Indeed, and so we will be certain they are, before she takes the risk herself!
[And it's true, Shadow Milk has weighed those risks before making his way over here. He's fought the Forest face-to-face and so he knows that, because they are cut of the same cloth, how deep his treachery could run. However, Shadow Milk DOES seem to notice he seems to uphold some manner of professionalism when it comes to deals.]
[After all, the entire way the Garden even operates seems to be on that of some agreement struck that both parties are upholding. Shadow Milk is banking on this to be the case here, the Forest has offered a deal and has set the terms. Even with loopholes, the bare terms laid out should be true.]
[And if they're not? Well! Then that is another theory tested! Death, Smeath, who cares as long as he gets to learn something.]
Goodness me, are you worried? Don't be! I may be a mage by trade, but I am still the holder of all Knowledge on Earthbread, and that includes every discipline and technique there is with a blade! We will just have to do this in a place where my Beholders have a good view.
[Of course the real problem is his stamina and weakened body which Salt has probably picked up on man times over since coming here. He hid it well on Earthbread, but its been another story here, especially now that he has no magic to mask it.]
I trust you to be decisive and precise even with a blade not fit for your hands. In return, I trust you will let me have a proper go at you, should I confirm the results?
[The mere thought of Lily undertaking this matter makes Silent Salt snarl. He wants to counter that she would not — not after what she had learned during the trials. Just as quickly as the thought crosses his mind, though, so too does the realization that this Lily has not experienced such things. Noble though she was in her own right, she did not understand the difference between sacrifice and solidarity.
At least as far as Silent Salt knew.
It would only make sense then, that the White Lily so desperate to redeem herself would take this opportunity. He silently resolves to do all he can to stop her, and anything in his power to punish those who might assist her. But none of this is mentioned to Shadow Milk. He does not respond to Shadow Milk's statement, nor his assurance.]
How do you intend to confirm this? I will not agree until I understand the terms in full.
[Brother, he saw her rip open the door in his academy, he does not put something like this beneath her.]
[Either way, he lets him churn over that for a bit, raising his eyebrow finally to the question.]
Isn't it obvious, Salt Lick? You kill me, I test to see if I am revived and I am given back that which I have lost- [He waves his hands in front of his eyes.] Then, we test the immortality claim. Which! Means you'll get to try and kill me again! Perhaps as many times as you'd like! If that claim holds up, then we'll complete the pact and I'll get my turn.
[He leans on his staff with a grin. The eye crinkles a little, watching him.]
[There is a very real chance that what Shadow Milk poses is a ruse. It could just as easily be an excuse to get Silent Salt alone and claim his revenge. But even if that were the case, what reason would he have to oppose. He still recalls those blue fingers around his throat, and the dissatisfaction that filled him when Shadow Milk had not followed through.
This, at least, is two-sided penance. The satisfaction, however muted it may now be, of punishing Shadow Milk for his own crimes, and then receiving his own punishment in kind. It is the sort of macabre story that only Shadow Milk Cookie could craft.
And yet Salt nods his assent all the same.]
So. A fight to put you to your end now, for my execution later.
[That was entirely too dramatic a flourish for what they're planning but oh well, Shadow Milk is genuinely excited for this fucked up little play he's written. He refused Salt's penance before, because the hollow act of revenge had rung unpleasant to him, had brought him to face the parts of himself he had tried to denounce.]
[But this? this isn't the same. This is for the good of the Grove, this is understanding their situation before idiots try it and get killed before them, and if they get to let out a little steam in the process? Well, Mizuki ought to be proud of him!]
[He steps back, closes his blind eyes a moment to run through his Beholders looking for a proper spot.]
Hm! There's a patch behind the greenhouse that has enough Beholders to keep me from being a jellypig to slaughter. I do not see any of those wretched creatures either. Shall we go while the time is opportune?
[Salt does not respond right away. Instead, he tips back into the room, door left wide open, and fetches his helmet. Only once it is properly adorned does he step outside, shutting it firmly behind him. It feels like a period on the sentence of his decision.]
Lead the way.
[Something coils within his chest. It feels somewhere between dread and excitement. It's a feeling not entirely unfamiliar, either. He'd tasted it plenty of times before heading into battle More than that, though, it feels like an answer to a longing that has long nestled into his chest.
Finally, he will be made to pay the price for all he had done. Not just to Shadow Milk, but for his knights and the people who loved them.]
[There's the helmet. That did make all of this all the more Set. He grins wide as he turns and begins leading him down the stairs. Luckily the greenhouse isn't that far of a walk and the ...exuberance of a few other member of the town seems to have kept some of the monsters at bay for now.]
[Of course, there is a similar feeling, too, in Shadow Milk. They're having a fateful show down! They're about to enact such a special performance with no one as audience but the wretched moons above, no one but the Forest.]
[He hopes he enjoys it! This is the last time he gets a freebie from him.]
[Once they arrive, Shadow Milk drops his staff somewhere out of the way and about five or six Beholders snap their eyes open, honing in on Salt. Shadow Milk draws his blade holding both his arms out.]
Now then! Let us set the stage!
[He walks slowly in a wide circle around Salt.]
