Fantasy Primacy [Closed]

[Lucyfer]

The Captain was gruff, but not rude. Varick nodded back, but didn’t offer a name as he was addressed as Primal. That was fine by him. “Plenty of things come out at night. Why don’t you let me and my companion into your camp, and you can tell us the situation over a hot meal?” It would be easier to deal with things, with a full stomach.

The Captain arched a brow, “Does your companion hunt?”

Varick supposed he was asking why Tamsin needed to know. Varick didn’t want Tamsin stuck amongst strangers who might inadvertently find out her secret, so he offered, “She’s learning. Can’t make Primals anymore,” he dismounted, “but she’s a hunter all the same.”

“I wouldn’t have guessed,” and the Captain still sounded doubtful, but didn’t challenge it, as he motioned them along, “Come with me, then. We’ll get you that meal and I’ll tell you want it is we know about the situation,” Varick followed, and he let his horse be taken once they were in the camp, and taken to a tent where they could sit, and eat something warm.

Not the best food, but certainly not slop. Trifflehem had some care for it soldiers, and apparently gave them more than an ordinary cook to check into the situation here. Once they were served, the Captain said, “What we know is this: it comes out at night, it seems bound by the borders of the town as it has never crossed beyond—”

“You’ve seen it?”

“Others claim they have seen it, I haven’t laid eyes on it myself. They say it looks like an ordinary woman who goes around, but wherever she goes, people fall ill. She seems to be spreading…well, it’s not – we aren’t sure. It seems mild.” Varick arched a brow, and the Captain forced himself to proceed, “it seems to be the Red Whisper, but very mild…not that we think it’ll stay that way, which is why we have to evacuate, and quarantine.”

~***~

Kirsikka didn’t blame Drazhan for choosing not to go into the obviously haunted village. Sure, she would have loved a bed with blankets, and a house with a fireplace, but these were luxuries she couldn’t afford if she didn’t want to get shanked in her sleep. Not that staying out of the town guaranteed she wouldn’t – nothing did, at this point. Still, she made no protest, and let Drazhan lead the way away from the town, however far away he chose, where they could set up camp.

“There’s something I’ve wondered. Perhaps you understand it,” Kiriskka said, once they had found that pause and began to unpack. “There seem to be several monsters who’s powers fluctuate with time. Noonwraiths, like you indicated, but also vampires, werewolves, and other such things.”

There were animals, of course, that were more active during certain hours – but it didn’t mean they couldn’t be active at others. “Why is it that so many monsters seem not only to show up at night, but only at night? I’ve never understood it myself. Magic doesn’t have time limits. I admit, some magic is stronger under a full moon, or direct sunlight, but that tends to pair with the element…and I can still use it without these things.”

Perhaps there was a theory.

Or perhaps Primals didn’t care enough to ask those sorts of questions. They just dealt with the problem in the only way they knew how.

 

[cleopat]

Tamsin sent Varick a look as he proclaimed that she was a hunter as well. She knew she didn’t look like a hunter to anyone. She was tiny and had no muscles! But she simply smiled at the captain.

She would play along with whatever Varick said, to help him out with this job. And she got a hot meal out of it. She would be foolish to do anything but play along with the harmless lie.

As she began to eat, the two started talking about the monster that was menacing the village. Something that only came out at night and couldn’t cross the town borders. Tamsin would have no idea what sort of creature could do that, but she was confident Varick could figure it out, even if he couldn’t figure out what she was yet.

But Tamsin didn’t like the mention of the disease this creature seemed to harbor. She sucked in a deep breath. “The Red Whisper?” Tamsin couldn’t help but to repeat. Getting a look from the Captain, she cleared her throat before continuing. “I’ve seen that disease wipe out entire families and bring a city much larger than this village to its knees.” Elaboration wasn’t required, nor did she want to give it.

“This monster will need to be dealt with before these mild cases become more severe.” Then they would have this creature to deal with on top of sick and dying troops. Tamsin looked at Varick. “What can cause something like that?”

~~~

Drazhan led them to an area not too far from the town. Close enough to still see it, but far enough so that he could see any monster that lurked that may try and attack them. Ghosts wouldn’t venture that far out, but who knew what else the abandoned town may hold.

They stopped and began to set up camp. Kirsikka wondered about something, and Drazhan hummed his curiosity as to what it could be. She asked about monsters and the correlation between some of their powers and the time of day, a topic he’s never really thought of before.

And, as a result, he probably didn’t have an answer that would please her.

“I’m not sure,” he admitted with a shrug of his shoulders. Of course, he did have some theories, now that he was thinking about it. “I’d imagine it has something to do with the power behind the sun’s and moon’s rays, depending on the monster.” But what did he know? Everything was a guess.

“It’s not something I really think about. I just know which monsters are more likely to appear during the day or night,” he said with a shrug. “Maybe you can come up with a better theory than I can.”

 

[Lucyfer]

Varick did wonder where Tamsin had seen such a thing before, and how she survived. Of course, her blood might have helped with the survival. That, or it was possible she saw the aftermath in her journeys as a bard. He’d have to ask, later. He’d seen both the aftermath, and towns going through it, and he knew what was common in those towns when they were desperate enough to bring him in.

A wraith.

The wraith wasn’t usually causing the Red Whisper. This was new, but he suspected it was still related – someone who had died, and likely didn’t realize it. Someone continuing in undeath, exhibiting the symptoms before they became severe, and died.

“Mm. I have an idea,” Varick said, “Do you know the history of this area? Know if it ever had an outbreak before?”

“Well, hard to tell,” the Captain said, “a couple years ago, there was a lot of death in this area attributed to…a lot of things. The Red Whisper could have gone through here and gone unreported,” he answered, which Varick believed. This was near enough to a war zone, and war zones brought all kinds of troubles. “It wasn’t enough to destroy the town, whatever the case.”

“No, likely not, near enough to Ordo Sors.” There was some judgment in Varick’s tone.

The Captain, politely, ignored that judgment, “Near enough to plenty of resources,” he countered calmly. “Will you look into it?”

“Yes,” Varick said, “can’t promise it’ll be done in a night, but no more than two,” he said, “I think it’s a wraith.”

“Wraith?”

“A ghost, more or less. Some are benign, some aren’t, they’re almost always confused and that’s what makes benign ones seem malicious,” Varick explained, “odds are that, but breaking through that confusion isn’t always easy.”

“You can’t just kill it?”

“Is that how you’d want your mother’s soul dealt with?” Varick asked.

The captain reconsidered his request by clearing his throat and glancing away. He hadn’t thought before he shoved his foot up his mouth, but Varick wouldn’t draw attention to that when he seemed genuinely taken aback by Varick’s statement. “Two days. After that, I don’t care if it’s my own mother.”

Varick managed not to snort at that comment, but nodded. “Agreed.”

~***~

‘Well, what did you expect? When did you ever meet a philosophical Primal?’ Kirsikka should have known there would be no good answer from Drazhan, but it was worth a shot anyways. Primals didn’t really need to know why unless that helped them to kill the monster quicker, and odds were, knowing the reasoning wouldn’t help them much at all.

“I probably could,” Kirsikka didn’t deny it, “if I ever get around to studying it,” which probably wouldn’t happen, so Drazhan’s theory would have to reign supreme…until she asked another Primal for a theory, of course.

The melting snow fed the land here. Despite being closer to the source of all the draining, the land here was still alive enough that Kirsikka didn’t need to grow anything for the horses while laying out her bedding. She still wasn’t starting any fires, of course. She considered setting up a ward, but decided against it.

She and Drazhan were doing well on the shift thing.

“Anything I should look for to identify a wraith while you’re out?” Not that Kirsikka wouldn’t wake him at the first sign of anything. The rakshasa situation had taught her enough about that; better they were both awake. She wasn’t going to trust anything alive out here. She’d traveled far enough from the lake to understand anything alive out here was either very cunning, and likely did not have her best interests at heart.

 

[cleopat]

A wraith.

Tamsin had heard of wraiths before from stories, both back home and on her travels. But she never encountered one before. At least, she knowingly hadn’t come across any towns where wraiths may have lurked after sunset.

If she somehow lost control of her powers here, even though there hadn’t been an incident since the sewers, would they be able to destroy a wraith? Could she protect herself, or would she have to stay back while Varick did the rest, like the helpless, unassuming bard she appeared to be?

“How long has this wraith been haunting the town?” Tamsin wondered. If it hadn’t been around too long, then they may have to worry more about the Red Whisper worsening if Varick doesn’t take care of it soon. If it’s been around for a while, and only now people are wanting it taken care of, then maybe the Red Whisper it was inflicting wasn’t something to fully worry about. That it was just a mere nuisance.

The Captain shrugged. “We don’t know. Since before we arrived, as far as we noticed.”

