[IC] Devouring Light

[Owlriel]

Asran walked down the streets of a bustling city, his city of sin. Where feasts, and festivals were a common occurrence where everyone was encouraged to let their inhibitions go. But, lately a light had moved in, infesting his beautiful home. It annoyed him to no end, but at the same time that light fascinated him. Unknowingly it drew him towards it like a moth to a flame. Often he thought it was just the powerful urge to snuff it out, like a candle. Finally, he found himself standing in front of a dingy run down building. It had some sort of holy symbol on the door.
“Tsk, they even defaced a building. Will their misdeeds know no end? Jeeze,” Asran said. He rubbed at the back of his neck immensely annoyed. He walked up to the door looking for a way to remove it. He touched it, making a numb pulsing current flow through his hand. It was the holy power flowing through the symbol he quickly found it difficult to remove.
“The hell? Is this thing super glued on? Well not like that could usually stop me. But, seriously?” He quickly had to brace his foot on the door as he tried yanking the thing off.

[Arreyis]

Ayrie was perched in a windowsill, watching a party in the streets a block or so away. These people were so strange to her, completely different from what she had experienced at the monastery. The elders had sent her here to save the heathens from their depravity, and so far Ayrie was having little luck. She had simply purchased a small building and set up shop as a spirit healer.

As she sat she sensed someone at the door, but wasn't sure what to make of the energy she felt. It was dark energy, almost enthralling to her senses. She moved silently towards the door and peeked through a peep hole to see a man with white hair trying to pry the symbol of peace from the wood. She waited for him to stop pulling for a moment and slightly cracked the door.

"Excuse me, what are you doing that for?" she asked quietly. She let her black hair fall over her shoulder as she peered out at the man, and the purple silk robe she wore over her 'street' clothes blew slightly in the breeze of the open door. "Is there something I can do for you?"

[Owlriel]

Asran was panting due to his feeling of enraged annoyance. He had to stop pulling for a moment because his whole arm was going numb. He shook his arm trying to regain feeling when the door opened. He shot a death glare at the woman then pointed to the holy symbol. “That’s not allowed in my city. Remove it, or I’ll make you regret it.” The glare intensified on the gorgeous girl.
Wait gorgeous? Wasn’t that going a bit far? Asran shook his head slightly, and looked away with a huff. “Look just remove the damn thing from outside the building. Do whatever annoying thing you want inside. But, don’t catch me seeing any sort of effigy of yours that isn’t devoted to the demon lord Gluttony.”
Honestly he loved it when people prayed to him. Delivering all sorts of scrumptious foods to his temple. Where his priests picked the very best for him to enjoy in private. His favorite being living sacrifices, humans, elves, and even dwarves. Didn’t matter who, they were all delicious to consume. The added bonus of pure power he got from them.
The effigies were more of a point of pride for him than actually something that gave him power. It was what helped him to see they all knew who it was the worshipped. Though of course no one knew he was lord Gluttony the effigy only showed him in one of his very old, and very showy demon forms.

[Arreyis]

"Oh, that must be why no one wants to come in..." Ayrie said almost to herself. She looked back up at him and noticed that he was quite handsome, for someone so huffy. She opened the door fully, sensing something strange as he looked away from her. The air was cool on her skin as it ruffled the light clothing she wore beneath the robe.

"Make me regret it how?" she asked simply, narrowing her own eyes at him in defiance and crossing her arms over her chest. "It's simply a symbol of peace and tranquility, does it really offend you so much? And who are you exactly that you say this is 'your' city, and to tell me what to do?"

She didn't care who he was, he wasn't going to make her remove the symbol, not when it offered so much protection to her.

[Owlriel]

“I am what you could call the mayor of this beautiful city. I’d make you regret it by having you arrested. Honestly the prisons here well they’re honestly the worse. At least last time I checked, could have changed. Don’t really know people typically don’t get arrested unless they’ve harmed children,” Asran said with a simple shrug. “Lord Gluttony finds it disgusting to harm children. Despite how lawless our city may seem. There are still certain laws that must be upheld.”

