09-09-2018, 05:23 PM
His body felt limber, joints and tendons stretched, limbs like spaghetti, every muscle loose. The tea based oils cool and deep, invigorating.
He had washed many times since the underground, but finally, he felt truly cleansed.
Reborn.
The imagery fit. He had died in Baccarat, his soul delivered into Hades. And he had faced judgement before that stern unforgiving gaze; had faced himself. He had ascended, Eurydice at his side, cleansed of his sin in heart.
And now in body.
The clothing against his skin almost felt constricting, blocking the invigorating coolness that had been kneaded into him.
Curiously, he felt the same peace as when he performed the Chongg Ran. But at the same time it was more, a uniting of body and mind, rather than divorcing.
He would have to do this again.
He sat back in the lobby and let his mind drift, undirected. A noise made him look up. Valeriya. Only more. The tunnels had been washed away from her too, the marble chipped and shaved and ground down until the statue finally had revealed itself.
Armande smiled at her radiance, the mathematical beauty and symmetry, patterns and equations breathed into life. A queen indeed.
"You enjoyed it, I see." The look of luxury on her face said it all, even in her simple clothing. Atharim standard issue at safehouses were functional. But if she were to live in the Above, she would need to fit in.
And Armande missed his Cossack finery. Not that he would don them again. He'd be too noticeable. He needed to avoid attention until they left for the east.
But they would need supplies for the trip.
"Let us eat and discuss our plans."
He had washed many times since the underground, but finally, he felt truly cleansed.
Reborn.
The imagery fit. He had died in Baccarat, his soul delivered into Hades. And he had faced judgement before that stern unforgiving gaze; had faced himself. He had ascended, Eurydice at his side, cleansed of his sin in heart.
And now in body.
The clothing against his skin almost felt constricting, blocking the invigorating coolness that had been kneaded into him.
Curiously, he felt the same peace as when he performed the Chongg Ran. But at the same time it was more, a uniting of body and mind, rather than divorcing.
He would have to do this again.
He sat back in the lobby and let his mind drift, undirected. A noise made him look up. Valeriya. Only more. The tunnels had been washed away from her too, the marble chipped and shaved and ground down until the statue finally had revealed itself.
Armande smiled at her radiance, the mathematical beauty and symmetry, patterns and equations breathed into life. A queen indeed.
"You enjoyed it, I see." The look of luxury on her face said it all, even in her simple clothing. Atharim standard issue at safehouses were functional. But if she were to live in the Above, she would need to fit in.
And Armande missed his Cossack finery. Not that he would don them again. He'd be too noticeable. He needed to avoid attention until they left for the east.
But they would need supplies for the trip.
"Let us eat and discuss our plans."