FFxivWrite 2022
FFxivWrite22 Masterpost
Prompt #16: Deiform
Disarmed and pinned beneath a Sineater twice her size was not an optimal position to be in, but be it optimism or stubbornness, Faye was not one to give up so easily. In fact, as soon as she came out of the daze from the blow that had knocked her to the ground, she saw an opportunity, a perfect opening to go after the very thing that had brought her to the First with all its radiant Light. With their close proximity, she began to draw in the creatureās aether and take it into herself.
The draining did not go unnoticed by the Shieldmaiden. She leaned forward, more of her weight bearing down upon the arm that pinned Fayeās chest to the ground, provoking a pained grimace from the Hyur as her ribs threatened to crack beneath the pressure. The creatureās face loomed over hers, contorting into a sinister grin. āYou want a taste?ā she spoke, the honeyed words dripping from her lips like the sweetest song. Faye stared up at her, momentarily stunned. She had no idea that the Sineater could speak, or that any even possessed the higher intelligence to do as much. None had uttered a word throughout the battle until that very moment. The Midlander had no time to fret that, however. She had other concerns. The Shieldmaidenās mouth opened wide, and a trail of fluorescent white blood dripped down and spilled toward Fayeās lips.
Faye remained shocked still briefly, the gears in her head clearly turning. It was disgusting, of course. But blood was blood, and Faye was, well⦠Faye. It was a challenge, and she didnāt turn those down. She didnāt try to squirm free or turn her head away. Instead, she welcomed it. Her lips curled into a wicked grin to match the Sineaterās own, tongue snaking out from her mouth to greedily lap up any of the blood that managed to splatter down into her mouth. It tasted vile, but she forced it down, eagerly drinking whatever she was offered, even as she coughed and gagged at the taste and choked on the fluid. The Shieldmaidenās smirk widened as Faye drank, and she willingly offered more blood.
Then suddenly, a bright glow erupted from within Faye as she felt the holy energy tearing through her very being. The pain coursed through her whole body, searing every last one of her veins from the inside, a terrible burning. The same light illuminated from the Shieldmaiden as well, and Faye recognized the glow from earlier in the battle, each time the Shieldmaiden had created more Sineaters. Faye clenched her jaw, biting her back screams as she convulsed and squirmed beneath the Sineater, struggling to break free but to no avail. A bright, white light blinded her vision.
The Shieldmaiden let out a soft coo, every bit as angelic and warm as the holy energy that now corrupted her victim. āThere, there, my child. Soon you will be free of sin.ā
Faye could sense a change happening within her being and a power swelling within her, if only she could survive the immeasurable pain as her body violently spasmed. Could she survive it? Had she finally run of out luck, bit off more than she could chew? She was certain this must be what death feels like. Was this the end for her? She refused to accept it, but for once, she felt like the matter was no longer in her hands. Suddenly, the Shieldmaidenās weight left her, and the light that obscured her vision faded just enough for her to catch a glimpse of what was happening through the foggy haze of agony. A bolt of scarlet-tinged lightning struck the Sineater, forcing her to stumble back directly into another strike of white lightning from the opposite side.
Faye seized the chance to stumble out from beneath the Shieldmaiden as she reeled, clawing and dragging herself away. Her gaze searched frantically before her glazed eyes landed upon Melfice standing on the other side of the field, one handās claws dug into his opposite arm, the crimson blood that drained from it being channeled into the cipher that hung in the air to his right. On the opposite side stood Liliana, having finally disposed of the rest of the Sineaters, already preparing another bolt to strike the Shieldmaiden now. She was relieved to see them both⦠especially Melfice.
She felt tired⦠oh so very tired. It was as if two ravenous, hungry beasts had dug their way inside her and fought a vicious battle, Light and Dark at war, fighting for control of her, repelling one another from within her. Her eyelids were heavy and the world spun around her. She struggled to stand, but between the fatigue and the pain still gripping her, she immediately sank back down to her knees, falling onto all fours as she heaved and gagged, coughing up some of the blood she had consumed, thick and milky, an almost luminescent white. The same liquid flowed from her eyes in tears, dripped from her nostrils, as if it had threatened to fill every ilm of her and overspilled. Her hands clutched at her head in a feeble attempt to dull the throbbing ache inside her skull.
As her vision began to blur once more and her consciousness began to fade, it was difficult for Faye to tell what happened next. She heard the sound of spells firing off, followed shortly by the screams of the disarmed Sineater, somehow still silky smooth and radiant despite the obvious rage they held. Melfice had already closed the distance between the two to kneel down at Fayeās side, arms reaching out to wrap around her and force her to look up at him. Disoriented as she was, his voice was muffled and far away, but she could still make out bits and pieces, asking if she was okay and if she could hear him. She was helpless to respond, even if she could understand.
Her eyes stared up at him unseeingly, unable to focus upon his face. They clouded over with a white haze, turning to pure ivory, no sign of her pupils or those blue irises left, only blank and empty. Her already pale skin drained of all color to a sickly white, stone-like, almost like marble. Her colorless lips parted to answer, but no words came, only more of the Sineaterās blood spilling from her mouth as she choked. So very tired. How nice it would be to go to sleep⦠everything faded to silent white.
@of-darkness-and-dreamsā