~~~

Neither one of them seemed too invested in discovering the reason behind a monster’s appearance relative to the time of day. Maybe one day Drazhan will bother to find out, but for now, he was just concerned with making sure nothing bothered them. The very basics of his Primal training took over, making sure a monster didn’t kill him.

Nor his companion he swore to protect, even if for gold.

Drazhan started through the motions of setting up camp for the night, rolling out his bedroll and making sure his horse was fed for the evening. “Wraiths will appear a lot like a ghost, except they will seem more…afraid,” was the best way to put it. He may even use anger.

Afraid and angry that they seem stuck between worlds, unable to fully pass on to the afterlife because of something unfinished in the realm of the living. He pitied them, really. What a terrible fate to be stuck in a state of undead.

“A wraith shouldn’t attack this far outside of a village though,” he said with a glance in the direction of the abandoned town. “If one does, then we may have a bigger issue on our hands.” Maybe the rules of nature didn’t apply to Pomachion. Maybe if the abandoned town did have a wraith, it could leave the invisible boundaries of the town.

He didn’t want to think about that though.

“I’m a light sleeper though. If anything happens, I’ll be awake before you know it.”

 

[Lucyfer]

Varick nodded. Wraiths were tricky with time tables. Sometimes, they appeared for a short time, then vanished, only to appear again when the situation on the material plane ‘matched’ something triggering again. He never understood why. It wasn’t really his job to understand why or even how they went into a kind of slumber, he just had to deal with it, and so he would. “We’ll go see to it. Anywhere in particular she appears?”

“The well,” the Captain answered, which made sense to Varick.

He finished up his meal, and would let Tamsin finish hers up as well, before he would walk from the camp towards the town. Marzipan was fine—he wasn’t going to need her to get around. There was no doubt more than one well, even if the town was fairly small. People always wanted more options in case one well got destroyed, or dried up.

Even if they came from the same water source.

The people were clearly antsy in town. They were all inside when Varick stepped into the town, homes locked up, most with few, if any, lights. ‘May as well be a ghost town.’ He wouldn’t say that aloud, but did address Tamsin as they went to one of the wells, “Could use a bucket,” because no one left one for him, “She’s going to need one.”

As the last tendrils of sunlight faded on the horizon, he could see her starting to appear, looking a bit frantic as she stumbled over her two, non-corporeal, feet towards the well. Harried, and without a bucket – you didn’t get to bring over buckets when you died, apparently.

People were probably lucky they brought over clothes…or the memory of clothes, at any rate.

~***~

Kirsikka knew she had no reason to doubt what Drazhan said, but she did wonder how far the territory of the town might have once extended – how much of this area might have once been a part of it. She heard stories of ghosts wandering buildings following floorplans that had changed. However, it did seem unlikely.

They had ventured a while before pausing.

‘It might not be a wraith.’

But, there was little to do now.

Drazhan needed his sleep, and if anything did happen – she would let him know. So, Kirsikka would let him sleep, and not dwell on the uncomfortable warmth of the fire, or how close she felt they had to be. ‘It’s not up the mountain.’ Somehow, she was certain they weren’t going to need to climb.

A pleasant scent reached her, at first going unconsidered, until she recognized the scent as familiar and immediately rose to her feet, a gust of wind quickly blowing that scent away – and knocking a branch into Drazhan to disturb him awake if the sound of the gust didn’t. “There’s either a gorgon or—” the scent was akin to gorgon’s blood, an ingredient in plenty of potions.

“I’m not a gorgon,” a woman stepped into sight, holding a corked glass bottle. Kirsikka quickly averted her gaze before she could even look at the face, “I didn’t realize you were fae….”

“I’m not,” Kirsikka stated. Apparently there were going to be misunderstandings, “You have a good reason for trying to paralyze us?” She didn’t risk stealing a glance up. Sure, it was unlikely a gorgon would use its poison as a mist potion to spread it – but not impossible.

“Yes. You’re too close to something you know naught about. You need to turn back.”

The woman wasn’t a gorgon, of course. Nor even alive in the usual sense of the word, but a golem made in the image of a human, though the carvings in her ‘flesh’ and the patterns gave truth to what she was – a golem. A very old golem, at that.

 

[cleopat]

Tamsin got the bucket for Varick, though what use it will serve, she did not know.

She stood behind Varick as the last rays of daylight dipped below the horizon. It didn’t take long before the wraith appeared before them, hurrying to the well. Tamsin frowned, wondering about the woman and what she was doing.

She certainly didn’t look threatening or dangerous, but if she had the ability to spread the Red Whisper, then Tamsin wouldn’t get too close to her. That wasn’t something she would mess with, mild or not.

But Tamsin would be the first to speak up, curious as to how the wraith would respond. “Miss, what’s the hurry?” Learning about what it was she was doing could give them a clue into how she died, and what it was she was attempting to accomplish right before her death left her unfinished.

