[ Unfortunately, there's no distinguishing between literal and metaphysical when the person you're talking to is only a spiritual vessel containing the emanation of a higher soul...
It's a question that, in his current state, is difficult to answer simply without being entirely dishonest.
His core is damaged. Whatever brought him here seems to have been limited in its capacity to repair it, and though the creatures infesting these ruins seem to provide enough energy to sustain him in the short termβit's dire. He is severely weakened, and his existence continues in spite of the natural order. ]
I'm unfamiliar with the magecraft involved in this summoning.
[ As it is, he's already accepted the likelihood that this persistence will come at the cost of a slowed but excruciating degradation. Recovery may not even be possible. And for all that, this man is not guaranteed to be an ally.
It's why Diarmuid is being as cautious as he is, mindful of his surroundings but not going out of his way to respond to the creatures approaching them beyond giving himself a fair amount of time to evade their attacks. Nimble, leisurely movements and efficient strikes rather than showing off: the amalgam beast crawls in his direction and he simply flips GΓ‘e Dearg to jab its blade down into one of the rasping heads. ]
It's possible it was incomplete, or that my arrival in this state is the intended outcome of its variation.
[ Plucking the spear free, another step, another strike down on its other head. The creatures are their opponents, but he's gauging the way the swordsman responds to themβand expects he's being gauged as well. At this point, he has no intention of revealing the full extent of his capabilities, let alone his current vulnerability. ]
[dog eating crinkly plastic sound effect]
It's a question that, in his current state, is difficult to answer simply without being entirely dishonest.
His core is damaged. Whatever brought him here seems to have been limited in its capacity to repair it, and though the creatures infesting these ruins seem to provide enough energy to sustain him in the short termβit's dire. He is severely weakened, and his existence continues in spite of the natural order. ]
I'm unfamiliar with the magecraft involved in this summoning.
[ As it is, he's already accepted the likelihood that this persistence will come at the cost of a slowed but excruciating degradation. Recovery may not even be possible. And for all that, this man is not guaranteed to be an ally.
It's why Diarmuid is being as cautious as he is, mindful of his surroundings but not going out of his way to respond to the creatures approaching them beyond giving himself a fair amount of time to evade their attacks. Nimble, leisurely movements and efficient strikes rather than showing off: the amalgam beast crawls in his direction and he simply flips GΓ‘e Dearg to jab its blade down into one of the rasping heads. ]
It's possible it was incomplete, or that my arrival in this state is the intended outcome of its variation.
[ Plucking the spear free, another step, another strike down on its other head. The creatures are their opponents, but he's gauging the way the swordsman responds to themβand expects he's being gauged as well. At this point, he has no intention of revealing the full extent of his capabilities, let alone his current vulnerability. ]