BRILITH

[voidbreaker]

Comments

[infire]

...You really shot him, didn't you?

[voidbreaker]

Yeah, Bril. I really shot him.

[infire]

[ hah. she hates that, so much. he's so young, he shouldn't have had to... ]

And did it change anything? Did it free you from... whatever that was?

[voidbreaker]

Dunno. I ended up here before I could find out how many seconds it took them to arrest me.

[infire]

[ ...oh.

bad. ]

And of course there's no way to know for sure, as long as you're here... [ mumbling to herself, more than anything. but she hopes that...

raising her voice, she replies: ] ...You could come to Atera, if we find a way out of here. I don't think you're a bad person, Ash. Whatever that was... I don't believe it was your fault.

[voidbreaker]

[ He just tilts his head at her. ]

I've got stuff I need to do. And besides, they might just miss out on catching me if I'm quick enough. [ Spoilers: they don't, but he gets away anyway. ]

[infire]

...If you're sure.

[ she's gonna worry about him though!! see if she won't!! ]

Just... whatever happens when you get back. Be careful.

[voidbreaker]

If I change my mind, I'll tell you.

[ awww. ]

I always am. [ He is not. ]

[infire]

I'm holding you to that, Ash. If there's a way to check on you when we get home, I will.

[voidbreaker]

[ he just does a little salute with two fingers.]

Don't go out of your way if you've got too much crap on your hands. I'll either be in jail, or on the run, probably.

[infire]

I'll make time for it. As the priestess of fire, no one will argue if I ask for some time to myself.

...And if you need somewhere else to go, I can open the temple to you.

[voidbreaker]

[ ...

that sounds so extreme Brilith.]

You've never really explained this Priestess of Fire thing, y'know. It sounds like a big deal.

[ dEFLECT. ]

[infire]

[ SHE'S JUST SAYING.

also, she sees that. but she will allow it, just this once. ]

...It is, yes. Without someone in my position, the barrier of the city would fall, and my people would be vulnerable to attacks.

[voidbreaker]

[ brilith is too kind. ]

Like a forcefield? Most places just have walls and guards stationed for protection where I'm from.

[infire]

Similar, yes. That wouldn't work for us, though - the barriers are meant to protect against sura attacks, which can come from any direction, and they easily break through regular walls. We need magic to repel those attacks, and even then, it isn't always enough.

[voidbreaker]

Hence the need for [ he waves a finger, before pointing it at Brilith ] Priestesses?

[infire]

Mmhm. Someone needs to power the barriers, so that's our job.

[voidbreaker]

And... what, you just get told to do this? Or do you choose this?

[infire]

No, we have to choose to become magicians. If we do that, and we have the right birth attributes, then we can be considered as priest candidates. When the last priest dies, the magic guild and temple magicians decide who will be able to hold the strongest barrier.

I wasn't strong enough on my own to become priestess when my mother died, so I summoned Agni to help. They didn't know it was being powered by a god, but the barrier was perfect, so the choice was obvious.

[voidbreaker]

...

[ he knows about the whole lifespan drain now, but-- ]

Sly move there, Bril. Was it what you wanted?

[infire]

Yes, it was. Just... a bit unexpected, in how it turned out. Agni... He acts like an idiot and a bum, but the barrier has never broken while he was there. I didn't really expect to be treated like a queen, though... I never did get used to that part.

[voidbreaker]

Does it feel awkward? Being treated like that.

[infire]

Wouldn't you feel awkward, being made to stand in front of the population and smile for 15 minutes every day because the people adore you so much? They think I'm perfect, but none of them even know me.

[voidbreaker]

[ ... ]

That's not being treated as a queen, that's more like being treated like idol.

[infire]

Maybe. They would listen to anything I said, too... and learning that it wasn't my barrier that was perfect didn't change anything. It was a bit unnerving.