"You're sure you don't need anything?" Milly asked as she tugged the last string tight on the specialized insole she had just crafted. "Food, Water?"
She was a tailor, and he was a creature she knew very little about. She saw his presence and finding him where she did in her hometown as nothing short of a blessing from Snow Leopard, her patron deity. The last name of 'Wolff' tended to push people toward thinking that she was a follower of the Wolf, but that wasn't exactly the case. Snow Leopard came to her in a dream, and shortly after, so too did he. After a lengthy conversation she found out about his immortality and travels, as well as his unique interests and where he would like to reside. She didn't want to hurt him though, so instead of just tossing him into her boot and walking off for him to fend for himself, she set to craft a comfortable solution for both of them. He even had straps around his shoulders to keep him down so that he couldn't slide up and out of his little prison. He was literally one with her insole.
"It won't be the first time I've spent an extended stay like this," Mathew replied as the soft, velvety leather came to rest on his body.
It covered everything but his face and shoulders, and due to his position on the insole, it wouldn't really be a problem comfort-wise for the small Norn. Milly Wolff wasn't tall by any means in comparison to her people - In fact, she was hardly a foot taller than the average human from Divinity's Reach. She knew that her journey would be long, that he wouldn't see much light and there was a very real possibility of her forgetting that he even existed in the heat of battle, but he persisted. The Norn just smiled a gentle smile and shook her head dismissively.
"You are a strange one, but I'm sure you will bring me luck in the coming days." She replied, "Perhaps I can commission someone to create a Golem for you to remotely control someday. I don't know of anyone right now, but if I find someone along the way, I'll look into it."
He smiled back as he was slowly lowered into her newly tailored pair of boots. Everything smelled of fresh leather, and his little alcove was designed to be as comfortable as it possibly could be for him. He looked down to the heel of the boot as Milly's fingers pressed the heel into place before reaching in further, sliding her hand around the edges to make sure that everything was properly set in place. The air of the entire village she came from was festive - It was nearing time for the Great Hunt and everyone was getting ready - Including her. She had a lot to prove, being such a short and diminutive Norn from the start, but that wasn't going to stop her. Mathew watched as shadows danced over the light from the opening, followed by the white sock of his new owner's foot. Her toes slid in over his front, grinding the soft leather into his tiny body as he lay there. The fabric smelled clean too, obviously well cared for or it too was new. He could hear the Norn's heartbeat through her sole as her foot settled down onto him, along with her weight. The temperatures began to rise quickly, as the Norn's body heat was much more than that of an average Human's...
"I can hardly feel you in there..." Milly said softly as she lifted her heel, "I'll need to break these new boots in well, and nothing better to do that then the Great Hunt!"
She began to walk, each step grinding the soft leather down into Mathew's tiny body. He whimpered to himself as the fabric of her sock pressed into his face, keeping it to the side. He had plenty of space to breathe, plenty of space to exist, yet not enough space to cause any real discomfort for the Norn who stood upon his tiny form. Milly took her rifle from the wall, loaded it well, and made her way down the dirt path in front of the small hut. He was so well tailored into her insole that his presence actually felt great, and knowing she had a gift from Snow Leopard with her at all times put a smile on her face. No matter what boot she wore, she would always take him with her...
"Hail Hero! Are you here to take part in this year's great hunt?" A muffled voice could be heard from beyond the confines of his voluntary prison.
"Of course I am, just tell me what needs to be done and stand clear." Milly replied proudly....
Several Years Later
The insole had been worn down, beaten from hundreds of battles. He had been drown in sweat and water on dozens of occasions, and when the great Norn warrior that had him beneath her feet ventured into an active volcano, he felt like he was going to die. Norns don't do well in hot situations like that, and being inside her shoe at that point was hell. He had spent every second if it beneath her feet, every other step of her journey was taken directly onto him. Through the shiverpeaks, fighting at the Battle of Claw Island, and even facing the hordes of clockwork abominations that descended upon the city of Lions Arch. He lived beneath her foot through the fall and rise of the new Lion's Arch, and the journey took its toll on the insole he called home. She had changed her boots on multiple occasions, and each time she did, she was sure to move her lucky insole from one pair to the next. It was worn down a bit, which made it less comfortable for Mathew as a whole but he never requested a new one.
