm simply saying your faltering friend here is doomed to die anyway and I need a soul to take home." The reaper revealed skeletal hands from its sleeves, the scythe suddenly appearing in hand. "Besides, it's not really my fault. It was two against one and I thought I was sending a weak dragon after you." The being shrugged. "You win some you lose some, I suppose."
Jason
Jason's response was immediate. He rose from where he was resting on his knees, coming up into a half-kneeling position while simultaneously moving forward. More alarming than his motion was the growl. One moment, an almost wiry teenage boy at the side of a bleeding dragon, an almost pitiful sight-- the next, a great black and silver dragon, standing protectively over his dying companion, blocking the Reaper's way-- teeth bared in a threatening snarl, head low and wings flared, staring at the Reaper with an unbroken rumbling growl coming from his chest.
"I'd kill you myself before I'd let you take him."
Destiny
The reaper frowned. Assuming the strange eldritch face could be properly interpreted that is. "The only reason he's alive is because I've been sustaining him. Even if you killed me, which you can't, all you'd succeed at accomplishing is killing him as well."
The reaper, despite its grandstanding, seemed to be hesitant when taking a single step forward. "He's dead either way. You're gonna need a better ultimatum, hun." Wink. Probably.
Jason
There, something for him to seize on. Hesitation. Some mix of instincts bubbled up, adding to his fury and his own grandstanding. The sharp, narrow black scales bristled out, his silver dorsal sail stretched up, his wings extended to their full, massive span. All of this made the dragon look larger, more dangerous. A common enough showing off of pure size among wild dragons that it wouldn't always work on them, but the human-sized Reaper?
"Are you willing to stake your life on that?" He rumbled, doing his best to hammer in the point that was "this is a dragon, this isn't some frail, scrawny teenage boy." "How sure are you that I can't kill you, and rob you of the satisfaction of taking him yourself?"
Destiny
The reaper actually took a step back. Though the amalgomous face showed little emotional response, the body language would suggest further hesitancy or even concern. "There is a slight chance I miscalculated you, Shiveztel." There was a pause, perhaps contemplative. "No, no I don't suppose I am willing to take that risk. As obscure as the meaning of my life is, I am rather fond of it."
Jason
The dragon paused, moving his head slightly. Yes, yes, now the reaper was backing down, it seemed, that was all well and good. But that wasn't the interesting part. She called him Shiveztel. But that's--
-- a Drakine name, Mimring supplied. An instantaneous transmission of information over thought; a name with several possible meanings, none of which really matched up with the idea that it might be a title or something.
"You may have me confused for someone else," Jason ventured, watching the reaper carefully.
Destiny
"You don't..." A long pause as its voice trailed off. "Interesting." It concluded. "A truce a moment, please." The reaper held out its open hands in a symbolic gesture of peace. Yes, hands. Albeit they were off. The hands that emerged from the sleeves seemed almost artificial, yet real, yet also ghostly. They were like the hands of a porcelain doll, shiny and fake. Yet the joints were almost vaporous, the mechanism for bending the fingers operated as if it were liquid smoke. Wholly connected together and pale white.
Then the hands removed the hood.
As if the hood had some kind of magically obscuring property to it, an entirely new face was revealed with the head. Humanoid, alien, ghostly, vaporous, porcelain, pale. The eyes were like voids with shimmering pale pupils. There was no nose or ears, and the mouth was more a gash in the face, like it was put there simply to emulate the fact that a mouth was supposed to be there. A wispy cascade of vaporous pale "hair" fell to the shoulders of the cloak, moving unnaturally in the light breeze. In fact, the hair appeared to "rustle" independent of the wind. The head, like the hands, conveyed a sense of artifice, as if they were crafted to appear human by someone who had only the descriptions of a toddler to work with. Crude, fictitious, elegant humanoid. Feminine?
"I was unaware you didn't know your name. Would you prefer Jason, then?"
Jason
Jason glanced back to his Familiar briefly before returning his attention to the reaper. Stalling was good. It could keep Mimring alive long enough for the bleeding to stop, with the rudimentary attempt at care Jason had given him. A short few seconds of deliberation as the reaper removed her hood, before he replied with a curt "Fine."
