Fantasy Primacy [Closed]

[cleopat]

Tamsin smiled at the mother. “Of course, we will tell her that. I’m sure Risa will be happy to hear that.” With another smile and a nod, Tamsin turned to follow Varick out the door.

She breathed in the night air. The whole situation was just so tragic. One lover to have died from a disease, and the other from an unwanted war. And how many other families went through a similar situation?

“So, Mont Pellinor. Are we going to start heading that way tonight, or wait until the morning?” It was getting late, but Tamsin didn’t know if the fact that they needed to get the situation resolved as soon as possible affected anything.

She didn’t even know if she would be able to sleep that night, with everything that was going on. With all the thoughts that were running through her head. Her own parents’ fight with the Red Whisper. The tragic lovers who died right before their lives began with one another.

~~~

In hindsight, Drazhan should’ve been more cautious in accepting a random potion from Kirsikka. He shouldn’t have blindly accepted it and downed it without a second thought.

But he didn’t and drank the potion without a thought.

At first, he didn’t feel any difference. The pain level was about the same. But after a few more minutes, he started to feel…different. “I feel funny,” he slurred when she returned. “Is that supposed to happen?”

Drazhan looked up at her. “You’re really pretty,” he blurted out, unaware of what he even said just then. He was only aware that the fading pain was no longer the focus of his mind.

 

[Lucyfer]

Varick didn’t like the idea of it, but he knew with the timeline in the Captain’s mind, there wasn’t much choice. “We have to go to Mont Pellinor if we want to get this done soon. We need to get there while it’s still night.” Despite how haunted it no doubt was, they would need that haunted nature of it to find Thomas. “You can stay here at the camp if you like. I haven’t really been to Mont Pellinor since…well.”

What everyone knew. The day the Boreal Wind tore through it.

“It’s a place I’ve warned other Primals not to venture towards, for a while, at least.” There weren’t many stories, because most just intuitively knew not to go around it. Even Varick had that vibe this far out from it. “I don’t think anything would happen to you here,” although he knew she might be reluctant, and he wouldn’t press it, either.

The magic situation was still…new.

And she was around strangers, and a wraith situation. Not ideal.

In either case, he was heading back towards the encampment to get his horse.

~***~

Kirsikka tied up the horses nearer to the house of healing, before entering in, packs on the horses. Seeing Drazhan not unconscious, but definitely…drugged…made her consider that a good idea. She’d remove the packs later, once Drazhan conked out. At least he wasn’t going anywhere this way, and Kirsikka sighed as he greeted her.

It would have been better if he just passed out.

Of course, it seemed his filter was now completely gone. Which…wasn’t terrible, given a compliment was the first thing to pass it. Even if Kirsikka didn’t exactly feel pretty, in an eyepatch and dirty from the road. She hadn’t taken the opportunity to get cleaned up while watching Drazhan.

She wouldn’t address that. “No, it’s not supposed to do that, but you Primals do have an interesting biology sometimes,” Kirsikka admitted. “I suppose we’ll have to wait for this to wear off,” which meant no matter what, he was going to rest more.

So, she was winning? “Can’t have you going around calling monsters pretty. I’m not sure that would help our situation quite as well as your sword.”

 

[cleopat]

Tamsin already knew the answer before Varick spoke, but that didn’t mean she liked it. Or wanted it. She didn’t want to ride off to Mont Pellinor that night, when she should be resting, but she also wanted to see this mission succeed.

She wanted to give Risa the peace she deserved years ago.

But even the way Varick spoke of the place made her wary. “I’m not staying,” she decided, following after Varick. “I’m coming with you.” She may regret it later, but for now, she couldn’t fathom staying behind and doing nothing, when there was much to be done.

So she followed him back to the encampment where their horses were temporarily being kept. “What all do you expect us to encounter at Mont Pellinor? Hostile spirits? Monsters?”

~~~

“Interesting biology,” Drazhan repeated in a murmur. He couldn’t comprehend what the words meant at the moment, his mind too out of it to really process much of anything. “‘M not usually called interesting.” Freak was more typical.

