Heavenfall

"I will take measures to rest and recover, worry not, Kinsen-sama. I'll not be straining myself overmuch. You are...not the only one is concerned for my well being, after all." There may have been the tiniest hint of color to Shinsei's cheeks as he made that admission, but it was gone almost as soon as it arrived.

"Good." She says while passing over another firm bandage to cover the cleansed wounds. "Raise your arms again, will you, sensei?"

He nodded, lifting his arms over his head with only a mild sound of discomfort. "I should very much like to see the end of this mission, so I may focus on other things."

"We are nearly there. So far, this seems to be the worst we've got. I mean, your wounds. Everyone is still in one piece, alive, and I dare say: almost entirely sane. Dear husband warned many would leave scarred." She finishes the whole packing the packs around him, and looks up again, admiring a bit more of the wide view rather unconsciously.

"The danger increases the closer we get to the mouth. Of I am the worst casualty, we will be lucky." Shinsei looked to the south for a few moments, then returned his gaze to Kinsen, and finally seemed to notice some of her more indescreet focus, causing him to cough lightly and look away towards the camp as if embarrassed.

Looking into the bumps all over his body, Kinsen's mind went deep into the though of how Shinsei's ikiryo could behave like.

Then, she shakes her head, clears her throat a bit and rises. "Hmm. The closer we get to the mouth."

"Yes, the mouth of hell itself. What we've felt so far has been runoff, like water left over after a rainstorm. At the pit itself the corruption will be concentrated, and harder to fight against. Tougher creatures, shorter tempers..." Shinsei closed his eyes and breathed, the muscles in his chest and arms flexing and rippling. "Stronger temptations. It will all be amplified."

She shivers a bit, as her eyes get a glimpse of all that. Realizing Shinsei was padded up neatly, she gives him a bow. "I should return, Sensei. You look much, much better now. I hope whatever these hands did helped out."

"They did, Kinsen-sama, and I am grateful for your assistance." Shinsei bowed in return, which made a lot more of his body flex, foreshadowing ages of socially awkward greetings among the Dragon for years to come. "Give your husband my regards."

"My dear husband, yes! I will." Shinsei's words made her mortal mind refocus on the perfection her husband represents –– specially in the enlightenment his touch delivers. Even having him so near, the thought of losing Hantei to this pit was still lingering around. The information Shinsei provided about the shape-changing spirit was particularly insightful.

Kinsen leaves, daydreaming of having her husband as long as she could, before anything bad could happen. She knows, after all, that family is everything for Hantei.

/Exit