All things considered, it was one of the more pleasant images in their arsenal. It marked the approach of a god on their behalf, the imparting of a loosely defined quest, the hope that there might be a cure down the line for the illness plaguing them, for the Immortal Cell's frequent nightly visitations, invading their subconscious with visions of their own grisly death.

A quest doomed in the end, but how were they to know that? There was the remotest chance of success, and so that was sufficient.

not that simple

A polite refusal, paired with a slow bob of their head, the closing of their dark eyes into slits.

but thank you