The dragon sat, wings partially spread still to obscure the reaper's view of Mimring and potentially block her if this turned out to be some kind of trick. All things considered, it would be a pretty decent attempt at one. Feign apprehension, throw in a bit of nonsense information, and call a truce to lower his guard? It wouldn't be the worst strategy in the world, and so Jason prepared himself for it.
"My name is Jason, so let's go with yes," was his bland comment.
Destiny
"Fair enough, fair enough." 'She' spoke with such a casual banter, an onlooker might think they were old friends having a friendly chat; until they saw the dying dragon. "Well... we seem to be in an awkward situation then, hun. You with your mortal attachments to your dying pal. Me, well, you're interesting. I haven't dealt with someone interesting before. And interesting makes me not want to do my job. This is... a new feeling. Tell me, why didn't you beg for your dragon's life? Or offer up a deal to trade places? By all accounts with my mortal dealings, that's the main reaction."
Jason
Jason would have been offended at the question were the situation different, judging it as an accusation. But if the reaper really did want to talk, well, she certainly sounded curious.
"A few years ago, I probably would have," he admitted with no discernible change in body language. "Alone in the wild with only a dragon as company? A runaway that could only become a wolf? Sure." His claws flexed. "But I've grown stronger since. Both of us have. We're not going to beg and plead anymore-- if there's a threat, we fight it."
Destiny
The reaper smiled. "Fantastic! How utterly fantastic! It was the plan of another reaper to try that exact ploy a few years ago." She spoke with genuine excitement, as if rattling off the details of how Jason would have been manipulated were the same as describing a favorite ice cream. "Wound the dragon, trick you into swapping. Oh, it didn't happen obviously. He's not with us anymore. I took the case and... and I'm rambling again." The last statement brought her smile back down to a line.
"I'm not sure where to go from here." She stated matter-of-factly.
Jason
"You could heal Mimring and let us carry on," the Shapeshifter commented with the same bland affect.
Destiny
"I could, but then I'd get replaced and some other reaper would come."
Jason
Jason snorted. "What else can you do? If you try to take him, I kill you." His claws unsheathed as if to emphasize the fact. "We're at a stalemate. One of us needs to concede, and it won't be me."
Destiny
"I suppose... hm, I need time to think this over. Though time isn't exactly in his-" she gestures to Mimring "-best interest. And most of my abilities are contract based."
She scratches at her head. It doesn't do anything for her, just an unconscious action that seemed natural for the moment. "Ok I can make you a temporary deal. I can heal your dragon and send you on your merry way. But I have to get something out of it or I can't spin this back at 'HQ'." She puts air quotes around HQ for some reason. "Soul trading is off the table. You won't offer it, and frankly now I only want it if you do. Makes it more interesting that way, hun. So... how about the Rogue Godling does me a favor?"
Jason
This reaper really had a habit of either spouting nonsense or just generally being confusing. At this point Jason couldn't tell if the reaper really was talking about his "special" soul, whatever that meant, or referring to the divine nature of dragons, or just lying to and misleading him. He narrowed his eyes at her in consideration. "What's the favor, then?" he asked, careful not to phrase it in a way which implied he agreed. Something told him it would be a bad idea to agree to something without knowing the details.
Destiny
"I need you to sell me your soul."
Jason
There was a pause as Jason just stared at the reaper.
"... Didn't you just say that you didn't want it unless I offered it?"
Destiny
"Yes, exactly." She said with certainty, as if the contradiction made perfect sense. "You sell me your soul in exchange for his life. No other reaper could come after you then. Then we sign a secondary contractual clause indicating I won't harvest your soul unless you offer it. A surprisingly simple workaround."
Jason
Jason gave a slow blink. With his limited experience with this reaper, that idea had a surprising amount of logic to it. He glanced back at Mimring, who only had a general sense of wariness to offer, before again returning his attention to the reaper. It was a tempting offer. But...
"There's a catch. What is it?"
Destiny
"Well, I still wouldn't technically be able to return for a new job until I finish this one... so I suppose I'd be hanging around off and on. Go on adventures. Tell ghost stories. Try to get you to offer your soul. Pretty fun, right hun?" Wink.
