[center][img]https://i.ibb.co/FBrdjSk/image.png[/img][h3]Malphas
Misty Temple[/h3][@Rune_Alchemist][/center]
Soyala's comment about meeting this Illuminator caused Malphas to raise another brow. Was this really the same woman who he had slept with the night prior, or someone else? Perhaps even his own affairs were manipulated by this strange being! What a nuisance, really. Still, Malphas chose to hold his tongue, as her continuous amicable nature would be much more advantageous for him to maintain later down the line.

Seeing the flowers laid upon near the tree caused Malphas's eyes to light up in interest. To see such pretty things laid bare, so easily attainable, brougut a smile to Malphas's face. There was more than enough for him to satisfy his quest! Before Malphas would begin to gather the flowers, however, he noticed another wayward creature alongside the flowers...

"[color=lightblue]Hold on, Soyala. I'll take care of our little friend here... Could you instead be a dear and trench up this tree? Fires are oh so unpredictable, and I wouldn't want its embers to linger onto our bounty.[/color]"

Whatever Soyala chose to do, if the deer was left alone, Malphas kneeled down to it. He looked deep into the animal's eyes, a hint of sorrow in his own as a tear rolled down his pale face. Despite what people would believe, Malphas truly believed himself to be an emotional man. Many things would cause him to cry, but none of them were as severe as the loss of life.

"[color=lightblue]You poor, unfortunate soul. It seems you are far beyond saving, are you?[/color]" Malphas wept, wiping his tears away before looking onto the flowers. Approaching them, he made sure his gloves were placed on tightly before he kneeled down. Eying the waxy sap from one of the flowers, Malphas drew his dagger, cutting a piece of cloth off from his new clothes. He was already wearing gloves, but he wanted to be extra careful. After all, Malphas remembered his death vividly, and dying of poison was quite a painful, bowel-wrenching experience!

Malphas grabbed the head of one of the flowers, using his dagger to slice open the source of this sap. Once it poured out, Malphas quickly sheathed his dagger, keeping note of its envenomed edge. Grabbing one of his arrows, Malphas allowed the sap to drip onto the arrowhead, lathering it in the alleged poisonous substance.

Malphas then looked back over to the deer, his tears still welling up. As he did, he grabbed his bow and stood back up. In his eyes, his sorrow was replaced with a newfound resolve as he knocked the poisoned arrow back.

It was true that Malphas wept at the idea of death... Or at least, it was much more accurate that Malphas wept at the idea of a [i]useless[/i] death. Malphas hated the idea of something so quick, so sudden, so depressing. Instead, Malphas preferred- no, was enamored by death through hardship. Much like those wayward souls in the temple, their death would be filled with heart! Malphas could only imagine their attempts at clambering out of those burning ruins, hungry for life at their last moments! It is through such hardships that humans could truly evolve past their weak and pathetic forms! It is through suffering that one could truly ascend!

It is such a reason that Malphas preferred to use poison on himself and his followers. Either they succumbed and died, or they survived and were [i]uplifted[/i], stronger than they ever were before! Now, more than ever, Malphas believed this to be true. His divine form would attest to that hypothesis, after all!

That said, Malphas did not wish for this deer to ascend, to become stronger from what he is about to do. Instead, he wished to accomplish his [i]other[/i] goal, one that he had bestowed upon himself moments prior. He was the Torchbearer, one who used the Illuminator's light to reveal the knowledge hidden to the world. His bow was his torch, the poison on his arrow was the lost knowledge he sought to attain, and the poor deer was but another great bonfire he must light in order to bring himself [i]enlightenment[/i].

"[color=lightblue]Tell me more about this plant, by the way, Soyala... If an animal were to be poisoned by such a thing, would its meat become inedible?[/color]"

And so, Malphas let loose his poisoned arrow, aimed right for the deer's white furred core.

"[color=lightblue]If so, then perhaps we should find something else for dinner.[/color]"

Awaiting for the flames of the temple to dwindle, Malphas sat cross-legged as he observed the deer intently. Was this poison fast acting, or would he have to see the results of it later on, after he enters the temple and obtains whatever it was that awaited him within? Only time would tell...