He sighed, he had taken another month long 'nap'.
He didn't quite like this habit of his, falling asleep for God knows how long every few months or so. But he couldn't argue with a body that needed such rest.
Perpetually bleeding and forever sickly. Hah. What a wondrous combination of a punishment, if only she remembered, perhaps then he could talk about it with more honesty.
Alas, there was no reason to bother someone about their actions when they don't remember nor associate themselves with who they once were.
Lying in his bed in the inn the Party had been staying in for the month he slept, he aimlessly faced the ceiling, 'staring' despite having no sight to do so. His hand gently scratched the bandages on his torso, another gently traced the one covering his face.
He wondered who changed them this time. He really should take more time to patch himself up, however difficult that may be while being blind.
The wings on his perked up when he heard the door creak open, prompting him to slowly sit up on the bed.
Looking in the direction of the noise, he asked, "Is there something you need?", Lin waited for a moment for an answer.
"...Are you...ok...?", came a voice, strained and hoarse.
He gave a small smile as shifted to make some space on the bed, "I am. How about you?", he patted the empty space next to him, inviting the boy to sit.
The partially undead boy quietly made his way to the bed, after closing the door behind him. "...fine...", he mumbled under his breath once he sat down, his legs dangling off the edge of the bed.
Lin hummed softly, "You don't have to lie, Grinmor". The child huffed, "...'m not...", he defended himself weakly. The creature shook his head, his wings twitching as one moved to cover his mouth as his snorted.
He blindly reached for the boy's hand, "It's been a while since you joined us", Lin started, "...I don't know where I'm going with this", he sighed.
At a loss for words. How does one approach a child so...blank, again...?
"...heard you're sleepier more often now...", a longer sentence left the young(?) one's mouth, his tail swishing, his Rot-taken claw gripping the bed sheet. Lin paused, now that he gave it some thought, yes, he had been sleeping more frequently.
In both his normal naps and his month long ones.
"You do bring a good point", the creature agreed, "Is there a reason you bring it up?"
The young one pulled his legs up to fully sit on the bed with his legs crossed. "Jelfi spoke of Rot", came Grinmor's reply, "She spoke of its effects...regarding undead and those around it", he strained.
That nickname, Lin smiled internally though the slowly growing frown on his face was impossible to miss. He wondered in the back of his mind if Scry liked that nickname.
"...Am I making you sleepier?", "Am I making you more sickly?" Was the actual question he wanted to ask. Lin understood.
"I'm sure your parent-gods will be proud"
He knew it once. He knew what Rot could do.
"...Child...", his voice drawled calmly, but with a hint of concern, "I assure you, I won't leave.", he doubted he could leave at all.
Lin gently rubbed circles into Grinmor's hand, the boy hummed. He always craved affection. He always craved comfort.
"Would you like to sleep? The bed is comfortable", Lin offered sweetly, "...will you stay?". The creature smiled.
"...won't you stay longer?"
"Of course, I'll be here when you wake up", he promised to the child.
"I cannot. You know I cannot"
"I assume you want no blanket?", Grinmor hummed an eager answer as he shuffled further into the bed and plopped onto the pillow, curling on top of it much like a cat.
Lin could only assume he took his place, turning over properly, he curled around the boy.
Grinmor liked sleeping curled while Lin coiled around him lazily. That was a constant, even when they first met.
"...mist...?", the boy requested, his horn poking Lin's tail a bit.
The creature hummed, "Of course, how could I forget", he spoke as he willed the mist to gracefully fill the room in a veil of coolness.
The Rot always preferred the cold.
"Sleep well, I'll be here the whole time", he ruffled the boy's hair, focusing on the way his hair moved, the way his tail flopped over his own scaly tail, the mist allowed for sight, even though temporary.
And there was only so much he could 'see' through this ability.
Hours later and the child sat, upset. At himself.
He hated the heat and Lin's mist was the most effective way to cool down.
Not as much as he thought though.
"I'm sorry", he mumbled to a resting Lin, fatigue caught up to him easier than usual. And it hadn't been long since he had awoken from his month long nap either.
"...For once, I do not know how to help", Marcus whispered as they stood near the door, peaking through to check in on them. The child had frantically approached him earlier, and for good reason.
"Should he really stay?", came the unkind words of Scry in a whisper, standing behind Marcus, her words held concern, for the Party, but also cruelty.
The high elf turned to her, a frown on his face, "You could be a little considerate for the child", the jellyfish huffed, "The Rot is not something one can control. Everything in his vicinity will worsen in health", she spoke only the truth.
Marcus sighed, "Surely there's a way around it? It is unfair for one so young to have to suffer such cruelty", they argued softly so as to not be heard behind the door, "No one should have to suffer like this", Scry stared at the elf's face, if only Lin could tell him the rest.
Her knowledge of The Rot was only as bountiful as her memory allowed.
Lin was the only one who could probably figure out a solution. But...
"Look. Between you and I, Lin's own inaction to attempt such a task brings me to...believe otherwise", she sighed. Marcus felt their heart drop a little, "He knows The Rot better than I do, for better or for worse"
And his inaction spoke loudly.
The silence crawled up their spines, ringing slowly drowning the little ambience of the wood creaking beneath their feet, the quiet sobbing of a child cursed and the eerie stillness of one grown sickly.
The silence ate at their senses.
"...Let's bring him something to eat", Marcus broke the silence after a bit, "I'll bring Xillith along", Scry answered as they both headed downstairs.
"Rot will consume all one day"
"And it won't stop, you've told me many times before"
"Yes. That is simply the reality of it all"
"How do you not rot things immediately?"
"...Rot takes time. I do not control its pace as much as you'd like to believe"
"For one like you, you will never crumble"
He blinked at the being called Rot.
"But it will eat you alive until the Paradox ceases"
"Alas, you know how it is"
"And I'm sorry", he whispered to himself, now alone in his room.
I was genuinely trying to go for pure fluff, I do NOT know what possessed me to write angst at the end
Anyways so The Rot is a character with no specific description of appearance :D (technically it's my alt. Sona Aderum but shhhh)
The Rot raised RPG!Lin for a while after RPG!Aqyiva & RPG!Xesoityr was slaughtered by rival gods(gee I wonder who...)
Wrote after a long while cuz I NEEDED to inject myself with the idea lol