The woman looked startled at Tamsin’s presence right there. “Oh, they’re so sick,” she muttered. “So sick, and they need water.”

~~~

Drazhan hadn’t been asleep long before he was rudely woken up by a branch knocking into him. “Wha-?” he sputtered, blinking his eyes open until that Primal sense kicked in and he quickly realized something was wrong.

There was a reason a branch woke him up.

He saw the golem as he rose to his feet. He was familiar with golems made of stone or clay, and brought to life by dark magic, but this one was made to look all too human. The only reason Drazhan knew of what she truly was was due to the carvings familiar of all golems, regardless of the sorcerer or materials used to bring it to life.

Patterns that marked the powerful and loyal servants to their creators, who obeyed every command without a second thought.

And this one must have been tasked with protecting the White Sun, or its seal.

“This something we’re close to, were you created to protect it from outsiders?” Drazhan asked as he thought of the ways he knew to kill a golem. Most involved magic, as magic destroys what magic created, or certain potions he did not have access to. This meant he would have to tell Kirsikka, somehow, that he would need her help in destroying the creature.

 

[Lucyfer]

Few things changed where human health was concerned – water was always key. Varick would have known to come to a well even if it hadn’t been stated. Water would have come up at some point, and a woman still clinging to life with so much left undone, would be the sort to rush to get water even if she was sick.

She coughed, and Varick nodded, filling the bucket with water, “Let us bring it back with you,” it was easy enough to pick up, and the woman didn’t yet need to struggle with the fact she couldn’t interact with the bucket.

Did she forget every night?

Likely.

She was repeating a memory, night after night. “You look a bit sick yourself.”

“Oh it’s—it’s just a cold, I swear,” she said, but Varick heard that edge to her voice. She knew it wasn’t. She knew the others didn’t have a cold, either. She wanted to live in denial, though. To hope that for them, it would just be a cold. “Thank you for the help. I haven’t seen you before.”

“Mm. Just in town to deal with a small issue.” Varick agreed.

“Well, the only thing here is a bit of sickness – least that I’ve heard. Are you dealing with that?”

“Sort of. Seems to be brought about by something supernatural this time,” he was careful not yet to introduce wraith or ghost into the conversation. Careful, as well, not yet to say that it was evil. Supernatural was vague enough.

~***~

Drazhan didn’t seem to be turning to stone, and he wasn’t that cautious in looking, so Kirsikka lifted her gaze and was able to look at the strange entity. The carvings looked painful – those weren’t tattoos, they seemed like literal indentations in the…flesh? Kirsikka doubted it was flesh, although the darkness masked much.

“Yes,” the golem answered Drazhan, “and you must go.”

“I know what it is we’re approaching,” Kirsikka said, then realized ‘protect’ could mean either the Seal or the thing Sealed. She wasn’t quite sure how to figure that out to get the…thing…to trust them. It’d probably be easier to just kill it, but Drazhan seemed willing to talk, so she’d humor that. “The White Sun, right?”

The golem hesitated to respond, but after a moment, nodded. “If you know, you should know not to approach, lest you intend to help the White Sun—”

“No, actually, kill it,” Kirsikka said. The golem gave it away.

“Impossible. It must stay sealed. Attempting to kill it would unseal it. I cannot allow you further.”

 

[cleopat]

Tamsin looked on with pity at the dead woman, who oh so vehemently wanted to deny her sickness. She was familiar with the early symptoms of the Red Whisper. A slight cough that just won’t go away, pale, clammy skin, and Tamsin would bet the woman also had a fever, or at least the beginnings of one.

Then the illness would rapidly progress over the next day, until she was bed bound.

But of course, all of this already happened, and the woman before them was dead, doomed to the lands as a wraith unless they could help her.

“Supernatural?” The woman repeated with a questioning lilt. “Haven’t heard of a sickness being brought by something supernatural before.”

And yet you’re the one doing it, Tamsin thought.

The woman focused back on the bucket Varick held. “But we must hurry. My family needs this water.” Tamsin knew if her family were already that sick, then they must have died before she did.

She looked at Varick, wondering how long they were going to play along with the dead woman’s illusion. There would be no family to take the bucket to, and once this woman figured that out, would she become an angered and confused wraith that would spread the illness?

~~~

Drazhan knew talking to this creature would result in nothing. That was the whole point of golems. They were created for one purpose only, to serve and obey that which created them.

Which meant they weren’t getting any further without destroying the golem.

“Too bad we’re not very good at following directions.” He pulled out his sword, and the golem narrowed its eyes at Drazhan.

“Then I must kill you.” The golem lunged forward at an incredible speed, and it was only because of Drazhan’s Primal reflexes that he was able to dodge just in time, and the golem’s fist left an indent in the earth, a display of its incredible strength.

“My sword won’t be enough to bring it down,” Drazhan said to Kirsikka as he swiped at the golem, cutting into its back, but the flesh quickly reformed over the slash, leaving behind no scar. “Magic is the best way to bring down a golem.”

The golem focused its gaze on Kirsikka. “You’ll be foolish to think you can strike me down.”

 

[Lucyfer]

Varick saw Tamsin’s look, but said nothing to it. He followed the woman, to where her house once was. It was now an empty lot, no doubt burnt down in the past to prevent the spread of the illness further. The woman didn’t hallucinate that the house was there, at any rate, but paused. “Oh…I must have made the wrong turn,” she looked around, “I do feel a bit of a fever myself, I must have just gotten…turnt around. Maybe it’s—”

“Gone,” Varick said gently, and she looked back at him, “You haven’t forgotten where it was, it’s just gone.”

“Gone? What do you mean, gone? I was just here, I just left them here to get water, I—”

“Aye, you did, and you came back to help them. Put clothes soaked in water on their heads. Force them to drink some broth. You remember it, too. Doing all of that.” Varick kept his tone calm, his expression some mix between friendly and pitying, all the while. “You must have passed first, though. Likely your exhaustion in caring for them.”

“Passed…I….”

"You’re dead,” Varick said bluntly, “you’re the supernatural thing spreading the Red Whisper now. I’m here to help you move on so you can be back with your loved ones.” Well, that was usually the comforting line. Varick didn’t know where anyone went, but people liked to hear that.

~***~

‘You know, we could have tried to trick it.’ Kirsikka didn’t know if that was possible, but it definitely went out the window when Drazhan pulled his sword, and told Kirsikka to use magic. “You say that as if I was going to pick up a sword and try that, Drazhan.” He could have been more specific about what kind of magic, though.

Kirsikka didn’t know what would fuck up a golem best, but she knew what she was best at, and it was an easy default. Especially lately, when it felt like it was almost all that was there. Not to mention, they hadn’t ventured too far from the snow-streams.

The golem had doubts.

The doubts were shattered by several icicles slamming into her, and breaking, ineffectively. ‘What.’ To be fair, the fact Drazhan didn’t think a sword would be a good go-to, probably should have been a hint that other sharp, pointy things, wasn’t the best idea. Still, it looked human that Kirsikka thought it would penetrate.