Not that he ever paid much mind to those who called him such things. They were brave with words, but when it came to actual action, they were cowards.

“But why would I call the monsters pretty? They’re not the pretty ones.” Of course, there were some monsters that were naturally ‘pretty’ to lure in humans for their feast, but Drazhan wasn’t thinking of them at the moment.

He was only thinking of the woman sitting next to him, who has been the one constant in his life for some time now.

“But you? You might be one of the prettiest women I’ve ever met, and I really, really want to kiss you.” He tried to lean forward, but he immediately sat back against the pillows due to his head swimming from the potion and his ribs protesting the movement.

 

[Lucyfer]

“Yes.”

Monsters, spirits, undead, things hitherto unknown to gods and men? Varick wouldn’t be surprised. Mont Pellinor was not something heard of before. Things unheard of had to happen there, whether immediately, or in the future, was yet to be seen. Strange plants? Probably already sprouting!

The encampment let them in, and Varick found the captain to report, “I need to go to Mont Pellinor. I expect to be back by morning.”

The Captain’s brows furrowed, but he didn’t seem to question it aloud. Just, “Be careful. I haven’t seen it since the early days, but…I don’t hear reports on it.” Not bad reports. Not good reports. It was left alone.

That was worse than reports. “Will you tell me what you see there, beyond anything relating to this mission? I’ll add in extra coin.”

Varick nodded. “And I’ll try not to disturb anything.”

“My thanks,” the Captain said, and would let them get their horses without issue so they could move on to Mont Pellinor.

~***~

Oh, Drazhan was so far gone.

Kirsikka couldn’t help but wonder if he’d remember anything. ‘Probably not.’ That was usually how these things worked. Perhaps she ought to have a little fun with it, then, as she took her seat and declared he wanted to kiss her – only to do the exact opposite of that and fall further away, deeper into his bed, when he tried.

His wound must really hurt. Good thing she did drug him.

She couldn’t help but chuckle at it, despite that. This was probably more entertaining than when he was drunk. Which probably took too long to be worth it, anyways. “You’re in no state to be kissing me, Draz,” Kirsikka chided, moving a hand to touch his face, just pushing back strands of hair that didn’t need to be where they were.

Also just because she wanted to, and he was going to forget everything, anyways. “Maybe when you’re better, if you’re nice. You do have nice arms. And a handsome face.” The realization his ‘interesting biology’ might not let him forget everything then struck Kirsikka but…no, no, he was going to forget it all.

Definitely.

‘Fuck.’ Maybe he needed more of it. In a few minutes. Then he’d definitely forget it all when he blacked out. “If you’re still in pain you probably need a little more.” That was totally convincing.

 

[cleopat]

Tamsin took Luna and led her out of the encampment, eventually mounting her horse when they were away from people.

Of course, if the place was potentially going to be dangerous with assorted creatures, Tamsin had the suspicion there may be a chance she unwittingly uses her powers. But it was the middle of the night, in a deserted battlefield, so the chances of someone witnessing the accident was very slim.

She would just prefer to not use her powers at all.

