A Chance at Freedom: The Tale of Kim’hon – Delilah/Veridian
Mar 11, 2022 14:12:51 GMT
Velania Kalugina and Andy Davy like this
Post by Delilah Daybreaker on Mar 11, 2022 14:12:51 GMT
Taking place directly after ‘The Girl with the Shadow Dragon Father’
🖤 Co-written with the magnificent Charlie 🖤
Delilah approaches her and Oziah’s room to find Paracelsus sitting outside the door with a small note in his hands addressed to her. Beastie trots over and encircles the homunculus as the shadow wreathed girl bends down to take the piece of parchment from the creature’s hands.
I’ve read a very interesting story that I think you’ll enjoy, meet me on the south west wall overlooking the gardens at sunset.
She nods to Paracelsus. “I’ll be there.”
Sunset, later that day, after telling Oziah everything that transpired whilst in Daring, the girl of shadows is waiting for Veridian on the southwest wall overlooking the gardens. The sun feels extra bright despite quickly approaching the gloaming hour and it makes her eyes hurt. She keeps to the darker ramparts of the Fort’s wall as much as she can.
There’s a slight rush of wind and a little bit of smoke as Veridian misty steps next to her.
“Hello there Delilah, I hope you’ve been keeping well, other than this recent business with your father I’ve heard about, that didn’t sound so fun.”
“What have you heard?”
“Your father sent a letter to Silvia but turned out to be a decoy, however the more specific details were left out.”
She lets out a soft chuckle. “The gossip travels fast as ever. The situation has been sorted for now. I’m planning on going to the part of the Angelbark where you first met Kurtz actually.”
“Yes I heard that too,” Veridian laughs. “Perhaps it would be best I didn’t join. See things without a biassed opinion around. However, that is not why I asked you to meet me here today.”
Delilah turns to him fully, her curiosity peaked.
“As I’m sure you have also heard from The Gossip, I am in possession of a certain orb that I found in the jungle when I first met your father. I had some discussions with him and although he didn’t hold any answers, he did give me a good point to start the necessary research and I found something.”
Her head tilts to the side. “Something related to shadow corruption perhaps?”
“A way to remove it to be specific,” He turns his head to look at Delilah.
“If you’re about to suggest a fey bargain, I will stop you right there.” She holds up a hand. “Jaezred already offered that option and my father was less than thrilled at the prospect.”
“Fortunately not, I found a story of the shadow corruption being removed from a gold dragon at the hands of a Solar of Ilmater.”
He reaches in one of the pockets of his coat and pulls out a couple of pieces of neatly folded paper. Passing them over to Delilah, the half-elf perks up, looking at the pieces of parchment with Veridian’s neat, contained writing.
The Tale of Kim’hon
A Solar of Ilmater, Kim’hon once used his holy blade to draw the shadows from an ancient golden dragon who had been corrupted. The process took many hours, and it caused the dragon such pain that he had to be shackled with blessed chains of adamantine to prevent him from lashing out or succumbing to the shadows and losing control. The energy drawn from the dragon, once fully released, became a shadow spirit of great power and immediately assaulted the angel Kim’hon. After a short but intense fight in which the shackled dragon could not assist, the angel was left bloodied but victorious. It took him a decade to recover fully from the wounds he suffered, each touch of the shadow lessening his radiant power in a manner that only resting by his diety’s side could truly undo. The dragon also eventually regained his full strength and chose to serve Illmater equally to Bahamut from that day onwards as thanks and payment.
Delilah’s eyes dart back and forth across the page, reading it quickly. When she is done she gives the mage a strange look.
“You looked into this on your own and are sharing this with me… Why?”
“I did the research because I thought I had an idea but it wouldn’t have worked. I would have shared anything I found,” he says honestly. “This is more valuable information to you then it is to me. You must take this information and figure out what to do with it but I’ll assist however I can… Though I do want to make sure you understand that this will not be an easy process by any means. I’m not 100% sure but in the worst case scenario your father’s body and soul could be so intertwined with the corruption that doing this might kill him. At the very least he will be severely weakened by this and will need a lot of time to fully recover.”
“Indeed.” Delilah reads over the story again, her uncertainty growing. But then the shadows shift, the sun fully dips behind the Sunset Spine in the west, and she stands a bit easier.
“The next time I see him, I will share this story with him, but I will not mention your name. My father still does not like you and I think he may reject this solution out of any lingering spite against you.” She pauses again and adds. “Thank you, Veridian. I… may have misjudged you a little.”
Veridian bursts out laughing. “Don’t worry the irony is not lost on me either, I don’t like your father either but the fact that I potentially found the thing he has been searching for is a very funny turn of fate.” He calms down and looks back at Delilah. “I may have made it a little too easy for you to misjudge me, it’s something I’m working on.”
There’s a flash of sympathy in the pale woman’s dark eyes as she remembers how the priest of Ilmater acted towards the mage the last time they were all together.
“I hope you figure it out soon so you can mend the bonds that have been lost.”
Veridian looks away from Delilah though she can still clearly see the pain on his face. “Yes that’s the plan. But speaking of lost bonds I was wondering if I could borrow that leech for a little bit. I think I have an idea of how to work out how he is still alive.”
She raises an eyebrow. “So long as your plan is to kill it and not help it gain power etc. etc. etc…”
It’s clear from her tone that the girl of shadows is, in fact, teasing him.