The curtain rises, and hark! we are amidst a fateful encounter! Two fallen Divine Emissaries torn asunder by fate itself! Once comrades, brothers-in-arms, now bitter, estranged enemies! Betrayal upon betrayal upon betrayal, oh! It's hard to even keep the score!
[He turns on his heel, circling back in the other direction.]
Buuuuut, allow me to to help with that. Hm, yes, I believe our Dear Salt is staring down the very Beast that's orchestrated every ounce of his enduring misery! That's right! For it was I who seeded distrust in the courts of the other Virtues! It was I who sent my followers out to churn rumors, to sabotage, to cast doubt, until the entire world had turned on you. In the end, I never had to lift a finger!
[He stops to face him now, sword in hand, grin wide and his foggy eyes bright with madness.]
I watched you destroy everything you ever loved with your own two hands and laughed!
[The sudden, six-sided attention snapping onto Silent Salt would surely unnerve weaker men. Even he, Virtue, Beast, Betrayer, feels a shiver track down the length of his spine. It has been a long time indeed since he has faced a foe like this. White Lily was foreboding indeed, but knowing her souljam as he did, he knew what the stakes were in that fight.
He knows not what will happen here. Especially as that droning voice builds to a crescendo, narrating the worst days of Silent Salt's life. He is being goaded, he knows that much. Shadow Milk apparently will leave nothing to chance this day. Which is precisely why Salt falls for it.
He crosses the distance between them in seconds. The blade, too light in his hand, is gripped tightly as he brings it up above his head, then slams down in an attempt to rend Shadow Milk in half. It is, perhaps, a little overzealous. With his usual blade, maybe it would be possible.
But even failure to cut through would still be fatal. So long as he made contact. Regardless, though:]
And so I chose to seal you. Not our beloved witches, who turned their backs on us, but your own comrade.
[He won't let you get him on the first pass, sorry Salt. He made the entire production so it would be satisfying for them both. Salt is going to have to work for his revenge, just as Shadow Milk will work for his, otherwise it won't being satisfying for either of them!]
[So, seeing that strike coming from six angles, Shadow Milk dodges to the left. he has no strength to speak of, no stamina so he only has so long to make this look good, but he is fast, agile, and he does have thousands of years of technique to pull from.]
Oh yes! How fitting that had been! I truly cannot stand that you managed to get the last laugh! And yet, how does it feel that even with your divine judgement, I still got what I wanted!
[He swings around, aiming to slam that blade into the gap in Salt's armor where his arm meets his chest plate. Playing dirty like the Beast of Deceit should.]
I was angry, bitter and lonely! Drowned in silence no matter how hard I cried out! And in the end, you still had to spend thousands of years keeping me company! Hahahahahaha!
[It only makes sense that Shadow Milk draws this out. It is a production, after all, same as anything else that the Beast puts on. Ending the show too soon would only bring dissatisfaction from the audience, even if said audience was only six pairs of silently watching eyes.
He follows through with the strike so as not to stumble, then smoothly turns to face where Shadow Milk had flitted off to. He shakes his sword hand once, adjusting to the feeling yet again, before extending both arm and blade in a point.]
Is it the last laugh that you mourn? Or that I managed to beat you at your own game? [If Shadow Milk can take his claws out, then so, too, can Silent Salt.] The Fount of Knowledge, seer of all, unable to detect the deception from one of his own.
[Indeed, Silent Salt had once taken a perverse level of satisfaction from that fact alone.]
I had thought, then, that if I never heard your voice again, it would be too soon. But I am grateful for this one thing: I will have finally take your head in response to all you took from me.
[This time when he cuts forward, its with a horizontal slice, straight for the neck. Unsurprising, considering his words, and probably entirely telegraphed. Oh well.]
[As Salt throws his own barbs back at him, he grins while and gleeful, teeth sharp like the beast he is. Yes, good, play along with his script! Make this a show to remember! His laugh is loud, ugly, and he allows some of that vitriol and venom to boil up in his chest, to bubble out of him in a broken noise. His madness more often is kept at bay these days, but in moments like this, it's easy to get swept away.]
Oh, but don't forget, my dear Solidarity, that to be the Master of Deceit, there is no one I am betting deceiving than myself!
[And, this is where Shadow Milk nearly messes up. He forgets for the barest moment that he cannot just detach his head at will. His magic is tamped down and so he jolts back just barely with enough time to keep his head, though the thinnest slash cuts across his neck. Shallow but enough to draw blood.]
[Acrid blueberry jam fills the air as he grins, runs his tongue along his blood covered fingers.]
Make it worth my while, Salt Lick.
[And he surges forward with his blade, a flurry of quick movements, not strong but numerous meant to send Salt back with the sheer volume of them.]
[Any satisfaction Silent Salt may feel at drawing blood is shot down by the way Shadow Milk seems to draw his own perverse pleasure from it. Snarling at the sight, Salt attempts to charge forward once more, only to be corralled backward at the return fire from the other cookie. He slides back as quick as he can, but he is built for strength, not dexterity. While his armor holds for now, there are gaps that can easily be found with time.
And Shadow Milk is nothing if not adept at seeking out places to sink his horrific claws.