[Arreyis]

"You'd have me arrested... for a symbol? Well then I guess..." Ayrie stopped for a moment and searched for a solution. The symbol offered her home protection from dark forces that might seek to harm her. Her elders had given it to her at the outset of her trek and told her to put it on the outside of whatever building she decided to inhabit. But the outside didn't have to mean the front door.

"I'll move it, if it pleases your highness. I'm glad to hear he hates child predators, but what kind of Lord arrests people for having a symbol on their door?" she said with a snarky attitude. She stepped to the door, her face level with the symbol, and swiped her hand over it. She felt the power of the symbol fade slightly as she did so, as the barrier came free from the building. The wooden circle with the golden inlay of the symbol was heavy in her hands, but the power behind it was heavier still. She set it inside, not wanting him to know her intentions.

"Happy now?" she asked as she turned to him, tilting her head slightly as she looked up at him. Her green eyes caught the light from a lantern as she did so, and she looked to see a woman dancing in the street carrying a pole. The lantern was swinging merrily as the woman moved gracefully, a crew of people dressed in bright colors dancing in her wake.

"Beautiful..." she whispered as she watched. "I've never seen anything quite like that before."

[Owlriel]

Asran smiled at the priestess as she removed the holy symbol. His nerves slowly calming down now that it was gone. He turned back to see the women dancing in the streets. “Probably practicing for the festival tomorrow night. The one thing the outside cities don’t allow. The so called “holy” cities. They stop women from having such freedoms. Their often terrified of leaving their homes without being escorted by a man. Or dressing how they wish to dress. For fear of being stoned to death by your supposed holy men. Who hide their depravity behind fancy words, and lies. This place... is freedom. There is no need for lies as there is no judgment. Only a set of simple rules to follow. Do not murder or hurt another without good reason, never harm a child, let no one starve, and do not insult the lord,” he said. Then turned away chuckling faintly when he saw children playing in the street. They weren’t afraid of anyone hurting them. They ran past Asran waving to him as they giggled. “Break those simple tenants, and the lord shall come. He shall come, and consume all that you are, and all you could have been.” His eyes faintly glowing for just a moment before he blinked.

He turned to look at the priestess again, “now that you know these rules. I expect you not to break them. Would hate for you to get swallowed up.” Asran smiled brightly at the girl. “Oh, if you’d like why don’t you swing by the festival. There will be a lot of delicious food to be eaten. After all Cornopa City is known for the best food in the world.” He winked at the priestess.

[Arreyis]

"I'll have no trouble following your rules, but I've never lived in a city before. I lived in a monastery before I came here." Ayrie said, watching him. What he was saying about the holy men rung true to her core, as she remembered hearing of priests who were accused of heinous things, and those who were seen as high in the priesthood who were taken down by infildelities. What she had heard before, of the ills of society and cities like Cornopa, seemed more like the griping of old men who were stuck in their ways. She had seen nothing truly wrong in any of the things these people did, aside from lacking a little in modesty and moderation.

His eyes had scared her for a moment, but then he smiled at her and winked and she felt butterflies in her stomach. 'Why must he be handsome? I want so badly to not like this man. He feels so dangerous.'

"I think I would enjoy the festival, my cupboard is sorely lacking and I'm certainly missing the cooks at the monastery. After buying this place I haven't much budget left for more than flour and rice." she said. This was sadly true, she'd eaten bread and rice cakes after running out of her travel rations. She extended her hand to him, "I'm Ayrie Summers."

[Owlriel]

“Well that simply will not do. Why not ask the local butchers for food? Then again I suppose you’d not heard all the rules yet. One of top ones being let no one starve. If you asked for food at the local butchers they’d provide it to you easily. The city is literally where the word Cornucopia comes from.” Asran rubbed at his forehead sighing deeply. Then grabbed a slip of paper, and slammed it on the side of the house, and pulled out a pen. He quickly jotted down an address, and held it out for the priestess.
“Go here, and your food needs will be taken care of. Just, make sure not to wear your holy robes. Seeing as it’s a small offshoot temple dedicated to lord Gluttony’s generosity. Yes I know Gluttony and generosity shouldn’t go hand in hand for some of you holier than though types. But, even he finds feeding his people worth it. As happy, healthy, and well fed people provide more goods. Than poor, sad, and unhealthy people. Simple truth he probably learned over an incredibly long life,” he said.

