It had the general shape of a human skeleton but struck her more as one of the goliaths. Just a little bit off but not misshapen. Massive, of course, and beyond imposing even as dead as it was. Not only that, but its bones were significantly thicker by scale than any other humanoid race. She could not see anything covered by crystal, however, so it was difficult to get a true read on its anatomy.
I could fit this in the treasury, for sure. Carve out this whole block of the cave and pop it right in. I would just need to seal it up then study at my leisure when I have time. Just how I like it.
“This thing is clearly dead—it’s only a matter of containment.” Cira spoke to Mr. Skelton. She then looked up at the ancient skeleton as if to give herself one last chance to second guess herself. It had horn-like points protruding from the top of its skull in a circle, as if this ancient monster was born wearing a crown. Its presence certainly was commanding, and Cira had never seen anything so dead.
What’s the worst that could happen? Even if this is the skeleton king or something, what happens if I run into that necromancer again? What is a girl astray on the winds to do if she doesn’t have a single skeletal champion to keep her safe?
At some point in her head, it became more about skeletal champion than it was about ancient evil.
“I will take this entire chamber and fill it in with stone from the surface.” She continued, “This shouldn’t take long.”
The Paradise mage had helped her out, in fact. Breeze Haven had been floating around the edge of the island to meet her at the bottom while she descended, and was now pressing its barrier against the underside of the island. There was only ten or so feet between it at the skeleton. Plenty close enough to transport something into her treasury, as she’d be taking the earth with it.
Prismagora floated away from her hand and was replaced with the orichalcum staff, which she found stuffed behind the cushions in her couch after a cursory search. She created a large prism of space and separated the earth within it before dumping an egregious amount of mana into Breeze Haven.
Whoa… just what the hell is this skeleton? That was harder than teleporting to Paradise through the amulet! She had to lean against the wall and catch her breath for a minute. More than half her mana was gone in one fell swoop. She was already thinking about bed again as dawn’s light poked through the hole in ground to Breeze Haven and the sky below.
“It’s… It’s gone!” She could hear the excitement in Skelton’s voice, “You… really did it…”
Stone seeped back into the empty space until the two were staring at a wall.
“I did indeed. Just so happens I was in the market for a skeleton.” Cira hoped she would meet that necromancer again, and that he would have a champion of his own to challenge her. “But are you sure you don’t want me to take the girl somewhere? I know people that can house and protect—she could start her own life.”
“No… Unless she goes with you… she would only return.” That seemed to be a fair assumption. Short of imprisoning her on Paradise, there was no way to stop her. Cira had mixed feelings about leaving this girl with a skeleton, but it was her father for crying out loud. She seemed well fed and remarkably happy here. And there was no longer a slumbering evil to threaten them. “I still have… some time left.”
They climbed back up the stairs to meet Bin Bon again and found her finishing off the bowl of fruit. That girl sure could eat. She tossed an apple core to the ground and looked intently at Skelton, then to Cira with wide eyes.
“Wow, you’re pretty amazing if even Pops is this excited.” The girl smiled ear to ear. “Thanks for all the help!”
I suppose this is when I would say my farewells and tend to my skeleton, but I don’t feel right leaving them like this. What is this girl going to do when her dad dies? He’ll just run out of mana—probably turn to dust before her very eyes. I don’t like it. There’s something I can do about this, isn’t there?
It did not exist within her vast knowledge of sorcery, but for some reason, Cira just felt like she could do something to help. This was not a case like Kuja’s. His soul was firmly bound in undeath. The fatal bloom must have happened centuries ago, and this was a typical possessed skeleton on the end of its ‘life’ so to speak.
It’s quite dead already, but what do you not call it when this skeleton turns to dust if not death? If such pure death can even kill the aether, then it stands for reason that even the dead can die. Most don’t often get the luxury to die twice, but even few are allowed to live a second time, I presume.
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Cira placed a rosy marble in her palm while Skelton nodded along to his daughter’s ramblings. For whatever reason, Cira knew this crystallized curse was the key here.
“It isn’t fair that you should live so long in death only to die again…” Cira grasped the marble in her hand. “The waning of life has brought you to this state, and you cling to it not for yourself, but for another. After all this time, if only you had a few more years… yes?”
Bin Bon was distracted by a glass of juice, but Skelton conveyed a heavy uncertainty in his eyes. He had clearly been a skeleton for an incredibly long time, yet it was running out all the same before this girl was even grown. Cira thought it was a cruel fate.
