Second Rune Application [9/6] Full Accursed Dev

[19:41] Ardith kicks open the gate to the keep, in true 'her' fashion.
(Ardith Hirai)
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[19:41] Mistletoe jumps for a moment, thinking it's the Bird demon once more ..
(Mistletoe)
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[19:41] Mistletoe says, ". . ! "
[19:41] Mistletoe says, ".. Oh. It's you. Greetings."
[19:41] Ardith is just the cow demon, kicking in the door. She steps in and brushes snow from her shoulders.
(Ardith Hirai)
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[19:42] Mistletoe says, "How has the experiment held up? .. Do you require medical assistance? .."
[19:42] Ardith Hirai says, "No. Ain't need medical assistance. Unless ya wanna sit in on another session."
[19:42] Mistletoe asks, "Already preforming again so soon?"
[19:44] Ardith Hirai asks, "...Soon?"
[19:44] Ardith Hirai says, "Been a fuckin' year or more."
[19:45] Mistletoe says, ".. Truthfully-- I wouldn't be so willing to take that pressure in once more .."
[19:45] Mistletoe says, ".. A year's passage or more .. The level of risk there was ..."
[19:45] Mistletoe says, ".. Quite unprecedented."
[19:46] Ardith Hirai says, "Pffft..."
[19:46] Ardith Hirai says, "For me, maybe. Unless you count you almost gettin' gored."
[19:46] Mistletoe left no comment. .. It seemed up to Ardith's interpretation ..
(Mistletoe)
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[19:47] Mistletoe says, ".. Regardless-- .."
[19:47] Mistletoe says, ".. If you do so require a stand-in, I wouldn't mind assisting you."
[19:47] Mistletoe says, ".. Though, give me a moment of time, before you preform such an act .."
[19:48] The Accursed grunts, wandering up to the adjacent desk with steely determination in her eyes, in her very bearing. She sets down her pack and starts setting up her gear; all her bottles, her tinctures, materials, laid out.

"Ya can stay or go. Decision's yours," she says bluntly.

"I wasted time 'nough on my interim project. If you need time? Take it. I need a sec to set up anyway."
(Ardith Hirai)
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[19:51] Was it hot-headedness or ambition?

.. Whatever it was, it was certainly fitting of the Mountain's culture ..

Mistletoe reclined to the book nearby-- He seemed to be scribbling down some various notes, many of which from a glance would assume surgical in nature. He imagined that it wouldn't take long for this action, and Ardith needed to prepare foremost anyhow--

He would patiently bide his time ..
(Mistletoe)
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[19:51] Garrick would wave briefly to the pair with a steady yawn as he dusted the remnants of metal dust from his palms, taking a cozy seat upon the chair nearby before planting his face directly into the wood with the immediate sound of snoring.

Out like a light. What a baby.
(Garrick)
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[19:53] Both. Both is likely. At least on Ardith's behalf.

When she can't confront the more complicated matters in her mind, in her heart, she sets to work. It is the only constant balm she can find on this miserable continent. Advancement, continuation of her work. So far all else has been disappointingly...

Ephemeral.

Ardith doffs her armor and starts rolling up the sleeve of her long shirt to expose her upper arm, near to her shoulder. There. There's where the next rune needs to be laid.

"Hope you made your decision now.

"Cuz it's 'bout to get weird."
(Ardith Hirai)
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[19:53] Despair says, "Garrick."
[19:53] Despair says, "Ya got a vistor."
[19:54] Mistletoe says, ".. Garrick has passed out from a nicotine addiction .."
[19:56] Mistletoe feels the side of his satchel and opens it ever so slightly.

With a small hint of movement inside, he would find some superficial wraps and medicinal tools should things get .. hectic.

There is no speech, Mistletoe simply dawns a surgical mask with a side glance at Ardith.

Was it really a decision he made? He continues scribbling down in his book, making occasional glances at Ardith should attention be needed ..
(Mistletoe)
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[19:59] Ardith has given him fair warning. As she pulls up a stool to do the next step in her work, in her evolution, Mistletoe is by and large discounted for the time being. He's been given his option to flee. Whether he takes it or not is his decision. The man doesn't belong to her.

With the entirety of her left arm exposed she begins laying out the basic runework, not in the final ink but in a stick of charcoal. The dust adheres enough to her skin to leave behind a shadow where the final symbols will be placed.

"Gonna warn ya now. Like before. No tryin' no funny necromancy shit. I like havin' a pulse," she snarls off handedly. Better to remind him. That way he has no excuse.

Drawing on other creatures and objects is one thing. Drawing on herself is another. Not only has she warned that the sigils on herself, combining with her circuits, must be perfect, but her canvas is limited in view.

Unless Mistletoe asks anything, or makes any sudden movements to cause her to stir, she is by and large absorbed into her diligent work.
(Ardith Hirai)
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[20:03] Mistletoe continues to scribe onto the pages, occasional glances at Ardith-- Or really cautious foretellings if he must dodge immediately ..

