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esp_dragonv2) wrote2021-01-07 11:04 pm
esp_dragonv2) wrote2021-01-07 11:04 pm
Upon the Shrine [Part 5]
Fandom: 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: 2,172
Total word count: 10,138
Status: Work in progress
There was no pain. It was the opposite: an increasing feeling of nothingness spreading through him. Muzaka watched pieces of his statue crumble, no longer able to hold themselves up. His world focused on that, only able to hear a soft buzzing in his ears. Because the shrine had been his world. The only connection he'd had left.
Oh.
So this was it.
Well, he'd been waiting to fade from existence, hadn't he?
And without him here, Frankenstein had no reason to visit anymore, right? Frankenstein would run away and be safer that way.
It was better like this.
Muzaka's vision darkened, though he was sure he could hear Frankenstein?
Except his vision brightened again, a gaping fissure in front of him. Close to where the leader had been standing? Why was Frankenstein still fighting? He had to go. Run.
'-zaka, dammit. Not working?'
Muzaka blinked, hearing Frankenstein's voice, clearer this time. As if...
Frankenstein leapt into the clearing next to Muzaka, reaching out as if to hold him, focused entirely on Muzaka's face.
'I'll be your connection to this world!'
Muzaka could see Frankenstein's lips move, but he heard Frankenstien's words sing in his mind, a connection there, ready to be made.
What? Muzaka's thoughts were sluggish, the emptiness taking over.
Something seemed to seize Frankenstein's expression. Desperation? No. Why would he be?
'Do you want me to be?'
Did - Muzaka squeezed his eyes shut. Yes. Of course he did.
The connection snapped shut, attaching them together.
It had been so long since Muzaka had connected with another person and not just his shrine, he had forgotten the surge of power that came with it and he howled, sliding into his true form once more.
He felt the grass between his paws, smelled the forest in all its greenery.
The blood.
Muzaka ducked his head, both to sniff at Frankenstein, finally knowing what Frankenstein smelled like, and studying the blood that scored his bare chest. In Frankenstein's hand he held a purple double-ended spear, its edges flickering like flames. The spear was the source of the souls, each one twisted into its making.
Movement behind Frankenstein and Muzaka lunged over Frankenstein, catching Taze in the air between his jaws and throwing her away.
She landed on her feet, glaring. "What the hell is that?" she demanded.
Muzaka shuddered, seeing her aura with much more clarity than he had before, feeling the forest around him, the new growth he was causing by his paws just through his presence alone. It had been so long since he'd felt this much power run through him, Muzaka tried to get used to the feeling.
"He can summon a strong demon? We can't handle that!"
They thought he was a demon? Humans couldn't recognise a god anymore?
...But....They could see him! The leader was looking up at him, her eyes narrowed. They knew he was there!
...Wait. He'd touched Taze!
And that didn't matter, Taze drawing her sword, curling her lip at him.
Hm.
Well. The best way for him to relearn how to use his powers again was to use them, wasn't it?
Muzaka called upon the forest's power, the wind shifting as it blew against his fur, and he grinned. He hadn't forgotten how to use his power - it was just like slipping into his true form: he knew how to do it, he just hadn't been able to before.
He howled again, the forest exploding as he made the trees branches try to grab Taze, growing vines from the ground to snatch at the others that were left.
He could sense where they were with no trouble, and while they slashed at what had grabbed them, that was fine. He could make more. He had the power to.
He blinked when they ran, covering a distance far more than Muzaka thought was possible.
Oh.
He looked down at Frankenstein, ears pricked. "Do you want me to catch them?" He could slow them down with his power.
"Tch," Frankenstein said, dismissing the spear. Muzaka flicked his ears, the cry of the souls fading. "They ran?"
So that was his decision. Muzaka nodded. "Would you rather keep fighting?" he said, nosing at Frankenstein's chest, letting his power flow through Frankenstein, healing the wounds. He could do this now again. It was a good feeling.
Frankenstein rested his hand on Muzaka's snout, his lips pursed. "They'll continue coming after me until they've completed their mission."
Then maybe - no, they had already left the forest. Muzaka could still sense their feet along the ground, but his power was the strongest in a forest. There wasn't as much he could make grow to stop them as easily on the open plains.
Frankenstein closed his eyes for a second as he wiped the blood away from his wounds. "Thank you for that." He opened his eyes, looking up at Muzaka. "And thank you for the warnings. They were much appreciated."
Muzaka perked up, wagging his tail. "You'd heard me!" Muzaka almost went cross-eyed as he tried to focus on Frankenstein's hand. That he could feel. His tail wagged harder.