All it did was piss the golem off, and as Drazhan was not a great threat with a sword, the golem charged her.

An attempt to gust it back also failed – it only slowed the golem enough for Kirsikka to move out of the way of its charge and shoot a wild look to Drazhan about what the fuck she was supposed to do.

 

[cleopat]

The woman struggled with what Varick just told her for a few moments. She didn’t believe him, shaking her head at him. “No, you’re wrong. I’ve not passed. I’m…here. I’m here!” She gaped and looked between him and Tamsin.

“Unfortunately, it’s true,” said Tamsin with a small nod. “You passed some time ago, maybe a couple of years ago.”

The woman shook her head, taking a step towards Tamsin. “No, that simply can’t be true. Wouldn’t I know if I were dead?” Apparently not. “I’ll even prove to you that I’m alive.” The woman was becoming hysterical, not wanting to believe she was already dead when that inevitable was already coming.

She stepped towards Tamsin, reaching out a hand to touch her, but Tamsin quickly backed. If this woman was the reason behind mild cases of the Red Whisper, then surely by touching her, Tamsin would get it as well.

And all she could think about was hosting a vigil at her parents’ bedside as they slowly took their last breaths from the disease.

~~~

Drazhan didn’t entertain the snide comment Kirsikka made, not when he was too busy trying to not get himself killed.

And now he needed to make sure that Kirsikka didn’t get herself killed, as her first attempt at magic failed in destroying the golem.

His heart leapt to his throat when the golem charged Kirsikka, but she managed to get herself out of harm’s way just in time. He breathed a sigh of relief, and saw her clueless expression. Oh yeah, some more guidance in what exactly kind of magic would be useful was needed.

Turning his head towards Kirsikka for a second, he answered, “Fire or electricity usually brings them to life, and the likewise is the same to destroy them.” He hoped, unless there was another way to bring about life he didn’t know yet.

Then they were fucked.

The split second of distraction was all the golem needed to charge after Drazhan. He didn’t realize until it was too late. Unable to dodge in time, the golem struck Drazhan in the middle of his torso, sending him flying back several feet. He landed with a harsh thud on the ground, the air knocked out of his chest, and with the sudden pain that blossomed in his chest, he would guess some ribs were broken as well.

 

[Lucyfer]

“Not her,” Varick said calmly, “You can pass the Red Whisper to her,” he explained as the woman looked frustrated with the idea that Tamsin wouldn’t let her prove her existence. “Try me.” He wouldn’t move away, although the woman hesitated to go to him all the same. He couldn’t blame her. He was big. He might do something tricky.

He didn’t, of course. The woman came over as he offered his hand, palm down so he couldn’t as easily grab her wrist – if there was anything to grab – and settled her hand on his hand. Except, of course, her fingers sunk through his flesh where they should have stopped, and she pulled it all the way through.

She tried again.

“I—I—”

The realization was dawning, “I’ve been causing more—?” her voice hitched, caught in her throat. “No, no, I never meant—”

“You haven’t killed anyone,” he reassured, “it’s all been more like a mild cold, but it will get worse the longer you hold on. You have to move on.”

“I don’t know how.”

“I know,” he sighed. That was always the trick. There wasn’t a door he could lead them to. “We have to figure out what’s keeping you here. Guessing it’s tied to your family that’s already gone on. Guessing no one was buried properly, either.”

Which was always…fun.

~***~

‘Fire or—did you forget?’ Kirsikka wanted to scream at Drazhan, but he took that moment to be conveniently wounded and evaporate her anger with it into fucking fury at the golem, because she was pretty sure she heard the cracking of ribs from where she stood. Or perhaps she just imagined it.

No, she couldn’t call fire to herself.

But, there was a convenient campfire, and she could manipulate that, so when the golem went to finish it’s job, she used the gust of wind to feed it, and whooshed it higher into life, almost torching the greenery above. The golem turned at the sound and saw the fire swirling to life. It redirected its attention to Kirsikka; that was far more critical for its survival.

Except, when it tried to move, it couldn’t.

Ice had frozen its feet in its moment of pause, and the fire did the rest, stripping it of its oh-so magical flesh and leaving the husk behind, all of those animating tattoos, gone. There were likely interesting magical components at the golem’s core, but that could wait.

She killed the fire almost completely after that. It could be rebuilt, later.

Kirsikka didn’t run, but she walked, quickly, to where the pack of potions was and hefted it over to where Drazhan still hadn’t gotten up from.

At least he was conscious.

She’d seen Drazhan after numerous fights now. Some cuts, some blood loss, but nothing severe. She hadn’t seen him after blunt trauma, because most things couldn’t really cause that to a Primal. “Can you sit up?” that was a stupid question, but relevant. He had to drink a potion to help him recover.

She ignored the slight shake in her tone.

 

[cleopat]

The woman finally understood that she wasn’t alive, and that she was the one causing mild symptoms to appear in people. It couldn’t be easy to come to that realization, when you were so certain about your life. About what you would eat for dinner, or what you would do the next day.

“Many victims of the Red Whisper weren’t buried properly,” said Tamsin. “While most were burned, it’s also not unheard of to hear of mass graves of entire families who died so close together.” Antalya had most burned the victims, but the occasional marker still lingered outside the city walls of families who were buried instead when the number of victims became overwhelming.

The woman looked crestfallen. “But then why have they all gone on and not me? Why have I been cursed this way?”

Tamsin couldn’t answer that. She didn’t know enough of the supernatural to even hazard a guess, but she imagined Varick would know better.

“I was supposed to get married,” the woman continued. “My fiance was away fighting in the war, and when he returned, we were to be wed.” Tamsin’s heart broke for the woman. Waiting to be married, taking care of her sick family, she had a hard time in the last moments of her life.

~~~

The thing about being a Primal is that Drazhan could tolerate most pain. They were created that way. Their threshold for pain was high, so Drazhan had rarely ever been crippled by pain sustained during an attack.

Until now. Each gasp for air sent sharp pain throughout his entire body, and he couldn’t move at all without that pain radiating. Well, that can’t be good. He had a feeling his ribs were more than just bruised. Bruised ribs were nothing to him.

Damn did he hate golems.

He didn’t even notice Kirsikka approach him until she asked a question. “Am I not sitting up now?” he gasped. No, he couldn’t sit up right then. If anything, he just wanted to be knocked out so he wouldn’t have to deal with the pain anymore. “I suppose you don’t heal other people with your magic, or have anything that will help mend bones?”

His voice was barely above a whisper as he spoke, careful to not jostle his ribs any more than was necessary.

 

[Lucyfer]

Many people, in general, weren’t buried properly, though Varick didn’t mention that. It was still one of those odd things. He didn’t know why some still rested, and others didn’t. Men dead on the battlefield who ended up in similar mass graves, or burnt, or – if left by the enemy – ended up defiled still went peacefully on, rather than worry about the families left behind.

