"Wait, there's something I have that I think might be yours." Ivan called Ikky.
The amber eyed man was staring at the makeshift stretcher being carried into a hole in the ground by an unbothered trio. Theseus had just been knocked unconscious, being the patient on the stretcher, while the trio looked exactly the same as eachother. He knew that was definitely a Virtue, and quite a useful one in fact.
He turned around to catch Ivan pulling out strands of strange flowy strings from his belt.
The Sullivan explained what had happened, but was quite surprised when Ikky rejected the night strings.
"The tether isn't for me." Ikky sighed. "You help people, right? So you'll probably have to use it eventually. Take it as a uhh, thanks! For helping me earlier."
Līfwin eats only from what the clouds give him— this was a part of his Totem's prophecy. What Ikky understands by it is that the spirits or creatures he saves could leave him tools as an act of goodwill to be of use to him.
And although Totems rarely come with downsides, unlike the Vices of Virtues, this part of Ikky's Totem did. It insists that he uses nothing made from the remains of dead creatures as his own weapons, otherwise the night tools would come apart the moment he did.
And unfortunately, the sword which Izel had reforged into the markings on his arm was composed mostly of the essence of the Captain of the knights of Nocturni. If he took hold of the strings, no matter how useful they are, would make him neglect using his charm, or just turn to dust.
That is not to say that these 'night mist gifts' would not be used, as Equinox with his Living Totem's personality would prefer using them over the charm on his hand.
Ivan had read the prophecy of the strings earlier. And Ikky had confirmed it to be what he had guessed, so he accepted it. He reached to put it back in the talisman strapped to his belt when the threads suddenly wrapped themselves around his arm before turning invisible. Ivan could feel it was there, and now his to use under Ikky's permission.
Not long after, Ivan went down the same hole in the ground, leaving Ikky behind to change his clothes.
"Dear, do you think he has a clue about that leering stalker?" Aos-sia asked.
Ivan obviously was not sure. But he'd offer his help when it came to it. So turning to a dark corner behind the stairs, he pushed his back against the wall and waited in silence.
"What is this, the third time I'm changing my clothes?" He pulled out a new set of clothes from the flower marking on the back of his palm and took off the torn ones on his body, keeping those back in.
After the change of clothes, he clenched his fist, immediately forcing out the essence of the Night Chant.
"What's wrong? Why aren't you coming out?! I know you're there!" He yelled into the forest.
It was extremely hard to sneak up on Prophets who had their guards up. This was mostly due to the fact that they had invisible Augur spirits who could roam the vicinity to sniff out threats.
"I nearly died back there, you creepy bastard."
He indeed might have been killed by Līfwin's trustful nature.
But to counter this disadvantage, the main point of the charm on his arm was to reduce the unconventional thoughts he would have when using his Totem.
The way it does this is by leaving a permanent 'mark of duality' on his body that could not be removed at all. This mark of duality is simply the murky night mist that sticks onto a person when the souls of the creatures they've killed curses them.
While this mist of duality on his body exists, he would still retain quite a bit of proper reasoning, so he would not make mistakes that would lead to him sacrificing himself. This humane will was what had given him the strength to trick Astrid into believing he had died, just so she would finally stop draining his life essence and leave him alone.
Alas, it seems she had sensed his lie and had stayed behind to check if he was truly dead.
"I sacrificed my own life for you, yet you repay me with false promises." Astrid's voice reached his ears as she walked out from behind a tree, crawling on the ground before standing up straight.
Astrid's strange movements were certainly off-putting. He could have sworn that she was human... at least, that human.
"I remember your voice. Wasn't it you who helped me back in my first omen?" He asked.
"... Hmm. It seems so. Yes. I have given you my life and saved yours. Yet you lied to me, and leave your dues unpaid."
Ikky's eyebrows were scrunched in frustration. "What are you talking about? What lie? As a matter of fact, you should apologise for trying to kill me! You were already fine, but couldn't help being too greedy... If you dare to wish for more, Astrid, I'm not gonna just give you my life for free."
He held his fist in the air, the lines of his charm coming apart and turning into grainy smoke. Only the flower at the back of his hand remained.
"You've seen what she is capable of. Even a Deceiver fell under a single strike of her sword. You stand no chance."
"Hey, I killed one myself not too long ago..." Ikky sighed, a grin slowly forming on his face.
"What Chant do you think would work in this situation?" He asked, stepping on his toes before suddenly dashing forward, his charging fist drawing a dark line across the air like an unstoppable spear.
The dark aura-like charm went first as the spearhead, shooting right by the golden spirit as it managed to dodge at the last second.
Ikky smashed into a few red trees but still planted his feet firmly on the ground without losing balance.
"Did that shock you?" Ikky turned around to look at Astrid still stuck in an irregular dodging position.
She placed her palms on her waist and snapped her body back to shape.
Ikky's legs shifted forward to attack when he suddenly halted.
His face was now full of disgust and more doubt, watching Astrid tear her stomach open like a zipper bag before pulling out a golden zweihander from her body.
"Fool!" Yaga exclaimed. Ikky's engrossed eyes widened as the golden blade of the sword met his neck. He had let his guard down— a very costly mistake when fighting a Believer out to kill him.
His sight went dark, but the next thing he saw when light reached his eyes again was the view of the same forest, but from a different perspective.
His eyes were practically bulging with alertness as it seemed he was still thinking of ways to avoid the unavoidable execution. But then he blinked, his mind now processing what had just happened and looking at who had just saved him.
"Why is a Seer challenging one of the Solstice twins?" This man tilted his head, his blue earring flashing under pale red light.
"Are you overconfident or just plain ignorant?" Camille asked.
A yellow light drew across the forest, bursting apart any tree in its way to reach Ikky and Chevreuse.
Ikky had already turned to run from the destructive charge heading their way when Camille suddenly grabbed his collar and threw him further to the side.
Chevreuse swung his arms up as if awaiting Astrid's embrace when all she sought was blood.
"My lady! By chance would you permit me to know why this silly, helpless man has captured your 'gentle' interest?!" He held his chin, thinking out loud, "Did I say that right? You nobles have such an outdated manner of speaking."
Astrid crashed onto Camille, batting him into the sky with her sword.
"You stupid glow stick!" He exclaimed as he rolled in the air before grabbing onto one of the many monsters that had been knocked out of his body and throwing himself back to the ground.
Astrid continued without giving Ikky any chance to brace himself after Camille's throw. But again, before Astrid could get to him, he vanished and reappeared near Camille who just flung him to the side once more.
The mud beneath her feet burst apart as she changed directions, this time slowed down by the many creatures that had begun to surround her.
"There really is only one conquered curse you could reverse to work in this situation." Yaga started. "Make use of the Night Chant from Paralysis, and run away—"
Yaga sensed it— Ikky using exactly the Chant she had expected, however with a different plan in mind.
[Immortality is unfaltering stillness. Infinity is endless progress. The Final Mourning thrives in Endless night— a fleeting dream of countless light. Nothing lasts forever, but this mourning soul will surely be the last to go.]