Trial 2

This split, the first born from his very own core, was very pure.

But it was not perfect. Inside of it he could very vaguely detect some contamination.

I should warn you to avoid mixing impurities into your core. They will naturally be removed in time, yes, but they pose a danger to your health. You may think of it as the split equivalent of consuming your own refuse.

Donovan was disgusted by that thought. Did that mean that the rest of it was like poop too?

Only the contaminants. So long as you remove them you will have no issues. I will do you a favor and remove all such impurities that remain in your body so that you may focus on strengthening the core with what remains. Do not feel the need to rush this. Injury is still very much a possibility.

Donovan wondered how an injury related to split might possibly hurt when all of the sudden an earth shattering bolt of pain traveled throughout his body.

It would feel something like that. I will seal off your internals from the outside so that you will not have to concern yourself with external impurities infiltrating you. It will last about a week, so I implore you to not perform these activities on the last day. You will need to build up a sufficient concentration of split inside of your body so that you do not fall victim to split decay should you enter an area with an abnormally high concentration.

Donovan acknowledged those instructions. He was subjected to it once, and he would like to avoid going through that pain again.

In that case your procedure is over. It will take time for the numbing agent to wear off, but you will still find yourself in pain from the changes in your senses. Remain calm, and keep your eyes closed. Let your body acclimate. I will meet with you again.

Don could feel the presence in his head leave.

- - - - - - - -

"It would appear that it is your turn, Diana." The Arboreal Maiden watched on as the vines slowly retracted from Donovan's skin. It had been a few hours since it began, and Diana was teetering on the verge of sleep.

She wasn't tired, there just hadn't been anything to stimulate herself with.

"Shouldn't we start with the dog?"

"You will go at the same time." Diana stripped, thankful that Donovan wasn't awake. "Could you hold the dog?"

Diana called Mercedes over and had her lay down alongside her. In a spooning position, she made sure that the energetic German Shepherd was adequately restrained.

"The Great Csillacra will force feed the fruit into her mouth, so once she goes limp you can let go of her."

As one of the vines injected itself into Mercedes' stomach region, Diana noticed her stiffen and begin to panic. Her fears of the dog hurting herself were proven to be unfounded, as she very rapidly lost her ability to move.

Whatever anaesthetic agent the Great Csillacra was using to knock them out seemed to follow their understanding of medicine. Smaller bodies were affected faster.

Soon enough an orange fruit, similar in shape to the one Donovan ate but far smaller in size, emerged from the ground and was moved down Mercedes' throat by a series of vines. If this had happened at any other point in her life, Diana would have been absolutely terrified.

Diana distanced herself from their furry companion, once again relaxing herself. She turned away from where he injection site would no doubt be, only to find she couldn't feel it when it entered her skin.

And then she couldn't feel anything.

Similar to Donovan, it felt like an eternity had passed when she regained her senses. Groggily sitting up, trying to shake the influence of whatever was left in her system, she began to smell that same scent that was so pungent before.

Unlike Donovan's fruit, Diana's was blue. It was also attacking her nose slightly less. She didn't even need instructions before she started chowing down, more than anything she just wanted to get this whole ordeal done with so she didn't have to worry about it anymore.

Once again on her back, she hoped she would wake up faster than Donovan. She was only in her underwear after all.

- - - - - - -

As the Arboreal Maiden watched the vines puncture into Diana's skin, she made to leave.

It wasn't that she didn't like their presence, quite the opposite in fact, it was simply that she had very important work to do.

For once in her incredibly long, boring, and uneventful life, she had purpose to move with haste.

Tapping the ground with her staff, the Great Csillacra moved one of it's many great branches to her location. Once firmly standing on it, she put her shoes on and began to hurry. She could once again hear the annoying clicking and clacking of her wooden shoes that she had spent ages on learning how to remove when she as younger.

It simply didn't bother her at the moment.

There was a much greater annoyance that completely drowned out any irritation borne from her shoes.

Rushing along back to her quarters, a feat which didn't take nearly as long as their travel to the heart, she began to ponder what she should wear.

Common robes, what she was wearing right now, was completely out of the question, so there was no doubt she WOULD have to change. The question is to what degree of formality and which regalia she should outfit herself in that would fit the occasion.

She had to give an air of authority and seriousness while not comin off as overbearing and tyrannical. She needed the staff, more to move around than anything else, but she felt that a pair of bracelets and her tiara would probably suffice.

As for her clothes? She could probably keep it on the simpler side. A set of clothes adorned in flowering patterns should do it. Maybe in darker colors to emphasize she knew the severity of the offense.