xistentia | [open]

I see.

[ The idea of a war in his home waters... well, that wasn't an unusual occurrence, but it was interesting that Rafa associated such a beautiful mass of water with it. ]

That legend is more accurate where I am from. My kind are weak to water when we are young, particularly water that is moving. A still lake posed no threat, but a rushing river or waterfall felt like acid against our flesh. As you get older it is less painful until it is no longer an issue.

I have a theory that it is because we are bound to the earth, and water moves the earth and reforms it. We become more like stone when we age, strong and formidable, so we can no longer be changed so easily.

[ Rafa associates all water with that. He can't not. It doesn't mean he dislikes water, though. He associates it with Shane, too, and with how much he'd always wanted to travel with him on sea.

Now, he's trying to keep his mind away from that. He frowns up at Ignacio, surprised at the unforeseen difference between their species. ]

So a shower would burn you. That is…surprising, admittedly. It must be inconvenient. My kind only react like that to Holy Water. And other holy things, and magic, of course. Not ordinary water.

[ He leans back on Ignacio's shoulder. The elder vampire does not feel like stone to him, but he wonders if it's true. Perhaps that's how they both feel to others; cold and hard, unbreakable, not really living. It's not a pleasant thought. He pushes that away as well, returning his attention to the water. ]

It used to burn me, but no longer. Water that is blessed can still harm me, but it depends on who is doing the blessing. Any god that is associated with a magic known as radiant will harm us deeply, and the sun exudes radiant energy.

But holy land, symbols, such things... they have no effect. [ He showed his ring, his daemon, which bore the cross of Christianity. ] Vampires of my world adopted this symbol and we built a kingdom around it, known as Catholicism. It allows us political power and ease of movement within humanity.

[ Rafa looks down at the ring. The sight of it sends a hit of revulsion rolling through him, and at once he wants to lean away. Instead of that he steels himself, and pressing his lips together, he puts his hand on top of Ignacio's.

The pain is instant, severe, and localised. He holds it for only a few seconds before releasing, and lifting his hand to show Ignacio the burn.

His skin is blistered and raw where the connection had been made, the cross having burned through several layers. It starts to heal at once, but it's noticeably slower than it would be with other injuries. As with Rafa's burns in the arena, it will stick around for longer. He offers a wry smile. ]

As you can see, it is difficult for me to understand how a vampire can wear such a thing. You are saying you created a religion that burns me away.

[ He turns, leaning over the side of the boat to run his hand through the water. It stings, but it also cools, and he sighs. He lifts his hand back into his lap. ]

From what I can tell, the religion itself does not matter. The faith behind it does, and always has. Faith has always been anathema to my kind, I imagine because it was used to bind the demon from which we were created. Religious magic did the deed. I have escaped the burn of magic, but not these symbols. Perhaps, some day, I will excise that as well.

Rafa--!

[ Ignacio exclaimed in shock when he heard the flesh of his friend begin to sizzle. Instinctively he jerked his hand away, and stared at the wound in a mixture of confusion and horror.

As Rafa explained himself, Ignacio quickly pulled off his ring and shoved it into the pocket of his trousers. ]

Forgive me, I will not wear it around you. I did not know it had such an effect.

[ Rafa flexes his fingers around the wound. He always did find that sort of thing fascinating. He shrugs, turning his hand over to hide it, and he leans back against Ignacio. ]

It is no matter. The burns you saved me from in that other world were much worse, and for these symbols, exposure can help resistance.

[ He won't explain why he knows that; it wouldn't make for very civilised conversation. ]

I like to see the differences between our people. Your world would be very strange to me, I think, yet I would still like to see it. Tell me more about it, will you please? Are there fae there? And other races?

Is that what you do? Expose yourself to them day by day? Is it only a surface burn?

[ He began to gently take Rafa's hand into his, wanting to examine the wound. ]

Necrotic magic heals me, would it heal you as well? Or due to your nature, would it only make it worse? We are so different, I am also fascinated by your world. I want to see yours as well.

[ His eyes rose from his hand to gaze at Rafa's face, a gentle smile on his lips as his concern began to wane. ]

Yes, there are fey, who reside mainly on another plane of existence called the Feywild but many visit the Prime Material plane. That is where I exist. There are different worlds, different planes, endless races. I have yet to explore everything, because as much as I love travel I had a mission to accomplish. A goal to achieve for the sake of my people. I had no plans to leave my world until Destiny invaded.

[ Rafa freely gives his hand across, letting Ignacio touch and see it. Even now, he almost recoils at the mention of magic, but he manages not to. Magic itself would be safe for him now. It makes him consider the question with more thought. ]

I do not know. Necrotic magic…I am not dead, you see. We turn on the point of death, and live again. We could try, if you wish.

[ There's every chance it might give him some sort of necrotic wound, and Rafa knows it. Still, he's never been afraid to try. He leans slightly against Ignacio, letting him hold his hand. ]

Your planes sound familiar. We do not call them that, but in my world we have Doors between them. My people guard those Doors. I did leave, to go to a different world when they offered me something I needed. It was a selfish thing. Now all I want is to return to my people. You were right to stay with yours while you could.