Varick had never really figured out what made some people stay, and others go, although he knew he’d never seen a wraith buried properly.

“The war up at Ordo Sors?” Varick asked, and he saw her nod. He was tempted to ask what side, but wouldn’t. He knew one side that was devastated. It was a sheer miracle they still won. Well – no – it was sheer politics, really. “That ended two years ago,” timing didn’t help her, but, “your fiancé has probably gone away from this area.” If he lived.

But he knew that was it. Something with this damned fiancé.

If the fiancé was dead, he’d have to prove that.

If he was alive, there was something undone. “Oh, but his own family…he wouldn’t….”

Okay, he was from here. “What’s his name?” Varick asked.

“Thomas Aburrson.”

Varick nodded, “And yours?”

“Risa Neers.”

Another nod. “Let me do some looking around for Thomas,” he said, “See if I can find where he went.” The people of the town should know. Someone. “You should stay here. We’ll be back, if not tonight, tomorrow night.”

~***~

Drazhan wasn’t well.

Kirsikka’s potions were for healing, but mostly on the closing wounds side. Oh, it would help with something like this, but… ‘But not if it closes the wrong wound.’ His breathing was labored, his voice too quiet, and Kirsikka had to push away the thoughts of Mont Pellinor and the battle-wounded. No, she hadn’t been a healer then, but she had one useful skill – she could identify internal wounds because blood wasn’t much different than water.

‘Come on, Kirsi.’

She didn’t want to find out if his heart was pierced and he was dying slow, because no Primal would die fast.

“I wasn’t ever great at that, I’m afraid,” Kirsikka noted, setting the pack down before hovering her hands over his chest, “This is going to feel weird.” A warning that was never quite sufficient. It wasn’t painful, but the sensation of your blood being dragged through your veins wasn’t pleasant, either. Still, that’s what she did after a steadying breath and closing her eyes.

Seeing Drazhan’s reaction probably wouldn’t have been great.

Still, she was able to pinpoint sources of injury. The lung, not the heart, was punctured. Ribs were broken – not singular. Of course, there was trauma to blood vessels and muscles. The golem had hit hard, and Kirsikka fought tears. ‘He’ll be fine.’ She lifted her hands away, digging the heels of her palms into her eyelids before opening her eyes, sure enough any evidence of distress was gone.

It hadn’t, but she would ignore that.

Still, what did she say? “You’re right about the bones. I have something that’ll help with the pain, and another that’ll help a bit with…with patching up the internal wound. Then we’re going back to the elves.” It was beyond what she had prepared. “I’ll help you drink,” she found the first one, for the pain, and would indeed help Drazhan get it down. Perhaps she should have left him with the pain so he didn’t do anything stupid, but this was unlikely to take all of it away.

And she really hated to see him in pain.

 

[cleopat]

Tamsin offered the woman a soft smile. Friendly. “We’ll do what we can to help you.” She couldn’t imagine what it was like to be stuck forever in a limbo state, and one where she was unknowingly making people sick.

It was just so tragically sad.

Risa nodded. “I thank you. Help me before I actually kill someone.”

Tamsin nodded and turned toward Varick. “The local tavern may be a great place to start. Bartenders tend to know most of the people in town.” Drunk people loved to talk, and there’s certainly a lot to talk about when it comes to the topic of war. Soldiers getting drunk to forget the horrors they’ve seen, widows and nervous wives come to try and forget about the woes in their life.

It would be a hotspot of information, hopefully.

~~

Drazhan braced himself for whatever weird sensation Kirsikka was going to subject him to endure. He grimaced a bit. Yeah, it definitely felt weird, but it temporarily distracted him from the pain he otherwise felt all over.

Oh, when was the last time he allowed himself to get this gravely injured?

“Something for the pain. Yes, please,” he practically begged. He easily allowed her to help him get the potion down, and almost immediately there was some relief. Not complete relief, but enough that he hoped he would be able to stand up and get back to the elves before the potion wore off.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say that you’re worried about me,” Drazhan chuckled, only half joking. He could clearly see that she was indeed worried, and their earlier conversation about her losing everyone, and worried about losing him as well, crossed his mind. Well, so far, he kept his promise. He wasn’t dead yet, nor did he think this injury would kill him. It would just incapacitate him for a bit.

“Don’t worry, I told you that I would be fine.”

 

[Lucyfer]

Tavern was as good as any place. Likely better than the Trifflehem soldiers who were unlikely to know this Thomas unless he was one of theirs – and he’d have to be more than a grunt, considering how long ago this all was. “Let’s see if there’s even anyone there.” It seemed unlikely with the situation as it was.

Well, save perhaps the bartender and staff who still came in the hopes of some coin.

It was worse than that.

The tavern was closed – though only just. The bartender was standing outside, hands on her hips, arguing with a soldier about opening. “Ain’t no one died!” she argued, to the exasperated soldier, who looked like he’d rather be anywhere else.

“Ma’am, people could, this is the Red Whisper.”

“This is just some cold,” she argued.

“Ma’am.”

“What do you want, mutant scum?” the bartender didn’t miss a beat in addressing Varick sharply, “if ya want a drink, tell him. Maybe he’ll open it for you. Your kind don’t catch sick at all, do they?”

Varick glanced at the soldier, then back at the woman. “Need to know about a Thomas.”

“Yeah? Ya bum boy or something? Don’t know’im.”

Varick suddenly hated his job immensely. Not for the insult – just for the hellish attitude she was giving.

~***~

Kirsikka was not impressed with Drazhan’s teasing over her caring. She wanted to threaten. She wanted to take the potion away and subject him to the pain all over again. At least – a little. In reality, she knew she couldn’t do that to him. She was worried. Terribly worried, no matter what he said, and no matter what she knew.

She would ignore his comments completely, except that slightly annoyed twitch of her lips.

The likelihood of him dying if he got good treatment, quickly, was slim. ‘But how do I get back here?’ Well, the elves had given her two mirrors, hadn’t they? So, once Drazhan had the second potion down, she got up and went to get the mirrors, hiding one under a bit of foliage – it could still peak out – and used the other mirror to call forth the image of the elven fountain and the water around it.

“Can you get up?” If not, she wouldn’t force him. She’d make the portal and go through it to get help. She certainly wasn’t strong enough to pick up Drazhan. If he was able to get up, she’d at least stay at his side and let him use her as he needed to balance himself before going through the portal.

In either case – the mirror would create that swirling vortex on the other side, and it would appear before them, as well, so they could go through.

 

[cleopat]

Tamsin immediately didn’t like the attitude the bartender was giving them. She could understand being frustrated with the situation and the loss of coin, but to be so blatantly rude to everyone, even if she thought that Varick received that kind of attitude often.

“Well, do you know where we could go to find some information on a man?” Tamsin asked, opting for a calm tone in hopes that the woman won’t take her anger out on Tamsin.

The bartender scoffed and shook her head. “Fuck if I know. I ain’t their keepers.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “Why? You his whore or something?”

