journal ⚔️ a warning

[discourtesies]

Sender: Barok van Zieks

[The writing is hurried, a cursive that just manages to be legible. In his rush, his usual formalities are cut short. The message is more important than the form it takes.]

There is a demon in the wilderness — a bestial man. Powerful and violent, able to heal itself in an instant. Anyone unable to defend themselves should avoid the woods until [until what? It's killed? If there's any shred of the man still in there, he can't condone that.] further notice.

[Is that a drop of blood on the page? Eh, it's fine.]

It was Kazuma Asogi. I don't understand it, but I wasn't able to reason with him and he became this thing before my eyes.

[After a moment, he adds:]

He cannot be left like this.

Comments

[chippedsoul]

[He groans, a cross between a grumble and a laugh.] Nearly got you killed, old man. [That's pretty good to him? He'll finally will himself to roll off of him, still gripping his hand. He can sit up and take in the extent of the damage. It's a literal death zone, everything burned to ash. And then there's 76, a worried frown.]

Can you even move? [He's tired himself, but no where near as bad as 76's got it. He probably has enough strength left to at least get 76 back into town and get some help.]

[steadypulse]

Not the first time. [And not the last-] Probably not a reassuring statement, but I've got a bad habit.

[His mask had fallen off at some point, but he'd spotted it close enough he wasn't worried. Could breathe, a bit of blood matted up his beard -and he was lucky he still had his hair with all the fire- and there were burns on his skin from hat despite the protection of iced shadows.

Could be a hell of a lot worse. Another squeeze of hands, grip a bit stronger with how he could feel his hands again.]

Think so. Can still feel everything, too. [He was going to lay there a moment longer, before using his free hand to push himself up. A slight popping of joints, a little hiss because yep bruised ribs, and with an adjustment of legs he was mostly sitting up. Propped up on the hand not still holding on—] You doing good, kid?

[chippedsoul]

You really shouldn't be so casual about it. [It's not like he wants you to get hurt, old man! Those joints popping didn't sound like he's doing ok at all, his free hand now moving to rest on his back for the support.]

I'm more well off than you right now. [Maybe he shouldn't be moved at all. He looks around at the desolate area. Whatever, they deal with the headaches of someone seeing this later.] Should I get someone out here?

[steadypulse]

[76 still chuckled, the sound rough but that was at least normal. He didn't laugh that much these days.] Maybe I shouldn't, but my life's just been like that.

[At least he took the offered support, shoulders rolling a little as he got more of a feel for himself. Could breathe, definitely nothing broken anywhere that he could tell. Worked his jaw briefly before his head tilted.]

No, be more trouble than anything. I should have- there's a strap on my left arm. There's three biotic emitters, one will do. Just set it down and press the button on top.

[He may have found out he could recharge them with a little Oomph, otherwise he wouldn't have them on him. Just... took a bit. They were cylindrical, yellow and silver metal.]

[chippedsoul]

You're not getting any younger, you know. [He knows he's not going to convince him to stop, but he's still going to nag anyway. He's going to have to let go of his hand now so he can search for this biotic emitters thing. Sounds like futuristic stuff, so he's going to just grab the first futuristic looking thing he finds and hope that's what he meant.

He locates a device with a button and sets it down as instructed.] Here? [He'll go ahead and push the button.]

[steadypulse]

Not getting any younger, but a old soldier is hard to kill. [Taking a slow and deep breath, letting himself lean forwards enough to snag his mask off the ground once that hand was freed. Visor was fine, miraculously no cracks anywhere. Didn't put it on just yet, however.

It was fine leaving it off in the barren ash of what happened. No one else was around and Kazuma had seen him without it often enough now.]

Yeah, there. [Little 'legs' for balance kicked out at the bottom, and their was a field of golden light that grew from it. Enough to catch the both of them. It was warm, soothing. Slow healing, mostly would heal minor things and help along burns and bruising. Anything more and it would just, well. Help it feel better for a little while.] Keep them on hand for reasons like this.

[It was weird not having the healing potions from the other world, used them the same way.]

[chippedsoul]

Ah... [So that's what it is, an advanced healing technology. He's a little curious how it works, so clean and efficient.]

You should still get yourself properly checked. [He doubts this will fix everything. That's too convenient. His gaze wanders towards the sky as they continue to sit there and get healed, looking pensive. A quiet voice mutters:] Sorry.

[steadypulse]

[Very clean- and actually a mix of technology and biological advances. The reason it worked as it did, a sort of natural healing with an extra kick. He'd stolen the ones he had when he raided a warehouse filled with old Overwatch tech.

Got more use out of it. Hell, he had borrowed a few things rom a certain doctor when Ana had dragged the both of them to her.]

When things quiet down. [New people had arrived, clearly. Better to wait until that had settled.

76 reached over, ruffling Kazuma's hair lightly.] Accepted. Meant what I said.

[Wasn't going to abandon him.]

[chippedsoul]

. . . [He's going to just, lean into him. It's an awkward gesture for him, pressed up against someone, feeling the warmth of another, but he felt his body move before his brain caught up. And he's tired. No one's around anyway.]

Tell me when you're ready to move.

[steadypulse]

[Tired, and the healing warmth of the biotic emitter was soothing aches all the while. The charge would time out sooner or later, but it made for a nice temporary bubble of healing. That hand that had ruffled hair moved, and his arm propped around Kazuma loosely.

Let them hold there, for a little while at least.]

I will. Let's give this thing enough time to do a little work.