The Mask: Burdens and Reputations

Two things can be Real

It felt strange to have thread pulled from her skin.

Like something between a tickle and a shock.

But it was mostly healed.

Deez watches as Yensid presses a bandage against her abdomen, where little drops of blood were forming from the holes left behind.

She bites back a hiss of pain from the pressure.

It wasn't her normal, but she'd take it over the constant throbbing reminder.

"Remarkable." Yensid looks her over as Uma quickly wraps the bandage in place, "I knew you all to be capable, but to successfully perform a rite of this magnitude? You are all truly astonishing."

"So it's all gonna be okay?" Gil asks as he continues to gently run his fingers through her hair.

"That is a very nuanced question," Yensid strokes his beard with a frown, "as she has healed, but there is still the problem as to why the stab wound hasn't done so completely."

Gil looks down at her stomach in concern, "why, though?"

Yensid is quiet for a moment, "it may be the depth of the injury itself, though there is the possibility, with what stabbed her, that it may never fully heal."

Uma and Gil stare at Yensid in horror.

"What do you mean, 'never heal'?" Uma demands.

"It's fine-"

"Is it?" Gil and Uma both exclaim.

She winces, "it could be worse."

Gil's eyes narrow before the wind seems to leave his sails, and he sighs in defeat as Uma in her own right, deflates.

"Well, it still ain't good." Uma jerks her hip and places her hand on it.

"No," Yensid sighs, "it isn't. I will have to examine the blade for further information, but if my theory is correct, Deez is, most unfortunately, cursed."

She bites her lip as Uma and Gil surge closer.

"Cursed!?" Gil cries out in distress as his arms engulf her, "can we fix it?"

"With time, research and the right resources, all magic can be undone." He sighs, "but as this is the Isle," his eyes soften, "it might be rather difficult to find what is needed to right what is wrong."

There was still something that bothered her.

The blade hadn't been able to cut her until she'd tried to burn Mim. And once it did stab her-

It all happened so fast, but she remembered the feeling of her fire being pulled.

Of not being in control of it.

She hadn't been in any kind of control that night, but that, the feeling of her flames being taken.

Siphoned from her very being.

Or at least, that was what she remembered in hindsight.

"Could it be something else?" She asks tentatively.

"As I said, it is just a theory, it will take a few days for me to really delve into this, and we need time to assess whether you heal further or not." Yensid pauses, "but if it is as I fear," he takes a deep breath, "it might be quite more permanent. For now, it is a waiting game, sadly."

She nods before she relaxes in Gil's grip.

Uma lets out a heavy sigh, "so more of the same then, we're just stuck."

"Regrettably that does seem to be the case." Yensid admits hesitantly.

"At least it doesn't hurt," she offers optimistically.