Though it will open him up to danger, Salt Knows he has only one option. He must end the assault before it goes on too long. But to take his head, after all that Shadow Milk has put him through, feels like — to put it as the jester might — anticlimactic. No, now that this bestial rage has been tapped into, it simply is not enough.
He does not respond with words, only a bellow that feels as if it might shake the very firmament. As he does, Salt takes one swift step backward, then swings his sword in an upward arc. He aims not directly for Shadow Milk's body, but instead aims for the hand holding onto that blade.]
[Oh, and that is what he is doing, aiming for weaknesses in his defense, in his armor. He has no plans to try and seriously fell the other Beast, but he won't make it easy for him, won't simply roll over and die.]
What!? Out of words? Don't worry, I've got plenty to spare!
[Because listening to him drone on is sure to keep his ire up! Salt hated the sound of his voice? Well, good! Silence him, then!]
Silence won't save you from me, bastard! Solidarity, what a joke! HA! I couldn't stand the thought of your precious little followers, so adoring, so obedient, so faithful to you! In the end, all it took-
[And there's that upward arc, that hit that lands true. Even with that sword being lighter, poorer made, it still cleaves his hand right off like it had been made of soft jelly. Shadow Milk makes a choked noise in surprise, silencing his tongue for the barest moments as the sword clatters to the ground.]
[Jam rushes out with each beat of his heart, and the Beast stumbles to the ground from the sheer force of that swing.]
[Hm, that's about all he has he thinks. He made a pretty good show of it, made bold proclamations of his ability to stand up to clash of blades with Salt of all people, but his legs are shaking from the effort he maintained for even just this little skirmish. Hm, he tastes blood in the back of his throat now, that cut to his neck went a little deeper than he thought too.]
[If Shadow Milk thought he would be immediately put to rest, then he was sorely mistake. Silent Salt could do it, but for all that goading, there is still much he would say. Especially now, when the other Cookie was without the ability to fight back. If given an infinite amount of time, he might even drag this out — starting with that blasphemous tongue. After all, Shadow Milk himself had introduced the once Salt of Solidarity to unprecedented levels of cruelty. It was only fair to pay that favor back.
But not only is time precious, but at the end of the day, he wants it all to be done here and now — at least on his part. Going forward, there could be no more hostility. Not when there were greater things at stake.
Especially when Salt knew he was equally as culpable for what happened.]
And yet for all your claims, Silence remains. [He stalks forward, gripping Shadow Milk by the hair and wrenching his chin back. He watches the blood pour from that wound with no small amount of satisfaction. He could do Shadow Milk the favor of cutting his throat and watch him choke on his own words. There would be poetry there.
But he has another plan in mind.]
Perhaps it is no surprise that Solidarity abandoned you. If you could look upon the faithful, the adoring, those so full of love and feel nothing but hate, then perhaps there was no saving you. No matter. [Salt repositions the blade, pressing the tip just above the other cookie's heart.] May you now understand the feeling of having your heart torn to shreds, Shadow Milk Cookie. And know that despite it all, I still granted you the mercy of a swift death.
[He chokes as he's pulled back by his hair, the sting of that wound on his throat causing him to inhale something wet and grotesque. His eyes remain unfocused, gazing out while Salt towers over him. Even without his sight, he can still feel the shadow of this Cookie looming over him.]
[He feels small, and that's such a strange thought to have on the cusp of his death. he's helpless weak, shaking. Pathetic truly, and yet all he can do is smile. As Salt passes his condemnation he chuckles weakly, feeling the full weight of that restrained blade as it's tip presses dangerous against his skin.]
Jealousy is ugly, isn't it...?
[After all, hadn't his anger, his hatred been born of something? Of his own followers and their betrayal of him? That's right, it was because of them. Those fools who used him and threw him away when he could not give them what they wanted. Who had broken into his tower and-]
[Ah.]
[The blade plunges through, the sound he makes is soft, a gasp, and he reaches with his remaining hand to grip the blade,]
[Milky though those eyes are, Salt still stares into them as the light leaves. In tandem, the residual hate lurking within his chest seems to pour outward too. Jealousy, Shadow Milk had said. Though Silent Salt had wanted for much in the barren, love was never one of those things. His people had valued them, until they had been tricked into doing otherwise.
How different would things have been, if an olive branch had been extended?
He supposed the thought didn't matter. It was too late for that now. What remained was penance, and that was only a matter of time. For now, he would wait for Shadow Milk's return. Because surely, he would.
Though Salt had not been in the Grove particularly long, he was at least somewhat aware of how these things worked. It was only a matter of time until Shadow Milk's corpse disappeared, and he woke up elsewhere. He would be forgiven for abandoning it.
But without that loathsome tongue spitting hate and riddles, it's easy to see the friend beneath. Parts of the Fount still linger. And it is for those memories, and perhaps even for the faint hope of what could come, once the past was buried, that Salt takes care with what comes next. He carefully pulls the blade from Shadow Milk's chest. Next, a hand comes to lay over his eyes, carefully closing that milky stare for the time being.
Some part of him looks forward to when Shadow Milk truly looks upon him once more.