Tamsin bristled at the words, but she bit her lip to stop herself from firing back. “We just need some information from him.”

“There’s still a few vendors around the town square,” the soldier said. “Since they’re open air, they haven’t closed down yet. You may be able to find someone who knows something about this guy you’re looking for.”

~~~

Drazhan considered for a moment if he could indeed get up. Thanks to the potions, the pain weakened some, and not every draw of breath brought raging agony deep in his torso. But he still had broken ribs, and so he didn’t have a wide range of movement without the ability to draw in a sharp intake of breath.

“I think so, but I may need a little help getting up.” Just someone to hold on to, to lean against as he slowly sat up, before just as slowly standing up on his feet.

He made sure he didn’t lean against Kirsikka with all his weight, as he didn’t think she had the strength to support him. The potions did help, and for that Drazhan was eternally grateful. To deal with several broken ribs without any pain relief would render him back on the ground, helpless and immobile.

Drazhan staggered through the portal, partly due to his injury, and partly due to the fact that portal traveling felt so awkward. “Yeah…that wasn’t pleasant at all.”

 

[Lucyfer]

The bartender remained unpleasant, but at least the soldier had an idea of where to look, although Varick felt far less confident about this location than he did a bar. Still, they didn’t have many other options, and Thomas was too common a name to expect much going even a village away.

“Thank you,” Varick said, disregarding anything that came out of the bartender’s mouth following that as he led Tamsin away and towards the market, which was sadly dying down. It was night, after all.

At least there were a few stalls that still had people, whether closing down, or selling, so he suggested, “We should split up and ask questions, before everyone gets away,” going one by one, just with him, would likely miss a few opportunities. Not to mention, Tamsin might still have luck.

In either case, he went to one of the stalls closing down, his shadow enough to disturb the man, “I’m sorry, you’ll have to—ah?” he paused at seeing Varick, and recognizing what he was. “You’re not from here.”

“Fraid not,” Varick agreed, “Trying to help with the Red Whisper situation,” he said, “Do you know a Thomas who was a soldier from around here?” or, with any luck, still was. Maybe not a soldier, but still alive.

“Sweet on Rifa? Yeah – haven’t seen him for a bit, though.”

“A bit like a couple of months…?”

“No, longer than that.”

‘He’s going to be dead and a ghost on a battlefield, isn’t he?’ Varick tried not to sigh.

~***~

Kirsikka was there to help Drazhan up, and not breathe a word of complaint – although he was heavy, and she was not, in fact, prepared to truly deal with too much of his weight. She pretended otherwise. She found whatever bit of stores of strength she had as she helped move him through the portal, which had already drawn attention.

No one seemed surprised that it was her and Drazhan.

Thankfully, someone was also quick to come to their side and take Drazhan gently from Kirsikka. “Broken ribs, punctured lung,” she said immediately, so they knew to be somewhat gentle, no matter how Drazhan was acting. ‘Horses.’ “I have—” there stepped Zephyr, and then Bear, who had apparently decided to follow the other horse through the portal.

There was still a bit of a camp set-up, and some supplies she would have to go retrieve.

“Would you see to him? We’re fairly close now. We found a golem protecting the way,” and that led to his state.

The centaur, thankfully, was within the crowd that came to see the portal, and he just sighed heavily. He didn’t understand Kirsikka when she spoke in the common tongue, but he got the gist all the same. “We’ll make sure he recovers.”

Kirsikka nodded. “Thank you – I’ll be back,” she automatically switched back to elfish when she heard it, and through the portal she’d go again to get the rest of their things, as Drazhan would be offered a makeshift stretcher to get him to the house of healing.

 

[cleopat]

Per the soldier’s suggestion, the two headed for the market, which unfortunately looked to be in its beginning stages of dying down for the evening. If they wanted to get started on the investigation, they would have to hurry, before the vendors started to head home for the evening.

Tamsin easily agreed with Varick. She headed in the opposite direction of him and towards a merchant who hadn’t begun to close down their stall for the evening yet.

And she wanted to get distracted by the pretty fabrics he was selling, but she wouldn’t.

“How can I help ya miss?” the merchant said upon noticing her.

“I was actually hoping if you knew someone. Thomas Aburrson, who was a soldier from around here?”

The merchant thought about it for a few seconds. “Yeah, I know the name,” but then he shook his head. “Last I heard, he went off to fight in the war several years ago.” He sighed. “Then his betrothed died soon after he left.”

From the sound of things, it seems that maybe Thomas had also died during battle. That poor family.

“What about his parents?” she asked. “Do you ever see them around?”

“Ya know, now that you mention it, they started keeping to themselves not long after Thomas went off to war.” He shook his head. “Wouldn’t be surprised if that’s what happened.”

Tamsin frowned at this. This wasn’t the news she wanted.

~~~

Fortunately for Drazhan, he didn’t have to wait at all before someone came with a stretcher and eased him onto it. He sighed in relief as he was able to relax his body and not have so much pressure centered on his torso, which, despite the potions, still hurt quite a bit.

Oh it had been far too long since the last time he had been injured this gravely. And what a fool he was to allow himself to be in the position anyways to get punched by a golem.

He would need to be more careful the closer they got to their destination.

Drazhan was brought to the house of healing, where the elves immediately set him up in a bed and began to work on him. Poultices he didn’t recognize, hands on his body, and extreme discomfort as they set about mending the broken ribs were all part of the process.

He never lost consciousness, but he was in a bit of a daze while they were tending to him and for a while afterwards. His pain reduced to a discomforting ache, but that was much preferred over what he had felt earlier.

And he didn’t want to admit to Kirsikka exactly what kind of fear he felt in the moments after the golem hit him, thinking that was going to be his end.

 

[Lucyfer]

Varick eventually came about to similar information – the parents were still in the area, but no Thomas. Some people seemed more willing to suggest he was dead, given the behavior of the parents, but it had apparently never been stated. What need, with Rifa dead, and no one for Thomas’s future to mourn?

He would return to Tamsin’s side after a bit, “No one’s seen him for a bit,” he commented, “but I guess his parents still live in the area. Gonna try and find them, unless you found out anything else?”

Maybe she got lucky and knew where they lived.

People weren’t too forthcoming with that information to him. Not surprising. He wasn’t a kind bard. He looked like trouble…he was trouble, really, and people knew he was only there because of a problem. Giving up grieving parents to a Primal wasn’t on anyone’s agenda, even if it was years past.

They were still a part of the community. “I think he’s dead,” he said, a bit lowly, “likely hasn’t moved on, either, but we won’t find him here. Still…best to confirm what we can.” He’d seen enough twisting stories to know these things weren’t always straightforward. He could hope it would be, of course.

Hope in vain, usually.