"Yes, I did." Frankenstein peered up at him. Past him. Studying his horns. "I thought those were ears on your statue?"
Muzaka chuckled, laying down so Frankenstein could see them better. "They are. It was easier for Vada to do it without my horns, and it wasn't as if I have them all the time."
He could feel Frankenstein's fingers trace over his horns. "It's not made of the same material as animal horn... Branches?"
"Yep. Forest god," Muzaka reminded him, his tail never staying still. The branches were bare but if he gathered more followers, or travelled to somewhere warmer, they would blossom again.
"Frankenstein..." Muzaka said, as Frankenstein continued to study his horns.
"Mm?"
"What was that weapon you used? I've never seen it before." Frankenstein had dismissed it, but Muzaka could still sense it at Frankenstein's edges, not fully gone. Waiting.
Frankenstein's fingers paused, and Frankenstein sighed, taking a step back so Muzaka could see him clearly. "Do you remember the conversation we had a while ago, about my work being stolen before it was ready?"
Muzaka's stomach sank, his ears flattening. Oh. Because of that?
Frankenstein nodded. "The Dark Spear is one such occurrence of that happening." He turned his hand over to study his palm, before making a fist, frowning. "Many people had been sacrificed to make it." He exhaled, dropping his hand. "I relieved the thieves of it to make sure it wouldn't be misused."
Oh. That sounded good. Muzaka tilted his head though, trying to figure something out. "But why would you need to make a weapon like that anyway?" Why had Frankenstein wanted to make such a weapon?
Frankenstein let out a hollow laugh. He didn't say anything for a few seconds, and Muzaka waited, his heart sinking. Was the reason that hard to admit?
"Dark Spear was created with the intention to kill gods," Frankenstein said, watching him.
"Kill?" Muzaka repeated, his eyes wide.
...Frankenstein hadn't had a very high opinion of gods when they first met, had he?
Frankenstein nodded. "That was why I visited you to begin with. But then..." He sighed, glancing away. "Even after I had concluded you weren't one to try to abuse your power or followers if you ever regained them, I continued visiting."
Muzaka perked up, focusing completely on him. "Is that why you came back, even after I tried ta warn you away?"
Frankenstein laughed again; this time it was much warmer. "I couldn't leave you trapped here, now could I?"
Muzaka looked around, at the clearing that now looked so small compared to his current size. "It wouldn't have made that much difference?" Four extra steps wasn't that much, and with the forest growth, he would be able to stand amongst the trees again eventually. If his statue didn't crumble first.
Though...that didn't matter anymore, did it?
Muzaka stilled, and then snapped his head back at Frankenstein. "What are you doing here?" Had Frankenstein trapped himself here with him?
Frankenstein arched his eyebrows. "I would have thought-"
Muzaka hopped to his feet, going to the barrier. He paused, staring. "It's gone?"
"Oh, the trap? Frankenstein said, following him. "Yes, I disrupted the sigil before I entered."
"Okay. Good." Then the implications of what everything meant settled in, and Muzaka stared out at the forest.
He wasn't bound to his shrine anymore.
He could step beyond the clearing again.
Except Muzaka didn't move, still staring out. Could he? What if he was wrong and he was still trapped here?
"You're free to go wherever you wish now," Frankenstein said, and Muzaka looked over at him, blinking.
"What?" Had he misheard?
Frankenstein let out a soft chuckle. "I assume you wouldn't want to stay near someone who hunts your kind."
Muzaka flicked his ears, considering it. He sighed. "The world has changed a lot since I last travelled around, and even then, I barely saw other gods. I trust your judgement."
"Hm." Frankenstein was silent for a few seconds. "I supposed I should have expected you wouldn't react the way I assume you would." He shook his head, looking around the clearing. "Well then, shall we?" Frankenstein said, looking up at him with a smile. "The Union agents may regain their courage and return soon."
"Oh, yeah." Muzaka transformed back to his human form, since his god form wouldn't fit between all the trees.
The fur from his jacket. The feel of his clothes against his skin. The smell of the trees around them, the dirt. The warmth from the sun above.
"Muz-"
He was heavy. Power thrummed through him. Everything was trying to get his attention so much he couldn't think.
Muzaka looked down when his hand moved, staring blankly at Frankenstein's hand in his. Huh? Why was-
Muzaka sucked in a breath, Frankenstein's warm body against his, Frankenstein's scent drowning out everything else.
"Let's ground you first, mm?" Frankenstein said, running a hand up and down Muzaka's back. "Can you concentrate on me?"
Could he? Was he? It was still hard to keep track of his thoughts but Muzaka exhaled - his breath bounced back at him and Muzaka just buried his face into Frankenstein's shoulder, wrapping his arms around him.