Content with this much, and once the blade is passably cleaned, the body is lifted — carried off to his home. It takes some doing, to chase off the woodcrawlers that have overrun the house he shared with White Lily and Pavlova. But once the garden is clear, he lays the body there.
Salt will linger at least as long as it takes for the body to disappear. Or, perhaps, for life to return to it. There is still more to be done, after all.]
[It doesn't take very long for it to disappear. Though it has the grace to wait until Salt has laid it to rest himself. Placed him gently in the garden of the place he calls home. There is so rarely any sign of peace on Shadow Milk's face, death almost makes him look like a different person.]
[Once twenty-four hours pass, Shadow Milk's peace is shattered, and he wakes with a startled gasp out in the woods. His hand goes to his chest- then to his hand, finding yes, there is a hand there now, thank goodness. He's still blind and while he can still access the Beholders, there are none here where he's woken. For a moment he is shrouded in a beloved darkness that makes his jam quicken.]
[Despite that, he feels pretty good. Lively. He sits up without much trouble, his legs support his weight without the strain they usually do and- ah, he is retrieved quickly but that Gargoyle woman. She is the one who promises his sight back, uses her magic, and for the first time in almost a year, light returns to his eyes.]
[It's ...strangely disorienting. he'd gotten so used to his vision being anywhere but his actual line of sight. He spends a few moments simply staring before glee overtakes him, and he laughs like a madman, prancing off without so much a thank you.]
[It worked! It worked! Ha! Hahaha! He's a genius!]
[There are many reasons why Silent Salt does not return to the inn. Namely, he does not want to deal with the questions that begin to arise. Shadow Milk's post in the notebook, followed by both he and Salt disappearing, it would surely invite suspicion. They will not be able to carry out Salt's end of the bargain, if he was held up or followed.
Namely, he lingers near the garden, even after Shadow Milk disappears. There are plenty of Woodcrawlers to fight off, enough to keep him busy for a fair few hours. At one point, he does tuck away to the barn to catch some rest — content in the knowledge that Nox's ferocity will at least keep him safe for a time. Nevertheless, he is quick to return to where their fight occurred.
Surely Shadow Milk will return to the scene of the crime, as it were.
In the time that passes, Silent Salt has nothing to do but think. As time stretches on, those thoughts do turn to worry. If this had been a trick, no amount of willingness on Shadow Milk's part will keep him from the wrath of the others.
... He hopes it will not come to that, as he paces circles around the bloodstains still left in the grass.]
[It takes so long because he does check the Inn first. Then, he gets a little distracted looking at stuff in the greenhouse- and then he gets cornered by a woodcrawler which turns into him testing this "immortality" in a rather gruesome way.]
[He stumbles into the clearing covered in his own Jam once again, but there is a manic gleam in his eyes, and a wide gleeful grin as he finally spots Salt.]
There you are! Ha! Your armor has rust on it!
[It doesn't, he's being a lying piece of shit. It should be obvious, though. His plan worked. Those milky unfocused eyes have been replaced with sharp, focused slits. The gold of his right eye almost gleaming.]
[There is a moment where relief flits through Silent Salt. It happens between the seconds in which Shadow Milk appeared, and before Salt lays eyes on the viscera adorning the other cookie's attire. Or maybe it's the sound of his voice that immediately sours Salt once more?
Either way, he lets out a noncommittal grunt, before carefully removing his helmet. He will not need it for what comes next.]
I wanted to ensure nothing strange came of your body, that is all.
[He approaches Shadow Milk, then lowers himself down to one knee within swinging distance. He does not know how Shadow Milk wants to carry this part out, but either way, there will be no attempt at protesting here. and now.]
[If he finds his answer surprising, he doesn't show it. He watches as Salt takes off his helmet, eyes scanning his face- since this is the first time he's seen him with his own eyes like this. He hums as he kneels down before him. He glances around a moment, looking for the blade he dropped in the fate earlier. There, with a splotch of blood that probably used to be his hand. He'll pick it up.]
You have a lot of faith in my upper body strength if you think I can take your head off in one go! I'm flattered, but my best bet is running you through like you did me.
[He twirls the sword a bit, extending it out as he walks back over. The blade comes up under his chin, tilting him up to look at him.]
Truly, do you not wish to make this interesting? You'd just lay down and take my blade?
[There is no comment offered to that particular statement. He would prefer not to acknowledge the wave of sentiment that had taken him. Nor does it feel appropriate to bring up right now, not when Shadow Milk is preparing to end his life. Intentional or not, Silent Salt would not try to bargain for his life.]
You have surprised me before. [But Shadow Milk is right. After prying his gauntlets off, he begins working on loosing the cuirass as well.] As for making it a show, I gave you your drama, per your request, did I not?
[Well. This is probably the first time he's ever seen him in such little armor. Frankly it feels a little indecent! Shadow Milk turns his head a moment, to let him get it all off, feigns pacing a little like he's in thought, considering Salt's request.]
[Once he hears him drop the cuirass he whirls back around, blade pointed towards him.]
Very well! Then, allow me to read you your crimes, so that no jury believes my punishment unjust!
[He's still going to turn it into some kind of spectacle, even if it's simply him rubbing it in. After all, Salt got his satisfaction of cutting him down.]