There is no immediate reaction drawn-- Apart from the fact that Mistletoe would receive a comment on his tutorage of Necromancy.

Very bluntly, he would let out a small statement--
. . .
".. Just--
Avoid becoming a corpse, ..
.. Or corpse-like .."


Some say 'Necromancy,' but Mistletoe says 'Medic v2'.
That's all there was to it. He left no further comment.
(Mistletoe)
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[20:24] For her? It suffices. She's ready for a toss of the dice regardless. Sure, she'd given her word technically to do this in presence of a certain someone...

But that certain someone was not here. And that certain someone had also disappointed her deeply. Ultimately this is her evolution, her exploration. If his attitudes thus far had been any indicator he was not fit to join her. Only time would tell for certain.

As Mistletoe scribbles, takes his notes, and braces for potential impact, she begins applying the same viscous tincture as before. The ink specially crafted with Archon's blood.

There's no surprise that it sears her flesh in much the same fashion that it had before, though this time the amount and runework is greater. Truly she'd begun with the smallest of the trio. This decision had a certain wisdom to it that Ardith normally doesn't showcase in the slightest.

The runes on her hands are connected in a lattice work all up her arm, the center sigil situated high up on her bicep. To the surprise of no one that has seen her experimentation before, her muscles tissues warp and twist once the circuit is completed.

She doesn't have the block of wood iner her teeth to benefit her this time. A shame. There's nothing to muffle the Accursed's tortured screams of pain except for her clenching jaw. You'd scream too if all your upper arm turned into twisting clay.

When the transformation subsides the physique of her bicep matches that of her left hand- equally monstrous, misshapen, and just as unruly, if not more so, than the claw when it was first brought into being. The sinews flex against her will and her eyes shift towards Mistletoe with an ugly gleam.
(Ardith Hirai)
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[20:31] Accursed cries and shrieks fill the room with dread--

Truthfully-- It was more impressive she hasn't burned out from recklessness. Ardith, from Mistletoe's observation-- was a person who 'got things done'. Her tenacity and ferocity was quite terrifying-- and uncomfortable to say the least, as she would quickly experiment on herself without a second thought.

But her ambitions to further their own ideals were admirable in the sense. If only Mistletoe were able to appreciate the thought before being startled by the shrieks of a madwoman.

The same signs were present-- And still ever unsettling. The body would warp, the muscles would contort, and the figure became unrecognizable for a moment. Seeing the Accursed cry out in not a yelp-- But rather a roar of pain, it prompted the most immediate of concern.

Mistletoe looms over-- Taking in the scene. Her biceps enlarged, and misshapen-- warped wickedly with and yet held the strength of ten Magi within them. And with his own approach, Ardith's eyes would bring themselves to the Doctor.

. . .
".. Reckless!
Unpredictable! ..
.. Do you not assume the worst before progressing-- ?! ..
.. Speak, Accursed-- Speak!
.. What do you feel? .."


Mistletoe quickly reaches into his satchel. Between his fingers he holds medical tape and a vial of lax essence ..
(Mistletoe)
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[20:37] Nykros asks, "Dangit all... Did I miss Sors...?"
[20:37] It's any wonder that the Accursed isn't either already a miserable, maddened wretch, dead, or both. She treads a careful line that some day, sooner rather than later, might be her undoing.

Ardith is not only the sculptor, but also the marble. To change herself takes effort, toil, and no small amount of pain. This is the price for advancement and perfection, tolls she's been willing to pay time and time again.

It's all for a greater cause. A great purpose. But what?

The Accursed, a haze passing over her vision where once there was a gleam, lurches once towards Mistletoe.

Ardith's good right arm hangs limp, useless, which is strange considering it is not the one she has been practicing upon. Instead with twitching throbs the left one lifts and shakily reaches out towards the good doctor.

Another lurch in his direction. She does not speak. The Accursed inhales a rattling breath and trundles towards him.
(Ardith Hirai)
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[20:44] Zombie-like motions follow, her body trodden and limp ..

Mistletoe reaches for a nearby chair, holding it in front of the Accursed.. The furniture is held as a barrier, trying to bring distance between him and her-- For fear of these experiments he did not understand ..

Mistletoe gazes up at Ardith.
. . .
".. Accursed-- Speak.
Accursed. Ardith.
Do you hear me? .. What is the status? ..
Accursed --!"

Fear overcomes the mind as he assumes the worst. Has she lost her mind? Or is it this a cry for help? .. If push came to shove, Mistletoe would try to subdue the Accursed-- But to what avail? .. With an arm such as that, there was no way he would willingly hop into the fray of battle.

Twisted skin would lurch towards his direction, the unpredictability of it all was initiate some sense of hostile response.

. . .
".. Accursed! .. Accursed!"
(Mistletoe)