[despite the fact that there's no miasma in this world and no sign of other Revenants, Louis errs on the side of safety all throughout his initial foray into the structure around the Temple. he's enamored by its architecture, especially as someone who had taken a cathedral as a home base, and for the first few hours of arrival he tries to understand the layout of the environs.

fanfare, it seems, is the general mood, and he doesn't understand why. wait- not entirely true, he does understand the emotions behind it, but it takes a moment to get caught up to speed. it takes an attendant, carefully offering him a flower to shift his apprehension away from the permanent sense of paranoia that's embedded itself into him since losing his humanity.

he draws off his purifier mask, and for a moment, just stares deeply into its vibrant and beautiful color. flowers, although rare, do exist in the Gaol of the Mist. but never this intricate, never this large. nonetheless, between his visage, the dark red eyes, and his standoffish behavior, he's left alone for a few moments to stare.]

Excuse me... [he chances upon someone else who might appear to have lost their bearings.] These flowers, do you know their name? Are they common?

[yeah, he's signed up to kill that monster that's terrorizing the nearby town, but there's an ulterior motive in the works. Louis keeps his eyes peeled for mistles, objects that can spring forth blood beads for consumption. he's well aware that the Temple will provide, but when it's the only thing keeping him from going into frenzy, he figures it's best to have a backup... or ten, just in case. it's exactly how he got by back in the Gaol of the Mist, and it's going to take some time getting used to the sheer abundance of it all out here.

and before, it was always easier to go it alone, scout ahead and understand the layout before making brash moves, but thanks to a few friends he's picked up along the way, his efforts have become a lot more brazen over time. he's in your adventuring party, and he might take notice to the weird stares that he's receiving- either from you or from anyone else around. might as well clear the air before it gets stagnant. or worse, awkward. Louis is perfectly fine with silence, but awkward ones, not so much.]

We're called revenants. Humans who've died and been brought back to life through BOR parasites.

[that... is very reassuring, of course. admitting to being a host to some disease like creature inside himself. that's exactly how you make friends, right?]

Sorry, there aren't many humans left where I'm from. It's not contagious, if that's what you're worried about.

[uh.]

[it's calm here, the serenity piercing the forest like a quiet shroud around its exterior. he has a coin in his hand, and he's ready to make an offering, but is tempting Death something he really wants to do? how many times has Louis died already, only to evaporate into mist and be brought back from the brink of death, one memory less for the cost of his failure?

who does he miss? there aren't a whole pool of people to choose from, and the one he wishes the most to see again would also bring him back to the guilt of not being able to do what he was supposed to do the first time around. he clutches the coin in his hand, thinks of Cruz, and sighs. no, it can't be her. he doesn't deserve that. she doesn't deserve that.

without the thought of someone else in mind, he offers Death a small recompense for all the times he's cheated it.]

If I had more to give, I would. All I ever wanted was peace.

[no use looking back, he stands and sighs. an idyllic dream, coexistence between revenants and humanity, a world where blood thirst didn't claim the lives of people who deserved more out of their lot in life.]