Where were you, on the night my tower was stormed. When I was dragged down, my hair pulled, my clothing torn, and I was beaten for doing what I had been baked to carry out. When the people who chose to "follow" me were no longer satisfied with using me as their Fount of Knowledge and attempted to execute me themselves. Answer me.
[Despite all attempts at avoiding it, Silent Salt is not at all surprised that this becomes a show in and of itself. Nevertheless, he will not protest. He had agreed to leave his fate in Shadow Milk's hand.
Naturally, he swiftly regrets it.
It isn't that his sins are read aloud for all that might hear — there isn't anyone around to pay witness. Rather, it is the ugly truth of his mistakes, all laid bare. He had assumed a vicious fate had taken his companions once, only to learn of how they had defiled their virtue, and thus assumed the worst of them. That Shadow Milk's own people had turned against him —
No wonder Silent Salt's fate had gone the way that it had. Even as the cruelty of his own fate lashes at his heart, the guilt burns brighter still.
He can be nothing, if not honest.]
In the Barren. Cloistered away from those I considered my closest allies, and abandoning my own virtue.
Silence is so fitting for you! I could think of no better title for the Beast who condemned his ilk while knowing nothing of their fates!
[He allows that anger to rush through him, his hatred that had dulled over his time here, with his clearer mind, void of that thing on his chest that whispered in his ear, filled his mind with lies. It feels fresh for his moment, as he gets into character.]
[The vengeful king cutting down a treacherous knight.]
When I begged for help, I was greeted with silence! Nothing from you, nothing from the Creators, and nothing from the treacherous insects who denounced Truth long before I ever did!
[His hand grips the hilt of the blade and he rears back.]
What could you possibly have to say for yourself!?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2026-02-03 02:08 pm (UTC)[And it's true, Shadow Milk has weighed those risks before making his way over here. He's fought the Forest face-to-face and so he knows that, because they are cut of the same cloth, how deep his treachery could run. However, Shadow Milk DOES seem to notice he seems to uphold some manner of professionalism when it comes to deals.]
[After all, the entire way the Garden even operates seems to be on that of some agreement struck that both parties are upholding. Shadow Milk is banking on this to be the case here, the Forest has offered a deal and has set the terms. Even with loopholes, the bare terms laid out should be true.]
[And if they're not? Well! Then that is another theory tested! Death, Smeath, who cares as long as he gets to learn something.]
Goodness me, are you worried? Don't be! I may be a mage by trade, but I am still the holder of all Knowledge on Earthbread, and that includes every discipline and technique there is with a blade! We will just have to do this in a place where my Beholders have a good view.
[Of course the real problem is his stamina and weakened body which Salt has probably picked up on man times over since coming here. He hid it well on Earthbread, but its been another story here, especially now that he has no magic to mask it.]
I trust you to be decisive and precise even with a blade not fit for your hands. In return, I trust you will let me have a proper go at you, should I confirm the results?
no subject
Date: 2026-02-03 06:18 pm (UTC)At least as far as Silent Salt knew.
It would only make sense then, that the White Lily so desperate to redeem herself would take this opportunity. He silently resolves to do all he can to stop her, and anything in his power to punish those who might assist her. But none of this is mentioned to Shadow Milk. He does not respond to Shadow Milk's statement, nor his assurance.]
How do you intend to confirm this? I will not agree until I understand the terms in full.
no subject
Date: 2026-02-03 07:56 pm (UTC)[Either way, he lets him churn over that for a bit, raising his eyebrow finally to the question.]
Isn't it obvious, Salt Lick? You kill me, I test to see if I am revived and I am given back that which I have lost- [He waves his hands in front of his eyes.] Then, we test the immortality claim. Which! Means you'll get to try and kill me again! Perhaps as many times as you'd like! If that claim holds up, then we'll complete the pact and I'll get my turn.
[He leans on his staff with a grin. The eye crinkles a little, watching him.]
I'd say it's pretty win-win, don't you think?
no subject
Date: 2026-02-04 01:22 am (UTC)This, at least, is two-sided penance. The satisfaction, however muted it may now be, of punishing Shadow Milk for his own crimes, and then receiving his own punishment in kind. It is the sort of macabre story that only Shadow Milk Cookie could craft.
And yet Salt nods his assent all the same.]
So. A fight to put you to your end now, for my execution later.
no subject
Date: 2026-02-04 01:37 am (UTC)[That was entirely too dramatic a flourish for what they're planning but oh well, Shadow Milk is genuinely excited for this fucked up little play he's written. He refused Salt's penance before, because the hollow act of revenge had rung unpleasant to him, had brought him to face the parts of himself he had tried to denounce.]
[But this? this isn't the same. This is for the good of the Grove, this is understanding their situation before idiots try it and get killed before them, and if they get to let out a little steam in the process? Well, Mizuki ought to be proud of him!]
[He steps back, closes his blind eyes a moment to run through his Beholders looking for a proper spot.]
Hm! There's a patch behind the greenhouse that has enough Beholders to keep me from being a jellypig to slaughter. I do not see any of those wretched creatures either. Shall we go while the time is opportune?
no subject
Date: 2026-02-04 01:49 am (UTC)Lead the way.