“So, how exactly are we going to go about looking for what it is we’re looking for?” she asked after a moment of silence. “A great big battlefield…it seems like a daunting task. Not to mention that potential for trouble.” Oh Tamsin didn’t have a lot of confidence at the moment, but Varick knew what he was doing, right?

~~~

Drazhan pouted, but his pout melted away into a content smile when Kirsikka touched his face and his hair. “Then maybe you should kiss me,” he said, leaning slightly into the warm touch. It was nice. When was the last time he experienced the soft touch of a woman?

Far too long, something he could recognize even in his current state.

He grinned at her. “So you think I’m handsome? I knew it.” He would be teasing her even more if he was in his right state of mind, but currently, his mind wouldn’t let him dwell on it for too long. “You’ve always liked me, haven’t you?”

A sober Drazhan would admit that he always liked her, even if she did frustrate him at times.

He shook his head at her question. “No, no, no pain. No medicine. It made me feel funny. No more of that shit.”

 

[Lucyfer]

‘No idea.’

Was Varick going to say that aloud? No, of course not. “Thomas probably hasn’t moved on. Means he should be there. Might be able to talk to him, get him to take us to his own anchor. That’s the theory I’m running on. If I’m wrong, we search, and if we find nothing, we try to talk to Risa.”

That was probably not going to work, but they’d figure out the rest of the plan from talking with her, and then probably talking with Thomas’s family some more. Perhaps have them come and talk to Risa, if necessary, though he didn’t want to do that. That put them at risk of contracting the Red Whisper.

Even in the night, it was obvious when they got closer.

For one, even Marzipan didn’t want to continue on, and snorted and stamped. Varick just eased her on, and she went – but she made it clear she didn’t agree, as the ground lost its greenery, and even so much of its soil. Somehow, it was more rock and clay than anything else. Thankfully, there weren’t any bodies, but there were still bits and pieces of things left behind. Sword scabbards and arrows, most of all.

Mont Pellinor itself was a ruined silhouette in the moonlight.

The air was still cold.

And ghosts did indeed exist in that space. At first they looked just like spots of fog or mist, but closer, Varick could tell they were ghosts, milling about, hardly aware they were even in the liminal space. Not dangerous enough to be wraiths, but still, the potential was there. It wasn't even just people; some horse ghosts littered the area. There might even be birds.

Varick opted then to get off of Marzipan, “Stay here,” he said lowly to the horse before glancing at Tamsin, “Try not to interact much. They’re ghosts – which means they aren’t aware of existing or not existing.” A sort of strange auto-pilot, really. Existing out of habit. Life was gone too quick to register, but the strength of purpose wasn’t really there to make them anything more.

~***~

‘No, no I haven’t.’ Kirsikka knew that would be too cruel to say to Drazhan even in his current state. Forgetful or not. Besides, what did it matter if she was fickle and easily irritated? So she ignored that part of it, and agreed with the other, “Yes, Drazhan, I think you’re handsome,” because it was like telling a child their art was lovely when it wasn’t.

The problem was she did think he was handsome, but that was besides the point. “No more?” he definitely had to have more if he was going to forget all of this. She wasn’t about to be teased for what she’d said here.

There was an easy way to do this.

Drazhan made it far too easy.

“Well, I guess if you’re not going to take the medicine, then I can’t reward you for being good, can I? I guess no kiss for you today,” she let her hand drift away, even if she didn’t want to. “I know it’s making you feel funny, but it’s also helping. Medicine just works in strange ways sometimes.”

But she wouldn’t rise to get it, she’d respect Drazhan’s decision not to want it…until he realized what it meant.

 

[cleopat]

Tamsin hoped that Thomas was there, and they could talk to him and figure this mystery out. Going back and talking to Risa again didn’t seem like the right course of action, and it risked Tamsin being exposed to the Red Whisper.

Wouldn’t that be a poetic ending, dying the same way her parents did.

Luna acted similarly to Marzipan as they approached Mont Pellinor. Tamsin wrapped her cloak tighter around herself as the air grew colder. “It’s okay,” she murmured to her horse, as she seemed to grow agitated. She followed Varick and got off Luna before glancing around their surroundings.

Everything was just…dead, but something brought forth that feeling inside her again.

“Don’t bother the ghosts. Got it.” Tamsin didn’t think that would be terribly hard for her to do. She was already on edge enough as it is, double with that feeling growing again. She didn’t want an incident. She just wanted for them to find what they were looking for and leave.

“But aren’t we looking for a ghost?” Unless Thomas was something else…like a wraith. Like Risa.

~~~

Drazhan was about to protest more medicine again. Even in his delirious state, he was certain that the medicine was affecting him in a way he didn’t like, he just couldn’t think about how it was doing just that.

But he couldn’t protest the medicine. Not when Kirsikka offered a tempting award he would be foolish to turn down. “Wait, no, I want the reward.” How could he refuse? When she was sitting next to him, as tempting as she ever was.

