Upon the Shrine [Part 2]
Dec. 17th, 2020 09:49 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
esp_dragonv2Fandom: Noblesse
Summary: Muzaka is a forest god who lost his following a long time ago, his strength diminished because of it - all he can do now is wait until his power fades completely. But one day a blond mortal stumbles across Muzaka's shrine, one that can see and hear him in his weakened form. Curious, Muzaka hopes the mortal will keep returning to talk to him.
Rating: G
Genre: Supernatural
Word count: 2,010
Total word count: 3,885
Status: Work in progress
Frankenstein was cleaning Muzaka's shrine again. This time he was cutting off the moss on the base with a knife.
Muzaka watched him as Frankenstein held the piece he'd retrieved in one hand, the other tracing the engraving that had been hidden by the moss. "'Our wolf protector'..." Frankenstein murmured.
"Yeah, I was," Muzaka said, a soft smile on his lips, remembering Vada inscribing the characters. "Not much to protect anymore though, heh." The humans were gone, and the forest could look after herself. All he could do was watch as life thrived around him.
Frankenstein didn't say anything as he slipped the moss into a pouch. He turned his attention back to the statue and Muzaka watched him as Frankenstein raised his hand with the knife to the statue.
The scrape of the knife was loud in the clearing and Frankenstein swept what had come off into another pouch.
"What're you doing?" Muzaka asked as Frankenstein slipped the pouch into his bag.
Frankenstein froze, his eyes going wide. "Oh, I hadn't thought about..." Frankenstein trailed off. He cleared his throat. "I'd acted without thinking, my apologies. When I see something new, I want to study it and - anyway." He shook his head. "Did you feel it?"
Muzaka tilted his head, thinking about it. "Mmm, nah, I didn't feel anything," he said. "It wasn't like if something had happened to one of my followers; I'm connected to it, but it's not an extension of myself." It was a tether he was tied to rather than his power flowing through it.
"But you know you only have one shrine left?" Frankenstein pressed.
Muzaka nodded. "I'm aware of them, but that's it." Even if another one was across the world, he would have known it.
"I see." Frankenstein didn't say anything as he cleaned the scrape he'd made on the statue with a thumb. "I wanted to see if your traces could be found in the stone or anything that had been in contact with your shrine." He pulled his hand away, cleaning it with a handkerchief.
"Huh, you shouldn't find anythin' like that," Muzaka said, scratching the back of his neck. "It's just made of stone." Frankenstein did seem really curious about things, always asking questions about everything he could, especially if it was about Muzaka.
Frankenstein frowned. "Then how does it become what you're tied to if there's nothing remarkable about it?"
Oh, that was what Frankenstein wanted to know? "It comes from the intent when it was made," Muzaka said, shrugging. "Or it can happen when something becomes a focal point for followers." Pretty simple.
Frankenstein frown deepened. "If their very presence and intent can create shrines for you, it seems you're just as influenced by your followers as they are by you."
At that, Muzaka threw his head back and laughed. "Of course we are! It's their belief that brought us inta existence in the first place, and their connection with us strengthens us."
There was a crease between Frankenstein's brow, something Muzaka was starting to see regularly during their conversations, showing the human was thinking deeply about something.
"I'll test these, then," Frankenstein said with a sigh, patting his bag.
Muzaka watched him leave with a smile. His chest didn't ache as much seeing Frankenstein leave now, not when he knew Frankenstein would return again.
* * *
Muzaka grinned the next time he saw Frankenstein. He jumped down from his branch, and from Frankenstein's expression, he knew what Frankenstein was going to say.
"The shrine really only has stone properties, and anything else that touches it is similarly unaffected," Frankenstein with a huff, his lips pursed and brow furrowed.
"That's what I said," Muzaka said with a chuckle.
Frankenstein huffed. "I prefer double-checking information myself, rather than relying on what others have told me."
"Even a god?" That seemed a strange way of thinking to Muzaka, but then, Frankenstein was a strange, interesting human in many ways.
Frankenstein glowered at him. "Especially a god. And while I may not have found anything new, there was a chance that I could have."
Frankenstein closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "And it could be because the tools I currently have aren't as sensitive as I thought they could be, so I may continue with my tests."