[Arreyis]

Ayrie was bewildered by the way this man spoke of "Gluttony". She had always been taught that Gluttony was a way of acting, not that it was a 'he' or that he was a Lord. This man spoke of him as if he knew him in person.

"Thank you. I can take the robe off, I wear it mostly for comfort anyway." She said, taking the slip of paper from him. As she did her fingers brushed his and she felt a shock of power. She froze momentarily, not sure whether he had felt it. "Y-you never did tell me your name."

She tried to cover her surprise with a smile as she said the last, hoping that it worked. As she looked at him she noticed lines of what appeared to be tattoos peeking out from beneath his clothes and had a sudden desire to see what they all were. She quelched it and looked away. To cover her embarassment she stepped closer to the door and slipped her robe off, hanging it on a peg just inside. As she did she revealed her street clothes, a pair of flowy tan pants and a purple wrap-around top that hugged her hips.

[Owlriel]

At the priestesses touch Asran felt a spark of her holy power. Surprising him somewhat that she even had such power. He thought her a simple priestess not one with a soul carrying actual light. It made his nerves go on edge, even tearing a little growl from him. He coughed into his hand quickly clearing his throat. He straightened a bit offering a cheeky smirk, “I know I didn’t, just call me mister mayor. Or mayor for short. You have the address, you should be okay to find it on your own. I’ll be taking my leave now miss priestess.” He then bowed his head to her slightly then took his leave.

He needed a snack, and a nap. Could this day be any more tiresome? He ran a hand through his snow white locks of hair. Rubbing at the back of his head. He summoned lesser demons to his side hidden by the shadows. “Follow her, but do not engage. Unless you want to get vaporized,” he told the imps. They nodded quickly, and disappeared.

[Arreyis]

'Strange man. I wonder what that spark was about?' Ayrie thought as she watched him walk away. She shrugged and closed the door, heading for the address he had given her. As she walked she passed the dancing woman and her troupe of followers, they smiled and laughed and invited her to join but she politely shook her head no. Now was the time to fill her belly, not make it more hungry with exercise.

She entered the temple he'd told her to, and found a burly looking man handing food to a pair of children.

"Well what can I do for you?" He asked her, not bothering to look up from the children.

"I was sent by the mayor, he told me I could get some food here?" Ayrie was hesitant, she didn't feel she deserved such a donation.

"Ye came to the right place, my dear." He said, and began grabbing some things and putting them in a sack. "Take these, bring the sack back tomorrow and if you're needing more we'll refill it."

"Thank you... Thank you so much." Ayrie said. The man reminded her so much of the cook back home she was suddenly overwhelmed with homesickness.

"Not a thing, dear. The Lord Gluttony doesn't like his people hungry." The man said, handing her the sack. "You go on home and eat, get some rest. You look like you're about to break."

Ayrie nodded, unable to speak around the sudden knot in her throat. She returned home and cooked and ate in silence, listening to the sounds of the city outside her little home.

[Owlriel]

The imps watched from up above as she talked to the master of the temple. Seeing her reactions to the simple generosity that their lord and master provided. Why would he entertain one such as her? To convert her perhaps? They didn’t know for sure, and they didn’t like it. It made them hiss angrily making their bodies tense.

Asran sat alone in his bedchamber a warm towel over his face. He had made himself a plate of food to eat. But, for some reason found himself at a lack for an appetite. That priestess was a problem, it meant more of her ilk were gonna come poking their noses here. Or his own people could see her as a threat to him, and attack. “God, I hope she doesn’t put that holy symbol back up. For my sake, I really don’t wanna have to go back,” he grumbled.