He could touch Frankenstein. The realisation almost made Muzaka collapse, Frankenstein supporting him and keeping him upright.
"It's been that long...?" Frankenstein murmured.
Muzaka laughed shakily. "Yeah. Dunno how-" It was hard to talk, now he was conscious just how his tongue felt in his mouth, as it pressed against his teeth. "Long. It's been long." His skin felt like it was on fire, everything tingling whether he was touching something or not.
Except the pain of fire never lasted this long, and oh, he was going to have to get used to that as well, remembering what he shouldn't touch. But then, the world had changed, so he was going to need to learn about everything anyway.
Frankenstein smelled of freshwater and grilled fish, the scent clinging to his clothes. Which felt rough, but everything was rough against his skin right now. He could feel Frankenstein's heartbeat when he buried his head into his neck, trying to block everything out. So warm...
It took a while before things were no longer trying to assault his senses, but even when Muzaka looked up again, he winced at the brightness of the sun. He could see it when he had been attached to his shrine, but it was so much sharper now.
"Better?" Frankenstein said, still rubbing small circles at the small of Muzaka's back.
"Yeah. A lot. Thanks." Muzaka exhaled and then stepped back. He tilted his head when Frankenstein held his hand again.
Frankenstein smiled. "Something to concentrate on if you begin to feel overwhelmed, and it's as much for me as well, in case I don't notice and accidentally leave you behind."
Oh. That made sense. Muzaka held Frankenstein's hand, feeling the warmth there, feeling Frankenstein's heartbeat thrum under his fingertips.
Muzaka still held his breath as they left the clearing.
One.
Two.
There was no change, everything felt the same, except it was cooler under the canopy's protection from the sun.
Three.
Four.
Frankenstein paused when Muzaka didn't move.
"Muzaka?"
"Yeah?" He couldn't look up, staring at the ground in front of him.
Four steps.
He did feel heavy, but he felt heavy while leaving the clearing, dragging his feet a little. That wasn't the same as the thick feeling in the air, as if he was trying to push through against a sea's current.
He didn't feel the shrine at his back.
He could feel the pull of his awareness to Frankenstein.
Okay.
Muzaka took a fifth step, nothing hindering his way, and he let out a shaky laugh as he took a sixth. A seventh.
Okay.
He could leave.
Just a small epilogue left. :)
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: 2,172
Total word count: 10,138
Status: Work in progress
There was no pain. It was the opposite: an increasing feeling of nothingness spreading through him. Muzaka watched pieces of his statue crumble, no longer able to hold themselves up. His world focused on that, only able to hear a soft buzzing in his ears. Because the shrine had been his world. The only connection he'd had left.
Oh.
So this was it.
Well, he'd been waiting to fade from existence, hadn't he?
And without him here, Frankenstein had no reason to visit anymore, right? Frankenstein would run away and be safer that way.
It was better like this.
Muzaka's vision darkened, though he was sure he could hear Frankenstein?
Except his vision brightened again, a gaping fissure in front of him. Close to where the leader had been standing? Why was Frankenstein still fighting? He had to go. Run.
'-zaka, dammit. Not working?'
Muzaka blinked, hearing Frankenstein's voice, clearer this time. As if...
Frankenstein leapt into the clearing next to Muzaka, reaching out as if to hold him, focused entirely on Muzaka's face.
'I'll be your connection to this world!'
Muzaka could see Frankenstein's lips move, but he heard Frankenstien's words sing in his mind, a connection there, ready to be made.
What? Muzaka's thoughts were sluggish, the emptiness taking over.
Something seemed to seize Frankenstein's expression. Desperation? No. Why would he be?
'Do you want me to be?'
Did - Muzaka squeezed his eyes shut. Yes. Of course he did.
The connection snapped shut, attaching them together.
It had been so long since Muzaka had connected with another person and not just his shrine, he had forgotten the surge of power that came with it and he howled, sliding into his true form once more.
He felt the grass between his paws, smelled the forest in all its greenery.
The blood.
Muzaka ducked his head, both to sniff at Frankenstein, finally knowing what Frankenstein smelled like, and studying the blood that scored his bare chest. In Frankenstein's hand he held a purple double-ended spear, its edges flickering like flames. The spear was the source of the souls, each one twisted into its making.
Movement behind Frankenstein and Muzaka lunged over Frankenstein, catching Taze in the air between his jaws and throwing her away.
She landed on her feet, glaring. "What the hell is that?" she demanded.