~***~

Kirsikka was able to gather the rest of their things, in a couple of trips, before closing out the portal. An elf offered to give her a room, which she accepted only to put those things away and get the horses tended to. Then, she was off to the healing house, to watch the methods employed. Mostly, it was poultices and potions, but there was magic. Fire magic, of course – the soothing warmth had a way of healing that Kirsikka would never know, now.

It was…a bit sad.

She would miss the versatility. She would miss a lot of things.

But she didn’t think of that long. Her thoughts were more concerned with Drazhan’s health, with flitting concerns that they might harm him on purpose – though of course, they didn’t, just as they hadn’t harmed her. That never really stopped the paranoia, of course. Otherwise, she could have easily walked away, rested, ate, not bothered hovering just a little bit away, until the healers packed up their bags to let Drazhan rest.

With a stray comment, “We should start charging you two for this,” which was probably fair. Kirsikka wasn’t even sure this would be the last time, for either of them. She didn’t think so, as she was able to come closer to the bedside, bringing a chair from not too far away to take a seat. Drazhan wasn’t unconscious.

She didn’t bother to worry about the fact he’d be aware she had been there for a bit now. “You can rest,” as with the forest, Kirsikka would stay guard. Helpful as they were, old habits died hard, and Kirsikka wouldn’t leave Drazhan on his own, unprotected, no matter how safe it seemed. It only took one person with a grudge against Primals to kill a sleeping and healing man. “I won’t abandon you here.” Tempting as it was.

As it always was.

Seeing him hurt only intensified that.

 

[cleopat]

Tamsin nodded at Varick. The information she uncovered was very similar to his, though she imagined that people were a bit more open around her when it came to divulging information. “He was conscripted into Trifflehelm’s army a few years ago, and the last time anyone saw him was before he left for battle.”

It was easy to surmise that he died during the battle, but his parents never confirmed it with the village, no doubt too absorbed in their own mourning.

“I don’t see any scenario where he isn’t dead,” she admitted, which was absolutely tragic. Such young love, both ended by untimely fates. One by a devastating disease, and the other by an unwanted war.

And likely neither knew the fates that befell the other. Was that why they hadn’t moved on yet, if Thomas was still around as well?

“I’ve gathered that Thomas’ parents live somewhere on the outskirts of the village, but where exactly, I couldn’t find out.” No one was willing to give a stranger that information, even someone as kind as Tamsin.

~~~

Drazhan noticed Kirsikka hovering in the background. Not that she was trying to hide, but he noticed. And he felt warmth at that sentiment, warmth that he didn’t want to attempt to define right at that moment.

They had long gotten used to one another’s presence, and seeing a familiar face while lying supine on a bed, injured, was comforting.

Despite the insistence and the confirmation that she would remain there by his side, Drazhan didn’t want to sleep. He wasn’t sure if it was due to the somewhat unfamiliar surroundings, even though he’d been there before when Kirsikka was the one in the bed, knowing that some of the elves didn’t like Primals, or if he would rather be awake just to talk to Kirsikka some more.

But the longer he layed in the bed after they had left, the more tired he’d become. The adrenaline was wearing off, the magic and poultices were taking effect on his exhausted body. “Maybe that’s not such a bad idea,” he admitted with a soft sigh.

Rest so he can heal faster and leave sooner.

So he eventually fell asleep. Not all at once as he would’ve liked, but slowly, as the pain in his body dulled and the presence of Kirsikka allowed him some sense of safety.

 

[Lucyfer]

“Mmm.” Trifflehem and Mont Pellinor. Yeah, Thomas was dead, if Varick had any doubts before, they were long gone. That battlefield was likely quite haunted. Varick didn’t really want to go there to try and find this Thomas, but he supposed it was going to result in that, since he had to put the souls to rest.

Assuming Thomas held on.

“The soldiers may know. He was one of them,” even if some years separated the incident, and they likely didn’t know each other personally. There was usually some contact with the relatives. Sometimes, payments were still made to surviving relatives.

It was better than walking all around the outskirts, although that would be the next step.

Varick went back to the soldier’s camp and sought out the captain. Thankfully, he was still awake, although he didn’t seem happy. Who could blame him? “What is it?” he sounded very tired, too.

“Thomas Aburson,” Varick said, “Trifflehem soldier. His parents live here, and he’s tied to this. Do you know them?”

The Captain held Varick’s gaze levelly as he nodded, but didn’t give it away immediately, “I do. They’ve been kind to us,” he said, “what do they have to do with anything?” he was at least wary enough not to want to bring unwanted trouble, or grief, to their doorstep.

“The wraith is Thomas’s deceased fiancé, Risa,” Varick sighed, “I get the feeling he’s also dead, and hasn’t moved on, and that’s why she’s lingering. She died of the Red Whisper, and she’s getting stronger. She doesn’t want to do this.”

The Captain arched a brow. “So why do you need to see his parents?”

“To confirm he’s dead…and confirm where he died. Any hints they could give me. Where I’m going…I’ll need it.”

“Mont Pellinor?”

Varick grunted.

“Tch. Yeah. Those would be haunted grounds….” The Captain could understand, and sighed, “All right. Let me introduce you. Not sure it’ll go easier, but at least they’ll open the door,” he offered.

~***~

Kirsikka kept watch, as promised.

She enjoyed tea to help her stay awake, and was allowed the use of some herbs to make potions – some to keep, some simply as sorts of gifts for the fae. Work, in exchange for Drazhan’s healing, though it was never explicitly said. Perhaps it should have been, with how some fae operated, but nonetheless – potions were made, all near Drazhan, and Kirsikka didn’t leave his side.

“You’ve gotten worse,” the centaur noted during one of his check-ins.

Kirsikka pretended not to hear.

“How did you lose it?”

Ignored.

“I ask because you do seem to be caring.”

Kirsikka scoffed, sighed, looked up from her work. “I sacrificed it. It was necessary, the…whatever is out there, is draining the lands. It tried to drain me.” She answered. “Is that enough for you?”

The centaur wasn’t impressed. “I am trying to help you—"

“You can’t. You’ve confirmed it. I have to do it, and that’s no longer possible.”

“No? You’ve never seen a limb re-attached?” the centaur asked with a chuckle, “I’m not saying it’s easy….” He noted, then, “Drazhan seems to be recovering well. He should rest a while here, though.”

Kirsikka pretended not to hear that, either.

Except she did, and she could consider Drazhan’s health far more seriously than her own. So, when he stirred, she left her small potion collection on the nearby table and walked back over to him, taking a seat.

 

[cleopat]

Tamsin was surprised that the Captain so easily agreed to introduce them to Thomas’s parents, and so soon. It was nearing nightall, after all, but maybe it was just testament to how desperate he was to get rid of the wraith problem, before the Red Whisper became any worse.

She didn’t want to see the village succumb to the deadly disease.

It was a short walk to the house of the parents. As Tamsin found out earlier, the house was on the outskirts of town, but it wasn’t completely isolated. There were other houses within sight, but still far enough away so that there was privacy to be held.

The Captain knocked on the door, and a petite woman, about the same size as Tamsin, opened the door and peered at them. “What do you want?” she asked, not unkindly, but it was obvious she was a bit peeved someone was disturbing her home so late in the evening.

“Ma’am,” the Catpain spoke up, “these two wanted to speak with you and your husband about Thomas.” He gestured towards Tamsin and Varick. The woman frowned as she looked over at them, and Tamsin swore there was a brief flicker of pain on her face.

