[ Weakness is a dangerous thing to any Praesi. In the belly of these roots, Akua Sahelian is weak. Weaker than even when she had been powerless upon arrival. Here, she can feel her gift just out of reach, and the incessant dark whispers of Zenith plague her every turn. She feels the need to give in, just accept it. Know that Cyrus and Meridian cannot bring her world back -- if some backwater continent deserved her attention at all -- for what did she even know of the rest of Creation? Little, for she'd never traveled beyond the great seas.
She recognizes weakness in the other bearers, too. She had been long-trained to do so. She had known what it was to seek out weakness, or uncertainty, because it was required.
She sees someone she does not recognize, fiddling with a knife, and she approached. Her steps on these softened roots do not click like they do on stone, but the woman shifts against bark, intending to announce her presence. Her fingers on the bark, her dark skin almost looks like it could blend with it, if she stood still long enough, as the...corruption from the tree takes greater hold of her. Flowers blossom between her braids, and spill out, each petal dark as night, barely visible in dim light. Her lips quirk into a slight smile, and she held up her hands, as if she were begging restraint. ]
ii
She recognizes weakness in the other bearers, too. She had been long-trained to do so. She had known what it was to seek out weakness, or uncertainty, because it was required.
She sees someone she does not recognize, fiddling with a knife, and she approached. Her steps on these softened roots do not click like they do on stone, but the woman shifts against bark, intending to announce her presence. Her fingers on the bark, her dark skin almost looks like it could blend with it, if she stood still long enough, as the...corruption from the tree takes greater hold of her. Flowers blossom between her braids, and spill out, each petal dark as night, barely visible in dim light. Her lips quirk into a slight smile, and she held up her hands, as if she were begging restraint. ]
You looked alone, over here.
[ She said, drawing near. ]
Can you also not sleep?