BRILITH

[voidbreaker]

Comments

[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.

[voidbreaker]

Huh. A cult then? [ Brilith, you're a cult figurehead and you never told him? ]

[infire]

[ winces ]

No, of course not. [ she... hopes?? why is atera like this! ] The gods' word comes before mine, always. It's just because they thought my barrier was perfect, and then because I summoned a god without dying in the process... that's all it is, really.

[voidbreaker]

[ hmmmmmmmmmmmmm. cult leader bril. ]

Sounds like that's something special enough to get you, and you specifically recognition. Okay, so if it's not a cult, it sounds like they've made you a figurehead and hang what you want.

[infire]

[ hmmmmm she hates this, but. ]

...In the simplest terms... yes, I guess you're right. Most people haven't been able to summon a god since the Cataclysm - they usually die trying, so it's... a big thing. Besides myself, only one other has managed to summon a god and keep him in the human realm.

[voidbreaker]

[ wow he literally knows a cult leader. a very nice cult leader, but dang. ]

You said it takes a lot out of you, literally. But... [ hearing a lot of people died, is. wow. ] It takes that much?

[infire]

[ she just nods slowly. ]

Yes. It takes a lot of vigor and life force for your voice to cross the barrier between the human and god realms. It's too much for most to handle... I'm honestly not certain how I survived casting the spell twice.

[voidbreaker]

[ excuse me--- ]

Twice?

[infire]

[ sweats ]

...Yes.