“What is that…” He asked, “In your hand?”
“From the chrysalis of undeath,” Cira opened her palm, revealing the glowing orb, sanguine flames gently flowing out like a stream, “when you die once more, you will find new life.”
The flame wrapped around Skelton and disappeared into his chest. This was enough to get Bin Bon’s attention and she flew over the table throwing punches at Cira.
“What are you doing to—” her panicked cries stopped in an instant, “Huh, are you sure, Dad?”
The girl backed down but still cast Cira a suspicious glare. I didn’t want to upset her, but… I couldn’t have my offer shot down again. I knew I could do it this time.
Skelton placed a hand over his chest as the light faded. It almost seemed like he could feel a change, but asked once he calmed down a little, Bin Bon still grumbling between them.
“What have you done to me…?” There was a hint of fear in his voice, but almost excitement. His voice sounded almost livelier.
“As I said. It’s clear you’re running out of time before your form crumbles and you return to the cycle. I’m sure you don’t want to risk becoming some manner of revenant with Bin Bon around.” A spirit with this much will, there was only one reason it would so willingly let itself disappear. Dying was the safer option. “But when your time runs out, you will be returned to a natural life. One that you may hopefully be able to live fully as you watch your daughter grow. One day your time will come again, and you will die a natural death. By then perhaps your business will be concluded.”
The skeleton was in shock for a moment, his trembling bones rattled. “How… can that be? It’s impossible, but… I can feel it. What was that power?”
“You can consider it a blessing if you like.” If Cira spoke mentally, he probably could have told she was lying. Bin Bon seemed to relax after a short exchange with her dad, but she still seemed grumpy. The girl sank back as Cira gave her a couple pats on the head, “Make sure you grow up big and strong so you can take care of your dad now, you hear?”
“I was already gonna.” She turned her head and pouted. Cira chuckled, having expected as much. She was just happy to have afforded them the opportunity.
“I better be off then,” Cira floated up to the sky as Breeze Haven revealed itself beyond the shoreline. She gave Bin Bon one last smile and turned her attention to the skeleton, “Make sure to get her off this island when you have the energy, alright? A girl her age needs to see the sky.”
He held up a hand and waved. It could have been Cira’s imagination, but she thought he was smiling.
Cira made her way back to Breeze Haven, just glad everything worked out alright. It was risky pulling an unfamiliar curse out like that, but she just knew it would work. In the same way she pulled the name ‘Chrysalis’ out of nowhere back on Paradise.
So that’s what it does though, huh? I feel like I’ve only scraped the surface. With the marble in her hand, Cira could feel the power to do incredible things far beyond a raincheck for rebirth. If she wanted to, she probably could have turned Skelton into a flesh and bone abomination. Now that it was contained, she could feel the extents of her abilities.
Chrysalis works in two stages. I could have forced him into the first, but instead I used his current state. A feat I could not have accomplished were it not for his centuries of will and effort. His desire to continue existing played a big role in it, and Cira was able to instead declare how he would emerge from the cocoon of undeath. Instead of full-blown death as would be the natural conclusion, he would instead get to live.
The curse will fester in his soul until his time of death, then once the kindling expires, the flames will expand, triggering his metamorphosis. With any luck, he should be reborn in his prime.
Then like any flames, they would disperse. The curse, having run its course, would completely vanish from his soul. Cira thought this was about as ethical a use of primordial curses as any, and was satisfied with her work this time around. While her mood was lifted to a degree, she couldn’t help one lingering thought.
These curses really are terrifying though. I’ve always had my own so I never really realized, but... such powers should absolutely not be wielded. Maybe Io was right all along…
“Tch.” Cira landed in the garden. Some blessing… This situation may have worked out perfectly, but I can’t imagine a way to use it on the living or not almost-dead. Were his soul not dwindling, it still would have been used as a resource, even if I softened the blow by using his current state.
For example, Io maybe have had a similar curse placed on him. His final state was death, and anytime he so much as pumped blood, the curse would bring him closer to it. Since Skelton was already beginning to disperse, that mana instead just fed his chrysalis. There would be no adverse effects outside of what he would have normally experienced. It will still surely be a harrowing day for Bin Bon when he does turn to dust, but she’ll be happy with the end result.
Cira was satisfied enough to call it a happy ending, but one concern troubled her. She pulled out the cursed marble and held it up to the sun. It was noticeably smaller than before.