Evie
Did you ever love her? Do you know?
In a different time or place, years ago, he may have objected. In fact it settles her heart to hear him quietly capitulate, offering her that small measure of absolution to counter the fear that she had overstepped or implied something about the way she sees him. That he trusts her to take his place, to care for him as well as achieve their goals, it makes her love him all the more - and that carries her through the last stretch of this awful night.
His hand on her arm has her smiling, wan but appreciative. In the bed Yosef has clearly chosen to try and find some small measure of rest under Zuriel's care, giving them their privacy as they gather ingredients and talk in hushed voices. For a moment Evie merely watches his magic at work as she delays her answer. It's beautiful in a way, how swift and easy it is. She has grown so many plants in the reverse, healed crumbling edges of skin and bone like a stopwatch wound backwards, and seeing it happen in fast-forward doesn't stop her from feeling some small measure of awe.
Taking the encased flower back from his hands, she smiles sadly. "It will paralyze him, and begin shutting down his heart and adjacent systems." Death. Deimos may have been able to grant it too, but there is a part of Evie that is stubbornly proud that her knowledge and care of plants can stand in to alleviate that burden from the Sword. "The Efas herb will help with the pain. He was at the maximum dosage but..." Well, soon it wouldn't matter. Taking the plants, she retreats back to the corner for the careful extraction of the pollen, mask pulled back over her face for protection as she does. Once it is crushed and powdered alongside the efas herb, she mixes it in with nothing more than water before pouring it into a paper cup.
Then she just...stares at it.
This one little cup will take her patient away into Mort's arms. This small mouthful of muddied water, made by her hands, will mean the end of Yosef. Maybe it's really not that different to how Deimos' magic would work, but herein lies the differences between them; Evie is a healer, and she only sees this as a merciful thing, a gift she can give to reward the trust her patient has placed in her.
Turning, she takes up the cup of tea Deimos had brought in and drains it as quickly as she can. Unicorns - even when bonded to a man with as much stamina as Deimos - do not have infinite wells of magic, and often much less than an Abandoned. They don't have time to waste. "When it's over I likely won't be conscious," she warns him quietly as she places her empty cup down. "There are beds here the nurses can show you to where you can put me." Lest he try something like carrying her home. "Don't let Zuriel do the same - if both of us run out we'll have nothing left in his very last moments. You'll have to call on Hotaru to get here as soon as possible if Zuriel feels she's getting too close to her limit." The Valkyrie's powers are not nearly to the level of Evie's, but they would suffice for Yosef's last moments. And then for a moment the medical mindset drops away, and she silently reaches for Deimos' hand to squeeze it tight. "Just...stay with me otherwise."
Taking the medicated cup, she returns to Yosef's bedside and gently touches his hand. "I have what you need Yosef," she murmurs, and the man's eyes open slowly, a tiny smile on his lips. "Good. I'm ready, Eve." Her eyes threaten to water all over again as she laughs, choked up. "I know you are." Sliding closer, she takes his hand fully in her own. "You won't be able to speak once you take it. It's time for our goodbyes." Though it's clear Evie is struggling, Yosef merely looks peaceful, accepting of this natural end. He'd been ready for it for some time. "Only a short one my girl. I'll be there to welcome ya home with Mort when the time comes. Won't feel like no time at all to me." Evie laughs wetly, amused as ever by his dedication to humor and cheering her up. "You better be," is all she can think to say, gently holding the cup to his lips so he can drink it. It will happen fast and she knows it, and once it's empty she doesn't bother setting it aside, merely holding it limp in her hand on the bed as it retreats away.
"Thank you Evie." She doesn't expect him to have had anything else to say, and it guts her to have those words be his last, but she forces herself to smile so it can be the last thing he sees. "Always, Yosef." And then she takes his hand in hers and pushes her magic into him, signaling Zuriel that she was ready to take over as the countdown began. Already she can feel his body going too-still, cardiovascular system beginning to struggle as the paralytic sets in. Her head drops, and she leans forward against the side of the bed to prop herself up as she focuses the rest of her energy into the last dredges of her magic and listens to Deimos' breathing in order to ignore the fact that Yosef's is already beginning to stutter. No more than thirty minutes, but exercising constant healing to that degree will mean this will be her last memory of the night as well.