[Arreyis]

After eating her modest dinner, Ayrie lay down a small bed in one of the back rooms and thought about her encounter with the Mayor for some time. She hadn't yet rehung the rune, thinking it best to wait and see if it was even needed before risking anyone's wrath. Besides, he had told her the rules, and she had yet to see anyone who really looked menacing enough to warrant a protection of that magnitude on her little home.

'What was that shock about? I can tell he is a dark magic user, and I know that I use the light, but I've never felt that before from anything.' Her schooling in the ways of elemental magic was sorely lacking, by the time she was born the priests had lost most of their teachers and none who were left had been able to teach her much about the ways of magic. Only that she was a light user and it meant she had an old soul. It was so long ago she didn't even remember the teacher's name, only that they were trying to help her gain some semblance of control over her power before it killed someone, namely her. From that point she just used her magic the same way the other elements did, but it had never felt quite right.

She looked at the scrap of parchment that her elders had sent with her. It contained instructions for setting up a small building for them to reside in, and a timeframe for the other two priests to arrive. They were both old men, and she had been sent strictly to get things ready for them. A few days behind, they would probably arrive the day after the festival.

She fell asleep thinking about the mayor, and was plagued by fitful dreams most of the night.

[Owlriel]

The imps seeing the symbol wasn’t hung yet made their way into Ayrie’s home. They watched her sleep their beady blue eyes glinting. Thinking about ending her life before she woke. But, a spark of power flitted through their heads making them back away from the priestess. As their master had sensed their desire, and was displeased they dared even consider going against his orders. They found homes in the dark corners of the building keeping their eyes on Ayrie’s sleeping form.

Asran sighed out in annoyance. “Damn imps,” he grumbled. “Who’s bright idea was it to give them a sense of free will again? Whatever, so long as they don’t try that again with her it should be fine.” He stood up removing the now cool towel from his head. He set it on a silver tray held out by an attendant. He grabbed a bottle of his favorite wine, and poured himself a glass.

He sipped it slowly as he walked to his office, where there were fresh documents on his desk. Along with another attendant who stood up to greet him with a low respectful bow. He lifted the documents in his free hand. They were pertaining to the farms within his providence. His power allowed the soil, and waters to flourish with life. Allowing fish to be bountiful. While crops grew fast and strong. All of which were tended by farmers, and fishermen who were gifted the ability to summon lesser espers to help them in their harvests.
Though that didn’t mean they could fish or farm the same things repeatedly. Hence why Asran had to look over a monthly report. “Tell the farmers to rotate their crops next month. While the fishermen are to change from catching Tuna to salmon.” The secretary nodded, and started making calls.

[Arreyis]

Ayrie woke with a start, peircing blue eyes seared into her vision. She couldn't remember much of the dream, but it was enough that her heart was racing.

'Damn... Haven't had one of those in a long time. Well, I'm not going to be able to sleep more, so I might as well get up.' She looked at the window and saw that the sky was the dark purple of pre-dawn. She heard a skittering in the corner of the room and spun to see what had caused the noise, but in the darkness of the unlit room she couldn't see whatever it was. 'Probably a mouse.'

She stretched and lay back on the bed, staring into the rafters. 'Today I must find the cystern and figure out the water. I need a good wash before this festival.'

She got up and dressed, using what was left of her fresh water to give herself a quick wash. Since she would be working for the day, she decided to wear her travel clothing, thinking if she might run into things that would ruin her clothes she would prefer it be something she never wore. Peering in through the trap into the cystern she saw that it was about half full of water, but the pump to bring it up was rusted and the handled had broken off.

'Looks like I'll have to wait for the elders to get here with some money, there's no way I can fix this.' she thought. 'I'm sure there's a bath house somewhere in town, I suppose I'll go and ask someone at the temple.'

She stood, and whirled around as she heard another skitter behind her. She still couldn't see anything, but this time it sounded like whatever did it was much larger than a mouse. She walked to the area she thought it had come from, but there was nothing there.

'Lack of sleep and nerves.' she thought, 'There's nothing in here with me.'