"Heh, all right." It meant Frankenstein would continue visiting and talking with him.
* * *
"What're you drawin'?" Muzaka asked, peering over Frankenstein's shoulder. He'd seen Frankenstein drawing the clearing before, and Frankenstein had drawn the statue at different angles, notes dotted around in a language Muzaka couldn't read.
This time, the page seemed filled with writing-
Frankenstein moved so his body covered his journal, snapping it shut at the same time.
Huh? Frankenstein hadn't tried to hide what he was doing before. Muzaka blinked at him. What was wrong?
"...Ah." Frankenstein sighed, running a hand through his hair as he straightened again. He didn't open his journal though. "I'm sorry - I try to keep my research and discoveries private. It can be difficult knowing what a person will do with what I've found out."
Huh, what had happened to Frankenstein before?
Frankenstein looked Muzaka up and down. "Though I suppose...you wouldn't be able to tell anyone anything."
Muzaka drew himself up, indignant. "I wouldn't tell others anyway!" Stories were one thing, and Muzaka could tell those for hours, but secrets were something else entirely.
"My apologies," Frankenstein said, but he had a soft smile curling the corner of his lips, and. Hm. Not the reaction Muzaka thought he'd have, but it was something. "I'm far too used to others stealing my work and using it once they think they understand it."
Muzaka tilted his head, furrowing his brow. "Isn't that a good thing?" People wanted his stuff and were using it for something.
Frankenstein sighed, not saying anything for a little bit. "A lot of the time, my research isn't ready or finished yet when they've been stolen, to the point where trying to use what I've learned would hurt the people it was originally meant to help." He ran his thumb over the cover of his journal as he gripped it tightly. "My research needs more time, more tests to make sure they do exactly what is needed while minimising the adverse side effects.
"And as well as that," Frankenstein continued, bitterness creeping into his tone, "people have used my research for their own selfish reasons and doing whatever they can to make my research 'work', no matter the cost."
Oh. Frankenstein was a protector as well. ...Was that why he could see him, even when Muzaka was at his weakest? Then, could Frankenstein be turning into a god as well? If many people were revering his work and him, it could be possible.
"But..." Frankenstein said, exhaling as he looked Muzaka, "I can tell you about my research, since you wouldn't be able to read my encryption." Frankenstein looked around, peering at shadows. "Though only parts of it - there's always a chance there are ears listening."
Muzaka let out a soft laugh. "You're the first person to pass by here in decades." Once Frankenstein was gone, it would be more decades until another came along. Muzaka could even be gone by then.
"And yet," Frankenstein said, "I came across you." He started flipping through his journal. "What's to say that others won't as well?"
"I guess," Muzaka said. The chances of that happening seemed unlikely though. He squinted at the words on the pages. None of it made any sense to him and he couldn't recognise any of it.
He settled down next to Frankenstein, eager to hear what he'd discovered.
* * *
"Had you mapped out where you'd travelled to?" Frankenstein asked, a different journal in hand as he drew something in it.
"Mapped?" Muzaka repeated. "Nah. We knew where places generally were and what direction, so we just started movin'." There wasn't much point knowing where everything was exactly - they would get there in time, even if it wasn't the most direct way. They had the time.
Or. Well. Muzaka did.
Humans...didn't always, though the ones that had gathered around him didn't care too much to rush from place to place.
Frankenstein looked at him from the corner of his eyes, before sighing. "I had hoped that you might give me more insight of the shape of the world." His pen flew over the page, a shape forming.
"Heh, I wouldn't be able ta point anythin' out to ya, but I'd be able to take ya there. Before, anyway." Muzaka tilted his head, looking over Frankenstein's drawing. It wasn't anything in the clearing, so...a map of the world? It was different from what Muzaka remembered seeing decades ago.
Humans had found out a lot more since then, huh...
What new things had people found since he'd been trapped here...?
Frankenstein was looking at him expectantly, and oops. "Got lost in my thoughts for a sec'," Muzaka said with a grin. "What was that?"
When Frankenstein spoke, this time Muzaka paid more attention.
* * *
Frankenstein poked at the fire he'd made, setting the fish he'd caught to the side. "Does eating here count as a sacrifice?" he asked.