Milly took care of herself pretty well when she could, but being on such a long and grand scale adventure made it difficult for her to actually clean herself on a regular basis. As such, the poor little creature inside of her boots was subject to days of rancid heat and stench that varied depending on the task she was given. Now though, he felt her walking through the city at a slow pace. He never knew exactly what was going on at any point in time, but that was perfectly fine. He adored his position beneath her and it was an honor for him to accompany her wherever she went.
Milly sighed softly, her mind wandering as she walked the city streets. She took a seat next to relax for a moment, crossing her left leg over the right as she took a deep breath. Her feet were aching, she was in need of a bath, though she couldn't afford to stop her trip right now. Her mind wandered to the little bits of movement she felt on her arch, Mathew's tiny face buried in the sweat-soaked fabric of her sock... She could feel him nuzzling it a bit, the sensation that always warmed her a bit and helped her relax. It was strange, she had grown so accustom to the idea of having him in there that losing him would be a bit of a bummer. However, her journey had recently come to a small end... She had reached her goal with the help of Trahearne and many others, and through her times she had fought against Scarlet Briar and many others. Perhaps it was about time she sent him off? At least for a little while... Casually, she undid the laces of her boot and pulled her foot free of its confines.... Reaching inside, she began to work the insole free from where it had resided for so long.
There he was, the little blue-haired mess of a bug.
He was blushing madly as she held her favorite insole by its heel. Milly smiled down to him softly, a comforting gaze. There wasn't anyone around right now so she was fairly safe to speak with her little lucky pet.
"You're strong." Milly chuckled, "Not many people would have been able to survive what you have. But I think it's time you moved onto your next adventure, I can't keep you forever."
"What?" Mathew whimpered out, "Are you sure?"
"Of course. You'll come back someday, right?" Milly asked, keeping her smile. "I'll keep these insoles for that day so we can adventure together once more. You've helped more than your fair share."
"Right... I'm ready then." Mathew said softly as she began to slowly untie the laces around his body.
She pulled up one side of the flap, unstrapped the harness keeping his little form in place, and rolled him into her hand. Gently, the Norn leaned forward and set the little one down on the ground next to her boot. He lay there, quivering in pleasure from the years of walking she had done. The miles she put on him, every second was a great memory for the little one. He watched as she put the insole back together, filling the place he once resided with a small piece of leather custom fitted to replace him were he to die, and she slid it back into her boot. Setting it aside, she leaned forward and gazed down upon the little one at her feet.
"You want me to send you off quickly?" She asked.
"No, Make it as slow as you can." He replied...
"Really? What an odd request, but I should expect no less from you." She jested as she slid her foot from her leg and down to the ground. She hovered her sock over Mathew's body, flexing her toes gently behind the dirty off-white fabric. "I'll see you when you return, and treasure the red stain you make."
She gently set her foot down on him, pinning him to the ground. The cool air was replaced with the warm, pungent air he was so used to at this point in time. He could feel the Norn's warmth heating up the cool stone at his back, radiating all around him. Slowly the pressure increased. He felt it pour on ounce by ounce as the Norn tried her best to work him down with as gentle and slow of a press as she could. He was beneath the ball of her foot, pinned directly in the center. The warm fabric enveloped him, cutting off the supply of air as the pressure increased to the point where he could no longer take anything in. He felt his bones begin to bow beneath her, his body began to ache and scream in pain as she began to gently rock her foot back and forth.
Snap!
The first bone broke, followed by another... And another...
Squelch.
He felt as his organs began to rupture and shift. His abdomen began to distort to the point where it could no longer contain his insides before rupturing. Blood began to soak the sock mixed with sweat, it stained the white fabric red and soaked all around him as he was slowly crushed into the stone. He could feel her lift her heel, though she didn't kill him quickly here either. His skull changed shape, his eyes bulged from their sockets... Eventually though, it had to come to an end.
Criiiii-Splat....
He collapsed, flattened beneath the sole of the Norn he had worshiped for years without fail. He was still conscious as she lifted her foot from the ground, enough that he could see bits of his own organs drop to the floor. She turned her foot up to look at the mess she made and he could still hear her speaking...
"I know what you would want." She said softly, and instead of peeling him off her sock, she slipped her foot back into her boot.
He felt her push him into position beneath the ball of her foot on the same insole he was just trapped in. He was further up though, away from his safe haven. She tapped her foot a few times on the ground, lifting her heel up to twist it into the floor enough to grind him further and further into the insole. She was intent on keeping him around as a memento, even if he wasn't going to be consciously with him.
He passed into his next life with the sound of his bones being ground into the Norn's insole, the intense heat easily turning him into a discolored stain...