Yes, we call them portals, gates, or doorways. I could not say that I am an unselfish creature, so I do not judge you for your decision, my friend. I believe you should have what you need.

I will try, but do not hesitate to tell me if it is hurting you.

[ Ignacio's brow furrowed with concern, but when Rafa consented he attempted to concentrate his necrotic power through his hand and into his friend's, holding back on the power to see if it did anything to stitch his flesh. The moment Rafa reacted in the negative he would halt it at once. ]

[ Rafa waits, not breathing as he watches. Then, as magic floods his hand, he winces, more in anticipation than actual pain. Slowly, it starts to knit his skin together. He flexes his fingers through it, frowning. It's not exactly painful, but he wouldn't call it pleasant. ]

It is...strange. [ He looks up at Ignacio, dark eyes curious. A vampire who can wield magic. Shane can wield magic, of course, but it's not necrotic. It feels entirely different to this. ] As though it should harm me, but it does not. This is your power?

What else can it do?

[ Ignacio's eyebrows jerked up with surprise as Rafa's flesh began to heal, and a wide smile began to split his face. ] It worked! [ He declared, his voice filled with approval. ] I was hoping it would, but we are so different...

[ He felt completely thrilled by the success, and leaned in to briefly kiss Rafa's healed hand. ] This is part of my power, yes. I can do much with my magic. I could even kill a mortal with one word.

[ Rafa laughs. He lets that hand be kissed and then flexes the fingers, before flipping it over and twining them through Ignacio's. ]

You could kill a mortal with one bite, and be more satisfied. But of course, you do not like that.

[ He shrugs. ]

It is so strange to me. Vampires are the very opposite of this power where I am from. We are what happened when magic went wrong. Do you know how your people came to be in your world?

I am not satisfied with human blood, but there are other mortals...

[ He looked pleased as Rafa freely gave him such sweet affection. Then he squeezed his hand gently in return. ]

We come from the earth. Some say we were created by the god, Orcus, or that the first of us came from a man who made a blood pact with the gods by the name of Strahd. I have not thought much of gods or legends, I know only how I came to be.

And I also know this, I would never say that we are a creation borne from a mistake, or something wrong. We are beautiful.

[ Rafa listens quietly, and smiles when Ignacio calls them beautiful. ]

They are not names of gods I know, but in my world, all the old gods were faeries pretending to be gods. I have seen here that there are true gods, yet still…I cannot help but doubt. And being a mistake makes us no less beautiful, my friend. I will own that mistake for all time.

[ He's long since come to terms with that. The man who had been the first vampire had never meant to become what he became, though he had wished for eternal life. He's gotten that wish. ]

I should like to see your world, Ignacio. Perhaps some day it will be possible.

I do not know what qualifies as a true god, but many of the gods in my world were ascended after being a mortal, or an immortal of some sort. They're entities that few trifle with, and they often squabble amongst themselves.

Still, even a beautiful mistake is still a mistake. It implies that there is something wrong with you, with us. There is nothing wrong. We are as we are, we are powerful and necessary. We are not cursed, nor diseased, we are the true rulers of the world.

[ He spoke proudly, determinedly, but still pleased as he nodded slightly. ]

Perhaps. But I would much rather see your world, mine is... well, it exhausts me at times.

Exhausting, yet you are the true ruler?

[ Rafa smiles a little. He doesn't contradict anything Ignacio said, though his own perspective is different. He might have had a different view when he was younger. He leans his head back, relaxing, and he closes his eyes. ]

I would welcome you to my world. I would have to insist you watched that tongue around my allies. [ He looks up with a little smile. ] But I would welcome you. Admittedly, it sometimes exhausts me, as well. I am not certain that has to do with the world, since this place exhausts me even more. Perhaps that is just the way of things. The way of a long life.

It would be less exhausting if I ruled all of it. [ He replied, his grin slightly wry but he genuinely believed that. ]

Do you wish me to keep my tongue only against you? [ He knew very well what Rafa really meant, but Ignacio chose to turn it into a joke instead of taking it as an insult. ]

It is indeed.

Provided it does something other than tell everyone you are their better.

[ Rafa lifts his eyebrow, expression amused, but he's serious too. It doesn't overly matter to him if Ignacio thinks it, but saying it, especially around non-vampires, will be problematic.

That's all assuming they ever get to go to his world, anyway. He sighs. ]

I hope we have the opportunity to have a real argument about this. If we do not, talk is all it will ever be. I badly miss my world, Ignacio. Everything about it.

We are their better. All vampires.

[ He corrected with a mild look, then leaned in to briefly kiss the back of Rafa's hand again. ]

You will return, Rafa. You will see to that. I do not doubt that you will succeed.

[ He ignores that correction, only smiling wryly at the other vampire. He cannot, will not spend all of his time fighting about it. Ignacio is not his father, even when he sounds like it.]

I shall. I am determined to, and I have hope that will be enough.

[ mwah ]

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end here? <3