Muzaka shuddered, seeing her aura with much more clarity than he had before, feeling the forest around him, the new growth he was causing by his paws just through his presence alone. It had been so long since he'd felt this much power run through him, Muzaka tried to get used to the feeling.
"He can summon a strong demon? We can't handle that!"
They thought he was a demon? Humans couldn't recognise a god anymore?
...But....They could see him! The leader was looking up at him, her eyes narrowed. They knew he was there!
...Wait. He'd touched Taze!
And that didn't matter, Taze drawing her sword, curling her lip at him.
Hm.
Well. The best way for him to relearn how to use his powers again was to use them, wasn't it?
Muzaka called upon the forest's power, the wind shifting as it blew against his fur, and he grinned. He hadn't forgotten how to use his power - it was just like slipping into his true form: he knew how to do it, he just hadn't been able to before.
He howled again, the forest exploding as he made the trees branches try to grab Taze, growing vines from the ground to snatch at the others that were left.
He could sense where they were with no trouble, and while they slashed at what had grabbed them, that was fine. He could make more. He had the power to.
He blinked when they ran, covering a distance far more than Muzaka thought was possible.
Oh.
He looked down at Frankenstein, ears pricked. "Do you want me to catch them?" He could slow them down with his power.
"Tch," Frankenstein said, dismissing the spear. Muzaka flicked his ears, the cry of the souls fading. "They ran?"
So that was his decision. Muzaka nodded. "Would you rather keep fighting?" he said, nosing at Frankenstein's chest, letting his power flow through Frankenstein, healing the wounds. He could do this now again. It was a good feeling.
Frankenstein rested his hand on Muzaka's snout, his lips pursed. "They'll continue coming after me until they've completed their mission."
Then maybe - no, they had already left the forest. Muzaka could still sense their feet along the ground, but his power was the strongest in a forest. There wasn't as much he could make grow to stop them as easily on the open plains.
Frankenstein closed his eyes for a second as he wiped the blood away from his wounds. "Thank you for that." He opened his eyes, looking up at Muzaka. "And thank you for the warnings. They were much appreciated."
Muzaka perked up, wagging his tail. "You'd heard me!" Muzaka almost went cross-eyed as he tried to focus on Frankenstein's hand. That he could feel. His tail wagged harder.
"Yes, I did." Frankenstein peered up at him. Past him. Studying his horns. "I thought those were ears on your statue?"
Muzaka chuckled, laying down so Frankenstein could see them better. "They are. It was easier for Vada to do it without my horns, and it wasn't as if I have them all the time."
He could feel Frankenstein's fingers trace over his horns. "It's not made of the same material as animal horn... Branches?"
"Yep. Forest god," Muzaka reminded him, his tail never staying still. The branches were bare but if he gathered more followers, or travelled to somewhere warmer, they would blossom again.
"Frankenstein..." Muzaka said, as Frankenstein continued to study his horns.
"Mm?"
"What was that weapon you used? I've never seen it before." Frankenstein had dismissed it, but Muzaka could still sense it at Frankenstein's edges, not fully gone. Waiting.
Frankenstein's fingers paused, and Frankenstein sighed, taking a step back so Muzaka could see him clearly. "Do you remember the conversation we had a while ago, about my work being stolen before it was ready?"
Muzaka's stomach sank, his ears flattening. Oh. Because of that?
Frankenstein nodded. "The Dark Spear is one such occurrence of that happening." He turned his hand over to study his palm, before making a fist, frowning. "Many people had been sacrificed to make it." He exhaled, dropping his hand. "I relieved the thieves of it to make sure it wouldn't be misused."
Oh. That sounded good. Muzaka tilted his head though, trying to figure something out. "But why would you need to make a weapon like that anyway?" Why had Frankenstein wanted to make such a weapon?
Frankenstein let out a hollow laugh. He didn't say anything for a few seconds, and Muzaka waited, his heart sinking. Was the reason that hard to admit?
"Dark Spear was created with the intention to kill gods," Frankenstein said, watching him.
"Kill?" Muzaka repeated, his eyes wide.
...Frankenstein hadn't had a very high opinion of gods when they first met, had he?
Frankenstein nodded. "That was why I visited you to begin with. But then..." He sighed, glancing away. "Even after I had concluded you weren't one to try to abuse your power or followers if you ever regained them, I continued visiting."
Muzaka perked up, focusing completely on him. "Is that why you came back, even after I tried ta warn you away?"
Frankenstein laughed again; this time it was much warmer. "I couldn't leave you trapped here, now could I?"
Muzaka looked around, at the clearing that now looked so small compared to his current size. "It wouldn't have made that much difference?" Four extra steps wasn't that much, and with the forest growth, he would be able to stand amongst the trees again eventually. If his statue didn't crumble first.