[Something coils within his chest. It feels somewhere between dread and excitement. It's a feeling not entirely unfamiliar, either. He'd tasted it plenty of times before heading into battle More than that, though, it feels like an answer to a longing that has long nestled into his chest.
Finally, he will be made to pay the price for all he had done. Not just to Shadow Milk, but for his knights and the people who loved them.]
no subject
Date: 2026-02-04 02:28 am (UTC)[Of course, there is a similar feeling, too, in Shadow Milk. They're having a fateful show down! They're about to enact such a special performance with no one as audience but the wretched moons above, no one but the Forest.]
[He hopes he enjoys it! This is the last time he gets a freebie from him.]
[Once they arrive, Shadow Milk drops his staff somewhere out of the way and about five or six Beholders snap their eyes open, honing in on Salt. Shadow Milk draws his blade holding both his arms out.]
Now then! Let us set the stage!
[He walks slowly in a wide circle around Salt.]
The curtain rises, and hark! we are amidst a fateful encounter! Two fallen Divine Emissaries torn asunder by fate itself! Once comrades, brothers-in-arms, now bitter, estranged enemies! Betrayal upon betrayal upon betrayal, oh! It's hard to even keep the score!
[He turns on his heel, circling back in the other direction.]
Buuuuut, allow me to to help with that. Hm, yes, I believe our Dear Salt is staring down the very Beast that's orchestrated every ounce of his enduring misery! That's right! For it was I who seeded distrust in the courts of the other Virtues! It was I who sent my followers out to churn rumors, to sabotage, to cast doubt, until the entire world had turned on you. In the end, I never had to lift a finger!
[He stops to face him now, sword in hand, grin wide and his foggy eyes bright with madness.]
I watched you destroy everything you ever loved with your own two hands and laughed!
no subject
Date: 2026-02-04 02:57 am (UTC)He knows not what will happen here. Especially as that droning voice builds to a crescendo, narrating the worst days of Silent Salt's life. He is being goaded, he knows that much. Shadow Milk apparently will leave nothing to chance this day. Which is precisely why Salt falls for it.
He crosses the distance between them in seconds. The blade, too light in his hand, is gripped tightly as he brings it up above his head, then slams down in an attempt to rend Shadow Milk in half. It is, perhaps, a little overzealous. With his usual blade, maybe it would be possible.
But even failure to cut through would still be fatal. So long as he made contact. Regardless, though:]
And so I chose to seal you. Not our beloved witches, who turned their backs on us, but your own comrade.
no subject
Date: 2026-02-04 03:15 am (UTC)[So, seeing that strike coming from six angles, Shadow Milk dodges to the left. he has no strength to speak of, no stamina so he only has so long to make this look good, but he is fast, agile, and he does have thousands of years of technique to pull from.]
Oh yes! How fitting that had been! I truly cannot stand that you managed to get the last laugh! And yet, how does it feel that even with your divine judgement, I still got what I wanted!
[He swings around, aiming to slam that blade into the gap in Salt's armor where his arm meets his chest plate. Playing dirty like the Beast of Deceit should.]
I was angry, bitter and lonely! Drowned in silence no matter how hard I cried out! And in the end, you still had to spend thousands of years keeping me company! Hahahahahaha!
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Date: 2026-02-04 03:24 am (UTC)He follows through with the strike so as not to stumble, then smoothly turns to face where Shadow Milk had flitted off to. He shakes his sword hand once, adjusting to the feeling yet again, before extending both arm and blade in a point.]
Is it the last laugh that you mourn? Or that I managed to beat you at your own game? [If Shadow Milk can take his claws out, then so, too, can Silent Salt.] The Fount of Knowledge, seer of all, unable to detect the deception from one of his own.
[Indeed, Silent Salt had once taken a perverse level of satisfaction from that fact alone.]
I had thought, then, that if I never heard your voice again, it would be too soon. But I am grateful for this one thing: I will have finally take your head in response to all you took from me.
[This time when he cuts forward, its with a horizontal slice, straight for the neck. Unsurprising, considering his words, and probably entirely telegraphed. Oh well.]
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Date: 2026-02-04 04:47 pm (UTC)[As Salt throws his own barbs back at him, he grins while and gleeful, teeth sharp like the beast he is. Yes, good, play along with his script! Make this a show to remember! His laugh is loud, ugly, and he allows some of that vitriol and venom to boil up in his chest, to bubble out of him in a broken noise. His madness more often is kept at bay these days, but in moments like this, it's easy to get swept away.]
Oh, but don't forget, my dear Solidarity, that to be the Master of Deceit, there is no one I am betting deceiving than myself!
[And, this is where Shadow Milk nearly messes up. He forgets for the barest moment that he cannot just detach his head at will. His magic is tamped down and so he jolts back just barely with enough time to keep his head, though the thinnest slash cuts across his neck. Shallow but enough to draw blood.]
[Acrid blueberry jam fills the air as he grins, runs his tongue along his blood covered fingers.]
Make it worth my while, Salt Lick.
[And he surges forward with his blade, a flurry of quick movements, not strong but numerous meant to send Salt back with the sheer volume of them.]
