Chapter Text
Kasyrra's ostentatious sitting room feels somewhat empty without her, and altogether much too cold, despite the continual fire in the hearth and the comfort when you sink into the couch. Her double-headed axe on display reminds you of the trials and tribulations you've been through, and though you've only crossed blades with her only once (an ordeal that was token in itself, and was only for appearances), you would like to never do so again. Well, maybe a spar every now and then would be nice.
You reach for the plate of cookies that always seems to be there and grab one, leaning back with a sigh. As you nibble on your cookie, and what a delicious cookie it is, you contemplate the reason behind your visit.
In truth, there was always a sense of- not tension, but nervousness? Sure. There was always a sense of nervousness behind your and Kasyrra's interactions, a sense of "will he, won't he" when it came to the topic of using your soul or at least a part of it to restore her soul. Soul-sorcery exists on the fringes of magic, and for good reason. You've been committed to doing this and have gone through the trouble of being Nareva's apprentice, sure, but actually splitting your soul in half to give to your demonic lover... it feels wrong somehow, but for her, no amount of hesitation can stop you. Oh, it will for sure have unforeseen consequences, ones that you have no doubt will come back to bite you in the ass, but that's a problem for future you. Right now, though, it's just a matter of waiting on Kasyrra.
It's as you're reaching for another cookie that she walks in. She stops at the entrance and gives you a warm and loving smile when you turn her way, dropping the cookie on the plate.
"Darling," Kas breathes, and you can feel the sheer amount of affection in it. Gods, how did you get this lucky?
You lean back and offer a hug, and Kasyrra clearly holds herself back from rushing into your arms; no, she instead saunters toward you, swaying her lovely hips and then straddling you, placing her hands on your shoulders. Her mirth is infectious as you hold her tight against you, your face buried in her tits. The warmth of the embrace immediately settles into your being, and seemingly into your soul.
"You're a needy little thing today, aren't you?" she laughs, and pets the back of your hair, "Don't worry, love, mommy's here."
Your eyes slip shut on their own, basking in the sensation. For a moment, you let yourself get pet. It's soothing, and threatens to remove every single pesky thought in your head, but then your brain decides to remind you why you're here. You heave a sigh.
"What's on your mind, darling?"
It takes some time for you to gather your words, and throughout the time, Kas continues to stroke your hair, offering comfort. Once you say the words, there's no going back from it: You either tell her about it and suffer the consequences, or you don't. But no matter what, you know that there won't be any judgment from her. Your relationship with her is, somehow, the most steady out of all the ones you've cultivated, other than, perhaps, Aileh or Kiyoko.
Sighing again before beginning to talk, you don't dare to meet her gaze, unable to meet the sorrow on your behalf that would undoubtedly be there when you mention hurting yourself for her. Because that's precisely what it is; cutting your soul in half will hurt.
A finger raises your chin when you're done talking, gently forcing you to look at her.
"Not that I'm not flattered, dear, but are you absolutely sure you want to do this?" she asked, a rare look of vulnerability in her eyes.
You resolutely nod. No going back now.
"Alright, then. I trust you know what you're doing."
Releasing a breath you didn't know you were holding in relief, you close your eyes and look inward.
Just like how people who imagine life on this world as animals moving against a green background have a serious misunderstanding, people misunderstand how soul magic, or magic in general, works. That green background is alive, and the energy surrounding a soul swirls and twists in miasmic colors and ideas. It cannot be observed directly, only measured distantly, just like an electron. Most mistake this swirling energy as 'chakras' or 'auras', and while they are technically right, it is not the full truth of the matter. The soul is as much a complex organism as it is a tool. You could harness this power just as easily as you could feed it, and just as easily as you could split it in twine for different purposes.
A brilliant array of colors rise to meet you as you fall into the depths of yourself, imagining yourself with a blade in hand. The colors grasp at you gently, dragging you further and further down until a small orb appears in your vision, and you know instinctively that this is your soul. Hesitation stays your hand as you float in the black abyss, the colors receding as you swim toward your soul.
When you cup it in your hand, it's warm and pulses like a heart, sending waves of invisible energy out in concentric spheres that you know very well. The soul, your soul, extends a wave of kindness to you, recognizing its owner.
The wind is howling.
You make to cut your own soul, knife trembling in your fist, and bring the blade down. Pain unlike anything you've felt before emerges the instant your soul gets stabbed, lighting your every nerve on fire.
You scream, although it's more a cry of a wild animal than anything intelligible.
The process feels tainted, and like you're making a mistake, but you don't stop. You can't stop. Not until your soul is in two pieces.
All of the colors surrounding you lash out angrily, striking you like a whip, they pulse and groan and writhe and choke, and suddenly you're holding the two pieces of your own soul, knife having disappeared. You're trembling and exhausted when you emerge from that space, one of the halves staying behind and the other held in your outstretched hand.
Kasyrra gasps, having moved to sit at your side. You're certain you look like shit, which is coincidentally how you feel, but you do feel a sense of accomplishment.
Looking down, you see it. It's awash in a display of three colors; pink, green, and blue.
"Beautiful..." Kas mutters, reaching out to grab at your wrist. You let it happen as she moves your hand up to her face so she can look at it closer, and you see a somewhat feral look in her eyes as she stares at it. She almost looks like one of those imps you've been killing as she gazes upon half of your soul. It almost concerns you how wild she looks.
"May I?" she quietly continues, as if knowing this moment deserves respect.
You nod, curious as to what she means but quickly finding out when she swallows the shard. Immediately, you can feel how the piece of your soul fits into the empty slot left behind when Kasyrra turned into a demon, finding yourself into two places at once momentarily before the soul shard you gave to her gets converted into Kasyrra's and kicks you back into your original body.
The two of you blink at each other before grinning.