"Nah," Muzaka said, watching the fire curl and flicker as Frankenstein fed it. "It's not an offering. And I can't eat it or make any use of it - it'd be a waste." Maybe other gods that specialised in the flesh could do something about it, but not him. "Go eat it."
Muzaka couldn't stop watching how the flames moved, so different from the gentle sway of leaves, always changing. He lay on his stomach, resting his chin in his palms to see it better.
"Do you not feel the heat?"
"Huh?" Muzaka looked up, seeing Frankenstein watching him with concern. Heat...? He glanced back at the fire and oh, he'd shuffled himself closer so much his elbows were almost touching the wood.
"Don't think so," Muzaka said, reaching out. The flames went through his hand and Muzaka didn't feel anything. Nothing that could be 'heat' anyway - he had a slight awareness of something passing through him, but that was it.
"I see."
When Frankenstein sprinkled something over the cooking fish, Muzaka frowned.
"You've never seen rosemary before?"
"Eh? 'Course I have!" Muzaka said, frowning even more. "But this doesn't smell like..." Oh.
Damn.
Was his sense of smell really gone?
When was the last time he'd used it? When was the last time he'd noticed anything with his nose?
Muzaka's brow furrowed as he though it over. A long time ago. When he'd been with his followers and they were spending meals together.
"Damn," Muzaka said, sighing as he ran a hand through his hair, "I really am like a ghost now." In fact, he was tied to a place, haunting it, wasn't he? He wasn't doing anything that could say he was a god right now.
Lack of touch, lack of smell. Would his other senses fade before his powers fully dissipated? Who knew. Muzaka didn't.
"Hmm." Muzaka looked over at Frankenstein. "You haven't tried to scare me, nor thrown anything around, so I feel you're better than a ghost."
Muzaka stared at him, before bursting into laughter. "You tryna make me feel better?" Aah, when was the last time he'd laughed before Frankenstein had came?
"By the sounds of it, it worked," Frankenstein said, and there was a small smile touching his lips.
Muzaka grinned. "Thanks." He did feel lighter, his thoughts not dwelling like they normally would have.
Humming, Muzaka watched as Frankenstein prepared the fish, curious if humans had changed how they cooked their meals.
Summary: Muzaka is a forest god who lost his following a long time ago, his strength diminished because of it - all he can do now is wait until his power fades completely. But one day a blond mortal stumbles across Muzaka's shrine, one that can see and hear him in his weakened form. Curious, Muzaka hopes the mortal will keep returning to talk to him.
Rating: G
Genre: Supernatural
Word count: 2,010
Total word count: 3,885
Status: Work in progress
Frankenstein was cleaning Muzaka's shrine again. This time he was cutting off the moss on the base with a knife.
Muzaka watched him as Frankenstein held the piece he'd retrieved in one hand, the other tracing the engraving that had been hidden by the moss. "'Our wolf protector'..." Frankenstein murmured.
"Yeah, I was," Muzaka said, a soft smile on his lips, remembering Vada inscribing the characters. "Not much to protect anymore though, heh." The humans were gone, and the forest could look after herself. All he could do was watch as life thrived around him.
Frankenstein didn't say anything as he slipped the moss into a pouch. He turned his attention back to the statue and Muzaka watched him as Frankenstein raised his hand with the knife to the statue.
The scrape of the knife was loud in the clearing and Frankenstein swept what had come off into another pouch.
"What're you doing?" Muzaka asked as Frankenstein slipped the pouch into his bag.
Frankenstein froze, his eyes going wide. "Oh, I hadn't thought about..." Frankenstein trailed off. He cleared his throat. "I'd acted without thinking, my apologies. When I see something new, I want to study it and - anyway." He shook his head. "Did you feel it?"
Muzaka tilted his head, thinking about it. "Mmm, nah, I didn't feel anything," he said. "It wasn't like if something had happened to one of my followers; I'm connected to it, but it's not an extension of myself." It was a tether he was tied to rather than his power flowing through it.
"But you know you only have one shrine left?" Frankenstein pressed.
Muzaka nodded. "I'm aware of them, but that's it." Even if another one was across the world, he would have known it.