She settled down in the windowsill to watch the sun rise and wait for a decent hour to go to the temple.

[Owlriel]

Asran sighed deeply rubbing at the back of his neck. He was looking over more city plans. Trying to figure out how to get showers, and baths inside of the much much older buildings that laid in the old district. He had showers, and baths pretty much everywhere else. Thanks to the use of artificial magic stones supplying water, and heat. A marvel to most, but an easy feat for his city. As he had inventors who’d run from the holy cities occupying his home. They’d easily put his city miles ahead of everywhere else as far as technology went. Which made his neighbors jealous, and more than once had they tried attacking. Only to be met with some of the world’s strongest mages, and golems. They’d quickly learned attacking his city was suicide. Though he did miss the occasional PoW snack time.

Asran was exhausted he hadn’t slept a wink the entire time he was looking over documents. The bottle of wine he’d had was long since empty. He let out a long suffering sigh, and rubbed the bridge of his nose and eyes. “I need a break,” he grumbled. Then stood up needing to go for a walk to stretch his legs. When he stood up he heard and felt a few uncomfortable pops. “How long was I sitting for? This is why people think I’m sloth I swear.” He rubbed at the small of his back then left his office. Going to street level for a walk around the city. To see for himself how his modernization programs were running.
Quickly he found himself in the old district by the temple dedicated to feeding the poor. He walked inside to take a look, and see if anything was needed. He waved hello to the temples priest smiling at them. Eventually finding himself helping out to pass out food. Which then turned into playtime as giggling children, and ran up to him wishing to play. One grabbed onto his powerful bicep, and Asran lifted them up easily. Making them giggle as he was used as a personal jungle gym.

[Arreyis]

When the sun was nearly up, Ayrie left and walked to the temple, retracing her steps from the night before. She brought the sack with her, though she didn't quite need food yet. They'd given her what she felt was enough to feed an entire troupe of people, and she had only eaten a small portion of it last night. The remainder was stored in a small chest enchanted to stay cold, a gift she'd been given by the cook before she left the monastery.

As she approached she heard children laughing, and saw the mayor playing the jungle gym to their tiny mountain climbers. Ayrie smiled, someone who seemed so hard was suddenly shown to have a soft side. She walked over to the food givers and handed them the sack, explaining that she wouldn't need more food yet, but didn't want to keep the sack from someone else who might need it. She took a turn handing out food, watching the mayor play with the children as she did. A few people introduced themselves to her, and she met one of the high priests, a man named Markus. He told her where she could find a bath, and handed her a chit that gave her access to a towel and soap.

"Thank you, Father Markus." she said, reverting to her teachings from home for a moment.

"See, that's how I know you are new here. Just call me Markus, proper titles are reserved for royalty, which we do not have, and the Lord Gluttony himself." he smiled at her, and patted her shoulder before moving on to help someone else.

The line of people there for food was dwindling as the sun made it's full appearance, and Ayrie sat down to eat a delicious fresh meat pie one of the priests had given her.

[Owlriel]

Asran turned to look at Makus a brow lifting slightly. Markus was a powerful spellcaster plus someone Asran appointed as a protector of the city. He slowly lowered the children. Patting them on the back gently, and excused himself. The children giggled and ran off to go play elsewhere. While still staying out of the way. Asran took a seat near the priestess. Keeping a healthy distance from her as to not get zapped again.
“So, hows your day going Ayrie? Heard you were gonna head to the bath house. Guess the old building your staying in has yet to get all it’s plumbing installed,” he said leaning back on his hands.

[Arreyis]

Ayrie swallowed a large bite of meat pie and nearly choked. Coughing and sputtering she managed to say, "Good. *cough* Well *cough* yes. The pump for the cystern is busted, and I'm waiting on the elders to get here with the money to hire someone to fix it. I don't mind using a bath house, though, I'm used to sharing a bath room anyway at the monastery."

She looked at him, wondering how he could look so unruffled after playing with the children. She brushed the crumbs from her hands and off her clothes, suddenly feeling unkempt in her travel clothing.