~~~

Drazhan wasn’t out for too long, his subconscious highly aware he was in somewhat unfamiliar territory with potential individuals who held grudges against Primals, like everyone else.

He couldn’t relax for too long in such circumstances.

But upon awakening, one friendly face waited for him right beside his bed. “You stayed,” he commented, as if he had expected the opposite. Maybe he expected her to continue the perilous journey without him, as her earlier words about watching everyone around her die echoed in his memory.

But he made a promise to not do just that.

He moved a little, readjusting himself in bed, and there was still a dull pain in his torso, but it was noticeably better. Good. He wouldn’t have to remain bedbound for too much longer.

“Did I miss anything exciting while I was out?”

 

[Lucyfer]

Varick wasn’t surprised with the greeting in the least, and he knew this wasn’t about to get better as he nodded his own greeting and let the Captain summarize it, not getting to the heart of it, but explaining all the same. “What about him?”

“Will you let them come in?” The Captain asked, and she sighed, a bit disgruntled, but Varick could deal with that.

“All right,” she gestured and turned from the door, calling, “William! William come here,” she led into a dining room, and Varick noted the Captain did not follow in, but left them with the woman. She also noticed, “Who are you two?”

“My name is Varick, this is Tamsin,” Varick introduced, “he brought us on to deal with the Red Whisper.”

“What does my boy have to do with that?” the woman asked, as William came in.

“What’s going on?” He was still fairly fit for his age, tall, and he looked confused – a bit angry, given his wife’s tone. “Why are they here?”

Varick sighed, “Thomas has nothing to do with it – I’m here investigating the Red Death on the Captain’s direction.”

“Then why are you here?”

Varick managed not to sigh again. “Risa is behind it, and I think she could move on if I brought closure to her about Thomas.” It was hard not to speak through gritted teeth, but he did it. Firm. Even. He knew these people were dealing with grief, and a stranger late at night. Best to try and remain…if not gentle, at least clear.

~***~

Drazhan was surprised. Kirsikka didn’t blame him for that; she had every reason to leave him here and continue on. She was close. She was sure of that. She left the mirror so she could go back at any time, with or without him. He would have been safe here…probably. She had enough doubt to stay at his side, obviously.

It would be just like reality to fuck her over and have Drazhan killed in his sleep, when she thought she was leaving him in a safe location.

So, she nodded, watched him as he adjusted for any signs of pain. “No, this place remains fairly dull. No one wants to see you when you wake for a meeting, we’re free to leave. I left a mirror behind so we can go right back to where we were,” nothing lost at all. Nothing missed at all. “You can rest as long as you need to.”

She wouldn’t be going anywhere.

Well, maybe to get up and make potions, but otherwise, she’d be staying near.

 

[cleopat]

Tamsin could tell that Varick needed a little...help. While the couple weren’t being unkind, it was understandable that they were a bit on edge about visitors arriving so late, asking about their dead son.
“Risa is behind it?” asked the mother, looking confused. “But she’s...dead. Been dead for several years. I don’t understand how she can be behind it.”

Tamsin took over for Varick. “She’s a wraith now, which means something is keeping her tethered to this realm, and considering the circumstances surrounding hers and Thomas’s deaths, we’re hoping that the two are connected.”

“Well, you can tell her that Thomas died on the battlefield of Mont Pellinor, fighting for a cause he was forced to believe in,” said the father.

“And if my memory serves me correctly, Risa and her family died around the same time,” the mother added.

Tamsin felt immense pity for the family who lost so much in such a short timespan. To lose a son and a future daughter all at once…it was no wonder they decided to keep to themselves.

~~~

Drazhan didn’t know if he wanted to rest any longer.

Sure, he probably needed to, but he already itched to get back on his feet, and he still felt like an intruder in the elven lands, despite the fact that they housed and healed him.

And he had a feeling that most of them wanted to see him gone as soon as possible.

“I don’t see any point in lingering around,” he said, sitting up in bed. His ribs protested a little bit, but the elven magic had done some wonders. He probably shouldn’t make it a habit of fighting more golems any time soon, but certainly he felt well enough to continue their journey.

“We should continue soon, before I get too comfortable and complacent in this bed,” he said with a chuckle. “Is there anything you need to finish up before we leave?”

 

[Lucyfer]

Varick nodded, in agreement with how Tamsin summarized the situation between Risa and Thomas. Risa was tethered. Odds were, Thomas was tethered, but his parents didn’t need to know that. They told Varick what he needed to know – Thomas had been with Trifflehem, and died in Mont Pellinor. ‘Great.’

“I don’t suppose Thomas took anything personal with him when he went to Mont Pellinor, did he?” Varick knew it might be a bit of a lost cause, and the expressions on the faces told him they were a bit confused by the question, “It’s one thing to say he’s dead. It’s another to prove it. Lovers tend to exchange these things.” Thinking it would bring them back together, because the item had to be returned.

Such a strange superstition.

“I don’t know,” his father answered. “Risa might know.”

“Mm.” Might. Might be hard to ask her without exciting the nature of what she was into causing harm, while she was distressed.

“The battlefield was cleared up. Well…as clear as it gets. They didn’t bring us anything but the news…they said the mages burned the bodies. No ceremony, no rites.” It wouldn’t surprise Varick if they did. It wouldn’t surprise him if that was a lie and Trifflehem burned the bodies to hide the sheer size of the massacre.

“Well…I’ll see what I can do. Thank you.” He inclined his head, intending to head out.

The mother dared speak, just a little more, “Would you tell Risa…we do love her. We would…we would like her to pass on…to have peace. After all that happened….”

Varick just made a mental note, and nodded.

~***~

‘We really are too similar.’ Both too willing to head into danger, both too quick to shake off any issues. No, Kirsikka wasn’t going to let Drazhan go like this, not when she saw the way he moved. Oh sure, he didn’t flinch, but it was obvious there was something still tender.

Not that she was going to tell him she was going to stop him, either.

“No,” she said, rising, “but there is a potion you should take now that you’re conscious. It should help finish up the healing before we get on our way,” it would knock him the fuck out – or it should. She supposed it might not work on a Primal, but it was made for the fae, so…maybe?

Maybe he’d just end up hilariously drugged.

Kirsikka fetched the potion from the many she had been making for the elves and handed it over to him like all the others. She didn’t have to help him down this one, of course.

She didn’t want to ever have to help him down a potion again. “Here, I can go gather our things,” and ideally he’d be out like a light when she had all the things gathered.