Jason
Jason let out a long exhale. If dealing with this reaper every now and then was the only catch, he could take it. He doubted that she could fly, at least not as fast as Mimring coud, so if they truly got tired of her they could always go for a flight for some peace and quiet. And if she ever became an active threat, well, he could deal with that too.
He opened his mouth to agree, but then hesitated and closed it again when Mimring spoke up.
I have a clause to add. The dragon's words came as clear thought, a request for Jason to relay, as the throat injury and immobilization prevented him from speaking.
"Mimring has a condition for this," Jason elaborated, both to relay the sentiment and to explain the hesitation.
She will not, whether by action or inaction, intent or negligence, purposefully put us in a situation where we are likely to suffer fatal injury.
Jason repeated it almost verbatim, only swapping the "she" for "you".
If we are in a situation as such with her aware of it, she must attempt in earnest to keep us alive.
Another repeat, swapping the pronouns accordingly.
If she accepts these terms, I will agree.
Destiny
The Reaper beamed, almost radiating joy. "Interesting. You'd be removing virtually the entire Reaper playbook from my repertoire. This would be an extremely one sided deal in your favor, when the deal is already based on generosity. What makes you think I would accept, dragon?"
Jason
Because you have no other option, Mimring replied, with Jason relaying the words as they were spoken. Now that they'd switched to this method of communication and gotten used to it, it became clear that this was seamless, even natural to them. This deal is not based on generosity. It is based on fear. Both of your superiors, for returning without the job done, and of us, who are threatening you. The subtle hint that Mimring is backing Jason's threat would be unlikely to be missed.
Besides, if you find us so interesting, as you say, then it would be to your benefit to keep us alive. What will occupy your interests if we are dead?
Destiny
"I don't care too much about my boss's opinions, and losing a fight with you wouldn't be all that permanent for me." She didn't address the final point for a moment, knowing full well it was the major factor. They were baiting her.
It was working.
Interesting.
"I accept."
Jason
"Then we have an agreement," Jason said, glad for the deliberation and puffing up to be over with. Mimring was the better one at negotiating and always had been, but the fact that it had worked on a reaper slightly unnerved him.
A moment's pause.
"And since we've agreed...?" A slight head-turn and wing-point to the immobile, injured dragon.
Destiny
No more than a moment was all that was needed. The energy sustaining Mimring virtually exploded throughout his body. Lost blood was restored, wounds closed, frailties alleviated and even fatigue rejuvenated.
"Good as new. Verbal agreement is all I needed. The contract is formed, hun."
Jason
Mimring coughed so violently that it almost alarmed Jason, but it turned out to just be the blood that had pooled in his windpipe from the injury. Viscous red splattered on the ground in front of him, and the dragon instinctively licked his teeth clean of it as he righted himself, before grimacing as his body rejected the taste of his own blood. After a second, Mimring turned his head to both sides, giving himself a cursory look-over for any remaining injuries or cracked scales. Seeming satisfied, he stood and walked to Jason's side.
Jason waited for his Familiar to get settled before returning to the conversation. "Then what happens now? You let us go on our way and check up on us ever now and then, or are you intending to come with us? Because I hate to break it to you, but you may find our travels less "interesting" than you expected."
Destiny
The reaper shrugged. "Not sure, never done this before." She smiled with what was probably an attempt at friendliness. "I'll need to at least 'do some paperwork' first." She accompanied the words with air quotes. "So I suppose we go out separate ways for now until I finish with that. Likely come shadow you for a bit afterward. It's all very exciting." Wink.
Jason
"Right," Jason dryly agreed. Mimring huffed air out in a wordless expression of something akin to annoyance or resignation, before glancing at his master.
Ultimately I am not sure that this was a good idea, but we didn't have the liberty of choice, he remarked.
Destiny
"Well, hun. It's been a genuine pleasure and I look forward to working with you in the future. But alas I must sally forth into yonder horizon, ne'er to reach it, always striving for it. And, well, then sink into the hellspace abyss and do my chores. But that's less poetic."
She replaces her hood and her hands retreat within the sleeves, still clutching the scythe. "And don't worry about setting up a meet, I'll find you."
Wink. And she was gone.