RECCANTI

#Swordtember Day 1: Fire

I came to an important realization recently

My face...

Isn't my _real_ face

That's when I knew there was something strangling my real face.

And it became impossible to ignore

I couldn't breathe, everything felt so stuffy

It's like a mask, a layer on top of my true face

I noticed it a few days ago

My head felt heavy, and there was a tightness around my forehead, nose, and mouth

"why would my body suddenly so feel so foreign?"

But it's okay

I'm taking care of this tonight

No matter what it takes, I'm getting this fake face off

And when I'm done...

I'll see the world as I was always meant to

The worst, though, was the eyes.

It felt like there was a film over them, like the world was blurred.

PANEL 1:

The Traveler stares at the jewel in their hand.

PANEL 2:

The Traveler grips the jewel tightly

PANEL 3:

The Traveler begins to walk down the forest path. "End"

PANEL 1:

The Faerie begins to fade

FAERIE: "Farewell, child. Until we meet again"

PANEL 2:

The Faerie disappears, leaving only a few scattered light particles as the Traveler stares at where it once was.

PANEL 1:

FAERIE: "If you still wish to remove your mark, seek out the Witch of the Deep Woods"

PANEL 2:

FAERIE: "She may know of something. And as for my debt..."

PANEL 3:

The Faerie creates a small round jewel out of thin air

FAERIE: "I give you this jewel. When you wish to claim your favor..."

PANEL 4:

The Faerie hands the jewel to the Traveler

FAERIE: "Simply break it, and I will appear before you"

PANEL 1:

TRAVELER: "Since I received this mark, I've felt a change in myself. Like I'm no longer the person I used to be."

FAERIE: "Dear child..."

PANEL 2:

The Faerie puts a hand on the Traveler's shoulder.

FAERIE: "You aren't losing yourself"

PANEL 3:

FAERIE: "You are becoming yourself. Stripped of artifice"

PANEL 4:

FAERIE: "You can only lose that which can already be lost"