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Date: 2026-02-04 10:55 pm (UTC)And Shadow Milk is nothing if not adept at seeking out places to sink his horrific claws.
Though it will open him up to danger, Salt Knows he has only one option. He must end the assault before it goes on too long. But to take his head, after all that Shadow Milk has put him through, feels like — to put it as the jester might — anticlimactic. No, now that this bestial rage has been tapped into, it simply is not enough.
He does not respond with words, only a bellow that feels as if it might shake the very firmament. As he does, Salt takes one swift step backward, then swings his sword in an upward arc. He aims not directly for Shadow Milk's body, but instead aims for the hand holding onto that blade.]
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Date: 2026-02-04 11:23 pm (UTC)What!? Out of words? Don't worry, I've got plenty to spare!
[Because listening to him drone on is sure to keep his ire up! Salt hated the sound of his voice? Well, good! Silence him, then!]
Silence won't save you from me, bastard! Solidarity, what a joke! HA! I couldn't stand the thought of your precious little followers, so adoring, so obedient, so faithful to you! In the end, all it took-
[And there's that upward arc, that hit that lands true. Even with that sword being lighter, poorer made, it still cleaves his hand right off like it had been made of soft jelly. Shadow Milk makes a choked noise in surprise, silencing his tongue for the barest moments as the sword clatters to the ground.]
[Jam rushes out with each beat of his heart, and the Beast stumbles to the ground from the sheer force of that swing.]
[Hm, that's about all he has he thinks. He made a pretty good show of it, made bold proclamations of his ability to stand up to clash of blades with Salt of all people, but his legs are shaking from the effort he maintained for even just this little skirmish. Hm, he tastes blood in the back of his throat now, that cut to his neck went a little deeper than he thought too.]
[He grins.]
Well?
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Date: 2026-02-05 12:21 am (UTC)But not only is time precious, but at the end of the day, he wants it all to be done here and now — at least on his part. Going forward, there could be no more hostility. Not when there were greater things at stake.
Especially when Salt knew he was equally as culpable for what happened.]
And yet for all your claims, Silence remains. [He stalks forward, gripping Shadow Milk by the hair and wrenching his chin back. He watches the blood pour from that wound with no small amount of satisfaction. He could do Shadow Milk the favor of cutting his throat and watch him choke on his own words. There would be poetry there.
But he has another plan in mind.]
Perhaps it is no surprise that Solidarity abandoned you. If you could look upon the faithful, the adoring, those so full of love and feel nothing but hate, then perhaps there was no saving you. No matter. [Salt repositions the blade, pressing the tip just above the other cookie's heart.] May you now understand the feeling of having your heart torn to shreds, Shadow Milk Cookie. And know that despite it all, I still granted you the mercy of a swift death.
[The blade plunges forward.]
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Date: 2026-02-05 12:47 am (UTC)[He feels small, and that's such a strange thought to have on the cusp of his death. he's helpless weak, shaking. Pathetic truly, and yet all he can do is smile. As Salt passes his condemnation he chuckles weakly, feeling the full weight of that restrained blade as it's tip presses dangerous against his skin.]
Jealousy is ugly, isn't it...?
[After all, hadn't his anger, his hatred been born of something? Of his own followers and their betrayal of him? That's right, it was because of them. Those fools who used him and threw him away when he could not give them what they wanted. Who had broken into his tower and-]
[Ah.]
[The blade plunges through, the sound he makes is soft, a gasp, and he reaches with his remaining hand to grip the blade,]
[smiles,]
Bravo.
[And dies.]
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Date: 2026-02-05 01:01 am (UTC)How different would things have been, if an olive branch had been extended?
He supposed the thought didn't matter. It was too late for that now. What remained was penance, and that was only a matter of time. For now, he would wait for Shadow Milk's return. Because surely, he would.
Though Salt had not been in the Grove particularly long, he was at least somewhat aware of how these things worked. It was only a matter of time until Shadow Milk's corpse disappeared, and he woke up elsewhere. He would be forgiven for abandoning it.
But without that loathsome tongue spitting hate and riddles, it's easy to see the friend beneath. Parts of the Fount still linger. And it is for those memories, and perhaps even for the faint hope of what could come, once the past was buried, that Salt takes care with what comes next. He carefully pulls the blade from Shadow Milk's chest. Next, a hand comes to lay over his eyes, carefully closing that milky stare for the time being.
Some part of him looks forward to when Shadow Milk truly looks upon him once more.
Content with this much, and once the blade is passably cleaned, the body is lifted — carried off to his home. It takes some doing, to chase off the woodcrawlers that have overrun the house he shared with White Lily and Pavlova. But once the garden is clear, he lays the body there.
Salt will linger at least as long as it takes for the body to disappear. Or, perhaps, for life to return to it. There is still more to be done, after all.]
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Date: 2026-02-05 02:29 am (UTC)[Once twenty-four hours pass, Shadow Milk's peace is shattered, and he wakes with a startled gasp out in the woods. His hand goes to his chest- then to his hand, finding yes, there is a hand there now, thank goodness. He's still blind and while he can still access the Beholders, there are none here where he's woken. For a moment he is shrouded in a beloved darkness that makes his jam quicken.]