"I see." Frankenstein didn't say anything as he cleaned the scrape he'd made on the statue with a thumb. "I wanted to see if your traces could be found in the stone or anything that had been in contact with your shrine." He pulled his hand away, cleaning it with a handkerchief.
"Huh, you shouldn't find anythin' like that," Muzaka said, scratching the back of his neck. "It's just made of stone." Frankenstein did seem really curious about things, always asking questions about everything he could, especially if it was about Muzaka.
Frankenstein frowned. "Then how does it become what you're tied to if there's nothing remarkable about it?"
Oh, that was what Frankenstein wanted to know? "It comes from the intent when it was made," Muzaka said, shrugging. "Or it can happen when something becomes a focal point for followers." Pretty simple.
Frankenstein frown deepened. "If their very presence and intent can create shrines for you, it seems you're just as influenced by your followers as they are by you."
At that, Muzaka threw his head back and laughed. "Of course we are! It's their belief that brought us inta existence in the first place, and their connection with us strengthens us."
There was a crease between Frankenstein's brow, something Muzaka was starting to see regularly during their conversations, showing the human was thinking deeply about something.
"I'll test these, then," Frankenstein said with a sigh, patting his bag.
Muzaka watched him leave with a smile. His chest didn't ache as much seeing Frankenstein leave now, not when he knew Frankenstein would return again.
Muzaka grinned the next time he saw Frankenstein. He jumped down from his branch, and from Frankenstein's expression, he knew what Frankenstein was going to say.
"The shrine really only has stone properties, and anything else that touches it is similarly unaffected," Frankenstein with a huff, his lips pursed and brow furrowed.
"That's what I said," Muzaka said with a chuckle.
Frankenstein huffed. "I prefer double-checking information myself, rather than relying on what others have told me."
"Even a god?" That seemed a strange way of thinking to Muzaka, but then, Frankenstein was a strange, interesting human in many ways.
Frankenstein glowered at him. "Especially a god. And while I may not have found anything new, there was a chance that I could have."
Frankenstein closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "And it could be because the tools I currently have aren't as sensitive as I thought they could be, so I may continue with my tests."
"Heh, all right." It meant Frankenstein would continue visiting and talking with him.
"What're you drawin'?" Muzaka asked, peering over Frankenstein's shoulder. He'd seen Frankenstein drawing the clearing before, and Frankenstein had drawn the statue at different angles, notes dotted around in a language Muzaka couldn't read.
This time, the page seemed filled with writing-
Frankenstein moved so his body covered his journal, snapping it shut at the same time.
Huh? Frankenstein hadn't tried to hide what he was doing before. Muzaka blinked at him. What was wrong?
"...Ah." Frankenstein sighed, running a hand through his hair as he straightened again. He didn't open his journal though. "I'm sorry - I try to keep my research and discoveries private. It can be difficult knowing what a person will do with what I've found out."
Huh, what had happened to Frankenstein before?
Frankenstein looked Muzaka up and down. "Though I suppose...you wouldn't be able to tell anyone anything."
Muzaka drew himself up, indignant. "I wouldn't tell others anyway!" Stories were one thing, and Muzaka could tell those for hours, but secrets were something else entirely.
"My apologies," Frankenstein said, but he had a soft smile curling the corner of his lips, and. Hm. Not the reaction Muzaka thought he'd have, but it was something. "I'm far too used to others stealing my work and using it once they think they understand it."
Muzaka tilted his head, furrowing his brow. "Isn't that a good thing?" People wanted his stuff and were using it for something.
Frankenstein sighed, not saying anything for a little bit. "A lot of the time, my research isn't ready or finished yet when they've been stolen, to the point where trying to use what I've learned would hurt the people it was originally meant to help." He ran his thumb over the cover of his journal as he gripped it tightly. "My research needs more time, more tests to make sure they do exactly what is needed while minimising the adverse side effects.
"And as well as that," Frankenstein continued, bitterness creeping into his tone, "people have used my research for their own selfish reasons and doing whatever they can to make my research 'work', no matter the cost."
Oh. Frankenstein was a protector as well. ...Was that why he could see him, even when Muzaka was at his weakest? Then, could Frankenstein be turning into a god as well? If many people were revering his work and him, it could be possible.
