AGG: Rise: HSS: Lorelei 2

Lorelei 2

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Commissioned by Ichypa

Word Count: 1224

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Of all the duties I could be given, as the Keeper, I did not expect to become a therapist.

<Those who wage war have wounds on every inch of their person. The soul, mind, and body must all be mended.> Ereshkigal, thankfully, had quite a bit of experience in dealing with the dead. Ancient societies venerated warriors and heroes, so I could only assume she’d met many in her kingdom. <Of course, I did. With a crown comes responsibility, therefore I endeavored to keep my subjects content and happy!>

+Those who do not die in physical battle, typically die to the battle of the soul, unless they are aided.+ Morrigan’s words were deathly, a cool coldness compared to the soft heat of Ereshkigal. Nevertheless, her insight was welcome and refreshing. +Even the finest warriors, those resplendent with wealth and talent, will wither away if no one aids them with the fear that comes after battles.+

{At the very least, this weakling knows better than to question her superior’s order to be aided.}Hel’s was as scathing in her speech as ever. Though, having met her reincarnated father, I could safely attest that it was a familial trait. {Allowing oneself to die, to wither away due to pain and misery, is the same a surrender. Valhalla can only be reached when striving for victory, and all who simply lay down and die are barred from that great hall..}

Both Anubis and Hades elected to cede their place for the other two goddesses within my mind, as I spoke to Shizi. While the two gods of the Dead certainly did so out of consideration for my female subject, I was inclined to believe that they also knew better than to go against the three advisors I now had. Their cultures venerated sacrifice and had certain romantic notions regarding death. To be broken by the death of a comrade, was acceptable to a Greek, while Egyptian pharaohs had themselves buried with their servants.

Needless to say, they were wise gods indeed, to stay silent against the three goddesses who abhorred dying softly, weakly, and contently.

Surrender, quite frankly, is anathema to my three, current advisors.

Making them both useful and aggravating in my current duty. 

Zhu Shizi.

<A born assassin, trained as a permanent guard for royalty, yet yearning for death.> Ereshkigal’s voice holds equal amounts of disgust and compassion. The mix might seem odd, but the intent born from the two emotions she clear. She wishes the change the woman sitting before you for the better. <It would be a travesty to allow someone so talented to falter and fall. Rest assured, Heir Apparent, I shall aid you as much as I am able.>

+She is a woman of enormous pride. She believes herself to be the cause of every misfortune of the past, present, and future.+ Morrigan’s accusations are both cruel and curt. However, again, you sense no intent from the goddess to abandon the woman before you. +Her pride shall be stymied, remedied, and shackled, until she sees the world properly.+

{Her destiny is the flame, unless something is done, and I loathe the thought of Conflict raging against the Heavens.} Hel, however, seemed disinterested in Zhu Shizi. Still, her interest in Li Song gave her a semblance of care for my current responsibility. {While it’d be entertaining to witness him striding into the underworld, tearing it apart for her soul, I prefer to keep my previous domain’s hale and whole.}

Indeed, I had to agree.

Keeping the current system of reincarnation in place, and working smoothly, until it could be replaced was one of my goals as a Concept. 

Having Li Song traipse around the various systems created over millennia would be detrimental to that.

Very, very detrimental. 

Ah, look at me. A mere few weeks outside of my parents’ jurisdiction and I’m already forgetting my manners.

“My apologies, Ms. Shizi. I was consulting with my advisors. Rest assured, you have my full attention, now.” That was somewhat of a lie. I was relying on my advisors to allow me to fulfill my role as an individual who would help Zhu Shizi with her current problems. I utterly lacked any sort of qualifications for therapy, but I couldn’t refuse Li’s request. On the basis of merit, I was quite capable. “So, might I ask how your day has been, Ms. Shizi?”

“Fine.” 

Ah, the worst possible answer, as I ought to have expected from an individual desperately trying to weigh down her sins. Truly, I appreciated my parent’s strictness in my upbringing. Hearing a curt, nigh-unresponsive, textbook sign of noncompliance as the first word from my patient would’ve made me groan aloud, if not for my dutiful parentage.

Ereshkigal, Morrigan, and Hel each had quite a fair bit to say about the response, but I took their words in stride, as I chose to push onward.

“Please, Ms. Shizi, elaborate. What has made your day merely above expectations? Or, perhaps, just average?” I prided myself in my ability to carry a conversation, regardless of the personality, behavior, and intent of my partner.  If I can speak to nitwits high off of self-aggrandizement, with the intent to add my family’s wealth to their own, I can converse with a depressed, lost Dhamphir. She’s pleasant in comparison, truly. “Rest assured, while Li has bid you to speak with me, for whatever reasons he has in mind, I merely intend to know more about you today. Nothing more and nothing less.”

“Understood.”

The answer I received was less than optimal.

“Well, then, I suppose I should introduce myself first, correct? That would only be proper.” There was the subtle sound of snickering in the very back of my mind. My advisors were partaking in my suffering quite eagerly, it seemed. Nevertheless, regardless of the jeers, I would persist, even if meant carrying the whole conversation solely by myself. “My name is Lorelei Alrtringham. It is a pleasure to meet you, Zhu Shizi.”

My words were met by silence by the scarlet-haired, suited Dhamphir lying upon the couch Li had arranged for my room 

Despite my hopes, and my pride in my ability to carry a conversation, I could not help but believe in the sinking premonition that was settling within the core of my gut. It told me that everything about this situation would be as I’d initially feared, with this unenthusiastic, recalcitrant woman. Suffice to say, I feared that any and all progress with my patient will be slow, arduous, and hard-won.

I waited for exactly thirteen seconds for Shizi to break the ensuing silence.

Then, the moment I considered breaking the silence myself, she spoke. 

“It started with breakfast, I had rice porridge. It was very tasty. That helped my mood.”

Ah, by “understood,” she was referring to my urge for her to elaborate. 

She intended to categorize her entire day, then introduce herself, and utterly destroy the time I’d allotted for our appointment. 

Scratch my earlier phrase.

It seemed that any and all progress I will make will be at the cost of my sanity… and retaining that progress will be at the cost of my general health.

Yet, I couldn’t refuse without becoming a leech upon Li’s generosity.

Without a doubt, I have been thoroughly outwitted.

And, I didn’t like it one bit.