[Despite that, he feels pretty good. Lively. He sits up without much trouble, his legs support his weight without the strain they usually do and- ah, he is retrieved quickly but that Gargoyle woman. She is the one who promises his sight back, uses her magic, and for the first time in almost a year, light returns to his eyes.]
[It's ...strangely disorienting. he'd gotten so used to his vision being anywhere but his actual line of sight. He spends a few moments simply staring before glee overtakes him, and he laughs like a madman, prancing off without so much a thank you.]
[It worked! It worked! Ha! Hahaha! He's a genius!]
[Where are you, Salt, he's coming for you.]
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Date: 2026-02-05 02:37 am (UTC)Namely, he lingers near the garden, even after Shadow Milk disappears. There are plenty of Woodcrawlers to fight off, enough to keep him busy for a fair few hours. At one point, he does tuck away to the barn to catch some rest — content in the knowledge that Nox's ferocity will at least keep him safe for a time. Nevertheless, he is quick to return to where their fight occurred.
Surely Shadow Milk will return to the scene of the crime, as it were.
In the time that passes, Silent Salt has nothing to do but think. As time stretches on, those thoughts do turn to worry. If this had been a trick, no amount of willingness on Shadow Milk's part will keep him from the wrath of the others.
... He hopes it will not come to that, as he paces circles around the bloodstains still left in the grass.]
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Date: 2026-02-05 02:55 am (UTC)[He stumbles into the clearing covered in his own Jam once again, but there is a manic gleam in his eyes, and a wide gleeful grin as he finally spots Salt.]
There you are! Ha! Your armor has rust on it!
[It doesn't, he's being a lying piece of shit. It should be obvious, though. His plan worked. Those milky unfocused eyes have been replaced with sharp, focused slits. The gold of his right eye almost gleaming.]
Aaaw, did you miss me?
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Date: 2026-02-05 03:08 am (UTC)Either way, he lets out a noncommittal grunt, before carefully removing his helmet. He will not need it for what comes next.]
I wanted to ensure nothing strange came of your body, that is all.
[He approaches Shadow Milk, then lowers himself down to one knee within swinging distance. He does not know how Shadow Milk wants to carry this part out, but either way, there will be no attempt at protesting here. and now.]
It seems it is your turn.
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Date: 2026-02-05 06:06 pm (UTC)[If he finds his answer surprising, he doesn't show it. He watches as Salt takes off his helmet, eyes scanning his face- since this is the first time he's seen him with his own eyes like this. He hums as he kneels down before him. He glances around a moment, looking for the blade he dropped in the fate earlier. There, with a splotch of blood that probably used to be his hand. He'll pick it up.]
You have a lot of faith in my upper body strength if you think I can take your head off in one go! I'm flattered, but my best bet is running you through like you did me.
[He twirls the sword a bit, extending it out as he walks back over. The blade comes up under his chin, tilting him up to look at him.]
Truly, do you not wish to make this interesting? You'd just lay down and take my blade?
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Date: 2026-02-06 05:24 am (UTC)You have surprised me before. [But Shadow Milk is right. After prying his gauntlets off, he begins working on loosing the cuirass as well.] As for making it a show, I gave you your drama, per your request, did I not?
[Translation: It's his turn to set the stage.]
Grant me a proper execution for my crimes.
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Date: 2026-02-06 03:33 pm (UTC)[Once he hears him drop the cuirass he whirls back around, blade pointed towards him.]
Very well! Then, allow me to read you your crimes, so that no jury believes my punishment unjust!
[He's still going to turn it into some kind of spectacle, even if it's simply him rubbing it in. After all, Salt got his satisfaction of cutting him down.]
Where were you, on the night my tower was stormed. When I was dragged down, my hair pulled, my clothing torn, and I was beaten for doing what I had been baked to carry out. When the people who chose to "follow" me were no longer satisfied with using me as their Fount of Knowledge and attempted to execute me themselves. Answer me.
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Date: 2026-02-07 04:24 am (UTC)Naturally, he swiftly regrets it.
It isn't that his sins are read aloud for all that might hear — there isn't anyone around to pay witness. Rather, it is the ugly truth of his mistakes, all laid bare. He had assumed a vicious fate had taken his companions once, only to learn of how they had defiled their virtue, and thus assumed the worst of them. That Shadow Milk's own people had turned against him —
No wonder Silent Salt's fate had gone the way that it had. Even as the cruelty of his own fate lashes at his heart, the guilt burns brighter still.
He can be nothing, if not honest.]
In the Barren. Cloistered away from those I considered my closest allies, and abandoning my own virtue.
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Date: 2026-02-07 06:33 pm (UTC)[He allows that anger to rush through him, his hatred that had dulled over his time here, with his clearer mind, void of that thing on his chest that whispered in his ear, filled his mind with lies. It feels fresh for his moment, as he gets into character.]
[The vengeful king cutting down a treacherous knight.]
When I begged for help, I was greeted with silence! Nothing from you, nothing from the Creators, and nothing from the treacherous insects who denounced Truth long before I ever did!
[His hand grips the hilt of the blade and he rears back.]
What could you possibly have to say for yourself!?
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