"But..." Frankenstein said, exhaling as he looked Muzaka, "I can tell you about my research, since you wouldn't be able to read my encryption." Frankenstein looked around, peering at shadows. "Though only parts of it - there's always a chance there are ears listening."
Muzaka let out a soft laugh. "You're the first person to pass by here in decades." Once Frankenstein was gone, it would be more decades until another came along. Muzaka could even be gone by then.
"And yet," Frankenstein said, "I came across you." He started flipping through his journal. "What's to say that others won't as well?"
"I guess," Muzaka said. The chances of that happening seemed unlikely though. He squinted at the words on the pages. None of it made any sense to him and he couldn't recognise any of it.
He settled down next to Frankenstein, eager to hear what he'd discovered.
"Had you mapped out where you'd travelled to?" Frankenstein asked, a different journal in hand as he drew something in it.
"Mapped?" Muzaka repeated. "Nah. We knew where places generally were and what direction, so we just started movin'." There wasn't much point knowing where everything was exactly - they would get there in time, even if it wasn't the most direct way. They had the time.
Or. Well. Muzaka did.
Humans...didn't always, though the ones that had gathered around him didn't care too much to rush from place to place.
Frankenstein looked at him from the corner of his eyes, before sighing. "I had hoped that you might give me more insight of the shape of the world." His pen flew over the page, a shape forming.
"Heh, I wouldn't be able ta point anythin' out to ya, but I'd be able to take ya there. Before, anyway." Muzaka tilted his head, looking over Frankenstein's drawing. It wasn't anything in the clearing, so...a map of the world? It was different from what Muzaka remembered seeing decades ago.
Humans had found out a lot more since then, huh...
What new things had people found since he'd been trapped here...?
Frankenstein was looking at him expectantly, and oops. "Got lost in my thoughts for a sec'," Muzaka said with a grin. "What was that?"
When Frankenstein spoke, this time Muzaka paid more attention.
Frankenstein poked at the fire he'd made, setting the fish he'd caught to the side. "Does eating here count as a sacrifice?" he asked.
"Nah," Muzaka said, watching the fire curl and flicker as Frankenstein fed it. "It's not an offering. And I can't eat it or make any use of it - it'd be a waste." Maybe other gods that specialised in the flesh could do something about it, but not him. "Go eat it."
Muzaka couldn't stop watching how the flames moved, so different from the gentle sway of leaves, always changing. He lay on his stomach, resting his chin in his palms to see it better.
"Do you not feel the heat?"
"Huh?" Muzaka looked up, seeing Frankenstein watching him with concern. Heat...? He glanced back at the fire and oh, he'd shuffled himself closer so much his elbows were almost touching the wood.
"Don't think so," Muzaka said, reaching out. The flames went through his hand and Muzaka didn't feel anything. Nothing that could be 'heat' anyway - he had a slight awareness of something passing through him, but that was it.
"I see."
When Frankenstein sprinkled something over the cooking fish, Muzaka frowned.
"You've never seen rosemary before?"
"Eh? 'Course I have!" Muzaka said, frowning even more. "But this doesn't smell like..." Oh.
Damn.
Was his sense of smell really gone?
When was the last time he'd used it? When was the last time he'd noticed anything with his nose?
Muzaka's brow furrowed as he though it over. A long time ago. When he'd been with his followers and they were spending meals together.
"Damn," Muzaka said, sighing as he ran a hand through his hair, "I really am like a ghost now." In fact, he was tied to a place, haunting it, wasn't he? He wasn't doing anything that could say he was a god right now.
Lack of touch, lack of smell. Would his other senses fade before his powers fully dissipated? Who knew. Muzaka didn't.
"Hmm." Muzaka looked over at Frankenstein. "You haven't tried to scare me, nor thrown anything around, so I feel you're better than a ghost."
Muzaka stared at him, before bursting into laughter. "You tryna make me feel better?" Aah, when was the last time he'd laughed before Frankenstein had came?
"By the sounds of it, it worked," Frankenstein said, and there was a small smile touching his lips.
Muzaka grinned. "Thanks." He did feel lighter, his thoughts not dwelling like they normally would have.
Humming, Muzaka watched as Frankenstein prepared the fish, curious if humans had changed how they cooked their meals.