His hand on her arm has her smiling, wan but appreciative. In the bed Yosef has clearly chosen to try and find some small measure of rest under Zuriel's care, giving them their privacy as they gather ingredients and talk in hushed voices. For a moment Evie merely watches his magic at work as she delays her answer. It's beautiful in a way, how swift and easy it is. She has grown so many plants in the reverse, healed crumbling edges of skin and bone like a stopwatch wound backwards, and seeing it happen in fast-forward doesn't stop her from feeling some small measure of awe.
Taking the encased flower back from his hands, she smiles sadly. "It will paralyze him, and begin shutting down his heart and adjacent systems." Death. Deimos may have been able to grant it too, but there is a part of Evie that is stubbornly proud that her knowledge and care of plants can stand in to alleviate that burden from the Sword. "The Efas herb will help with the pain. He was at the maximum dosage but..." Well, soon it wouldn't matter. Taking the plants, she retreats back to the corner for the careful extraction of the pollen, mask pulled back over her face for protection as she does. Once it is crushed and powdered alongside the efas herb, she mixes it in with nothing more than water before pouring it into a paper cup.
Then she just...stares at it.
This one little cup will take her patient away into Mort's arms. This small mouthful of muddied water, made by her hands, will mean the end of Yosef. Maybe it's really not that different to how Deimos' magic would work, but herein lies the differences between them; Evie is a healer, and she only sees this as a merciful thing, a gift she can give to reward the trust her patient has placed in her.
Turning, she takes up the cup of tea Deimos had brought in and drains it as quickly as she can. Unicorns - even when bonded to a man with as much stamina as Deimos - do not have infinite wells of magic, and often much less than an Abandoned. They don't have time to waste. "When it's over I likely won't be conscious," she warns him quietly as she places her empty cup down. "There are beds here the nurses can show you to where you can put me." Lest he try something like carrying her home. "Don't let Zuriel do the same - if both of us run out we'll have nothing left in his very last moments. You'll have to call on Hotaru to get here as soon as possible if Zuriel feels she's getting too close to her limit." The Valkyrie's powers are not nearly to the level of Evie's, but they would suffice for Yosef's last moments. And then for a moment the medical mindset drops away, and she silently reaches for Deimos' hand to squeeze it tight. "Just...stay with me otherwise."
Taking the medicated cup, she returns to Yosef's bedside and gently touches his hand. "I have what you need Yosef," she murmurs, and the man's eyes open slowly, a tiny smile on his lips. "Good. I'm ready, Eve." Her eyes threaten to water all over again as she laughs, choked up. "I know you are." Sliding closer, she takes his hand fully in her own. "You won't be able to speak once you take it. It's time for our goodbyes." Though it's clear Evie is struggling, Yosef merely looks peaceful, accepting of this natural end. He'd been ready for it for some time. "Only a short one my girl. I'll be there to welcome ya home with Mort when the time comes. Won't feel like no time at all to me." Evie laughs wetly, amused as ever by his dedication to humor and cheering her up. "You better be," is all she can think to say, gently holding the cup to his lips so he can drink it. It will happen fast and she knows it, and once it's empty she doesn't bother setting it aside, merely holding it limp in her hand on the bed as it retreats away.
"Thank you Evie." She doesn't expect him to have had anything else to say, and it guts her to have those words be his last, but she forces herself to smile so it can be the last thing he sees. "Always, Yosef." And then she takes his hand in hers and pushes her magic into him, signaling Zuriel that she was ready to take over as the countdown began. Already she can feel his body going too-still, cardiovascular system beginning to struggle as the paralytic sets in. Her head drops, and she leans forward against the side of the bed to prop herself up as she focuses the rest of her energy into the last dredges of her magic and listens to Deimos' breathing in order to ignore the fact that Yosef's is already beginning to stutter. No more than thirty minutes, but exercising constant healing to that degree will mean this will be her last memory of the night as well.
Or did you just never want to be alone?