Though...that didn't matter anymore, did it?
Muzaka stilled, and then snapped his head back at Frankenstein. "What are you doing here?" Had Frankenstein trapped himself here with him?
Frankenstein arched his eyebrows. "I would have thought-"
Muzaka hopped to his feet, going to the barrier. He paused, staring. "It's gone?"
"Oh, the trap? Frankenstein said, following him. "Yes, I disrupted the sigil before I entered."
"Okay. Good." Then the implications of what everything meant settled in, and Muzaka stared out at the forest.
He wasn't bound to his shrine anymore.
He could step beyond the clearing again.
Except Muzaka didn't move, still staring out. Could he? What if he was wrong and he was still trapped here?
"You're free to go wherever you wish now," Frankenstein said, and Muzaka looked over at him, blinking.
"What?" Had he misheard?
Frankenstein let out a soft chuckle. "I assume you wouldn't want to stay near someone who hunts your kind."
Muzaka flicked his ears, considering it. He sighed. "The world has changed a lot since I last travelled around, and even then, I barely saw other gods. I trust your judgement."
"Hm." Frankenstein was silent for a few seconds. "I supposed I should have expected you wouldn't react the way I assume you would." He shook his head, looking around the clearing. "Well then, shall we?" Frankenstein said, looking up at him with a smile. "The Union agents may regain their courage and return soon."
"Oh, yeah." Muzaka transformed back to his human form, since his god form wouldn't fit between all the trees.
The fur from his jacket. The feel of his clothes against his skin. The smell of the trees around them, the dirt. The warmth from the sun above.
"Muz-"
He was heavy. Power thrummed through him. Everything was trying to get his attention so much he couldn't think.
Muzaka looked down when his hand moved, staring blankly at Frankenstein's hand in his. Huh? Why was-
Muzaka sucked in a breath, Frankenstein's warm body against his, Frankenstein's scent drowning out everything else.
"Let's ground you first, mm?" Frankenstein said, running a hand up and down Muzaka's back. "Can you concentrate on me?"
Could he? Was he? It was still hard to keep track of his thoughts but Muzaka exhaled - his breath bounced back at him and Muzaka just buried his face into Frankenstein's shoulder, wrapping his arms around him.
He could touch Frankenstein. The realisation almost made Muzaka collapse, Frankenstein supporting him and keeping him upright.
"It's been that long...?" Frankenstein murmured.
Muzaka laughed shakily. "Yeah. Dunno how-" It was hard to talk, now he was conscious just how his tongue felt in his mouth, as it pressed against his teeth. "Long. It's been long." His skin felt like it was on fire, everything tingling whether he was touching something or not.
Except the pain of fire never lasted this long, and oh, he was going to have to get used to that as well, remembering what he shouldn't touch. But then, the world had changed, so he was going to need to learn about everything anyway.
Frankenstein smelled of freshwater and grilled fish, the scent clinging to his clothes. Which felt rough, but everything was rough against his skin right now. He could feel Frankenstein's heartbeat when he buried his head into his neck, trying to block everything out. So warm...
It took a while before things were no longer trying to assault his senses, but even when Muzaka looked up again, he winced at the brightness of the sun. He could see it when he had been attached to his shrine, but it was so much sharper now.
"Better?" Frankenstein said, still rubbing small circles at the small of Muzaka's back.
"Yeah. A lot. Thanks." Muzaka exhaled and then stepped back. He tilted his head when Frankenstein held his hand again.
Frankenstein smiled. "Something to concentrate on if you begin to feel overwhelmed, and it's as much for me as well, in case I don't notice and accidentally leave you behind."
Oh. That made sense. Muzaka held Frankenstein's hand, feeling the warmth there, feeling Frankenstein's heartbeat thrum under his fingertips.
Muzaka still held his breath as they left the clearing.
One.
Two.
There was no change, everything felt the same, except it was cooler under the canopy's protection from the sun.
Three.
Four.
Frankenstein paused when Muzaka didn't move.
"Muzaka?"
"Yeah?" He couldn't look up, staring at the ground in front of him.
Four steps.
He did feel heavy, but he felt heavy while leaving the clearing, dragging his feet a little. That wasn't the same as the thick feeling in the air, as if he was trying to push through against a sea's current.
He didn't feel the shrine at his back.
He could feel the pull of his awareness to Frankenstein.
Okay.
Muzaka took a fifth step, nothing hindering his way, and he let out a shaky laugh as he took a sixth. A seventh.
Okay.
He could leave.
Just a small epilogue left. :)