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The sweet smile
The calming smell of ever burning incense
The welcoming presence he harboured
Gone.
The newcomer can’t help but shed a tear when looking at him.
The outcast feels bad, but would never tell anyone.
The guardian takes care of him. His last wish was to be kept alive for as long as possible.
The artist can’t even look at him. He understands why.
Cleric burns him some incense, he just sits there. Too weak to move
Heretic visits him, he licks her like a cat would lick their kin. He can’t think straight.
Cuckoo’s bird flies into the room, he ignores Merchant’s current state, nodding at him as a greeting
Merchant can hear Artisan from the other room, he hears sobs. Merchant knows it’s his fault that Artisan is crying.
❧┄┄☙
Cleric hums a soft tune to him and lights some soft incense. The smell familiar yet he’d swear he’s never burnt this mix.
Artisan finally visited him. He drew a picture of Merchant. He tried to thank Artisan, but all that came out was a weak muffled squeak.
Cuckoo comes in at night, he has some kind of hunting knife. Cuckoo tries to strike Merchant, but he works up enough strength to dodge. He bites Cuckoo as a warning, Cuckoo leaves.
Heretic comes in after, preparing herself for the worst. Cuckoo was only trying to help, they both know that.
“Merchant! Thank goodness you’re okay..”
“Mnn…”
He looks exhausted just from dodging. Heretic leaves, letting him rest
❧┄┄☙
Merchant yawns after being awoken by Cleric. She feeds him something, he feels better than he usually feels.
Merchant’s beautiful clothes have been switched to basic white shorts and his original shirt. He doesn’t know where everything else has been stored.
Merchant pulls himself from off the ground after days. His right leg is covered in feathers. Terrifying.
Being blessed is hard, he hopes he can come back like Cleric did, but he doubts he will.
Merchant’s state has seemed to have been getting better, but he knows that it won’t last for long. He has to have as much fun as he can before it gets worse.
“Hiya guys!” He clutches his left arm, under his hand is a wound from Cuckoo’s attack
“Merchant! Oh you look terrible..”
“Huh, that’s nice of you to say.”
He’d role his eye at Artisans comment, chuckling.
“Cleric, what was that stuff you gave me? I feel great! I have so much energy and strength!”
“I was just testing something on you, I knew that it wouldn’t have any negative effects on your condition if it didn’t work. I harvested sunflowers to make it, so it’ll be awhile until I can give you more.”
“Ah, that’s fine! Don’t worry about me in the meantime..”
“Oh. Cuckoo..”
Merchant stares at Cuckoo, he knew why he tried to kill him, but he has no obligation to brush it off.
“My wish was to keep me living. Not kill and dismember me in the middle of the night. There was no reason for you to do that. It’s not like I take up a lot of resource. I can barely eat like this.”
Merchant’s cheery tone completely dropped.
“I was doing what I felt best.”
Cuckoo explains.
Merchant feels so angry, yet he sighs and sits between Heretic and Cleric, trying his best to at least get a little bit of breakfast in before he starts vomiting blood and choking up feathers.
“Artisan, that picture you drew of me was beautiful, yet I’m a bit…uncomfortable with how I look right now..”
“Merchant, I understand why, but the feathers adorning your whole body are truly beautiful. They’re symbolic in a way. Despite them killing you, they’re stunning to look at.”
“I feel sick.”
Merchant curls onto himself, resting his head on the table.
“Ah..sorry….”
Artisan can’t help but blame himself for Merchant’s sudden sickness.
“It’s fine, kill me with your words, not weapons.”
Merchant’s comment was obviously directed towards Cuckoo, but said in a playful manner.
Cuckoo sighs.
❧┄┄☙
Merchant has been doing surprisingly well, he hasn’t grown any new wings or eyes yet.
He, Heretic and Artisan play a simple card game with each other, he doesn’t know that the other two are going easy on him. He wins.
Cleric and Cuckoo are fighting over killing or keeping Merchant alive. Merchant growls at the two, making them shut up.
❧┄┄☙
Although still being recognizable as human, he still fears that one day he’ll wake up as a true blessed one. Not even having a physically possible body.
Merchant feels pressure behind his eyes. It makes him feel sick.
By the next morning, Merchant’s previously empty eye socket is full of tiny wings. He has to admit, it does look cool.
❧┄┄☙
Merchant spends the day laying on the floor. he’s hungry, but the piecing yet numb pain flowing through his body stops him from even getting up.
Cleric and him talk, yet Merchant’s voice is dull and quiet.
Merchant wishes for death.
❧┄┄☙
Merchant thinks of the past. He remembers when he’d charismatically twirl around and talk with such brightness. He wishes he could go back to then.
Merchant wishes to have a retry. To start anew.