“Give me the reward first, then I’ll take the medicine,” he said, pouting ever so slightly. That seemed like a fair trade to him. A simple little kiss for more medicine that she wanted him to take for some reason.

It would be such a simple task to do for her.

“I think that sounds great,” he said with a smile. Of course, anything that involved getting close to Kirsikka at the moment sounded great to him.

 

[Lucyfer]

“Maybe,” Varick spoke softly. The air was thick with chill, thick with latent magic. He may not be a mage, but he could feel what was left here. Even in day, it probably felt heavy. He couldn’t imagine how Tamsin felt with her newfound magic brimming inside of her, and he was starting to think this was even worse of an idea. “But we don’t know which one he is, and we don’t want to start problems until we have a better idea.”

Which, Varick would admit to himself, he wasn’t sure how to find it.

Thomas could be any one of these ghosts, but he was half-hoping to find a wraith. Violent or not, at least they could usually be spoken to, and with the promise of release, one might help him find Thomas. Certainly, there were wraiths mixed up in all of this.

Unfortunately, it was not the usual wraith that shambled into sight.

It was a headless horse, with a headless rider. Frost bit at their shades – an unending frost that touched life and death, it seemed. The wraith-horse staggered its way towards them, unable to whinny, the rider unable to cry out what it wanted, what it needed – if it even knew it was staggering towards anyone.

‘At least it isn’t a Dullahan.’ Although Varick wouldn’t be surprised to see one, and he reached out an arm to wrap around Tamsin’s shoulders, leading her away from the staggering horse as it floundered on its legs and fell forward, the rider falling off and rolling.

“Careful there,” someone called to them, and Varick let go of Tamsin to grab his sword. He didn’t manage to pull it out before his eyes landed upon a bald man who was kneeling in the grass.

The bald man lifted his hands, “Woah, woah, just a humble fortune-seeker, I thought the same of ye. Guess not. Lots of spooky things like that ‘round here, most fairly harmless. Not all.” He stood up, and offered his hand, “Name’s Pate.”

Varick didn’t offer his name.

He didn’t take the hand. “We’re looking for someone.”

“Reckoned that. Hunting something troubling the area, knew it was only a matter of time before it spread. Is it the creepy bird?” Varick’s brows knit together, “No, no, guess not, guess I don’t even know if it’s a bird—”

“I’m looking for Thomas.”

“Don’t know any Thomas.”

“Do you know any ghosts who think the battle isn’t over?”

“Oh sure – there’s a whole group of them who think this is all an illusion cast by the Boreal Wind!” Pate laughed, “Maybe even poor headless horse guy does, too,” poor headless horse guy was scrambling back to his headless horse as if, indeed, a battle was on his heels.

~***~

Drazhan still tried to be difficult, wanting his reward before the medicine. Not that she could really blame him, she would definitely try to weasel out of most things – even if she did want it, too. She wasn’t at all unaware of the problem of liking him. The problem was that she labeled it a problem, or that’s probably what other people would have told her. Other people, who weren’t being hunted down by a religious cult and a warmongering empire, and couldn’t fathom the loss of home, family, and love, all at once.

Affection was thus, always, a problem.

But Drazhan would forget, and Kirsikka would have the quiet little memory all to herself. There was probably something morally wrong with this – several things – but when you murder thousands in seconds, morality tends to get a bit skewed.

“Fiiine,” she feigned the protesting note as she got up, first to fetch the potion so it would be close. She’d shove it down his throat if he tried to get out of this. For his own good. Of course. He did need to rest more, and Kirsikka knew there was no talking sense into him about that. Just as there was no talking sense into her about that. She had to learn the hard way with a monster attacking them.

And then, of course, after sweeping her hair back over her shoulder and behind an ear so Drazhan wouldn’t get a face full of hair – she leaned over and pressed her lips to his.

Soft. More a ghost of a kiss, because Kirsikka suddenly felt panic rise when she realized what she’d tried to make light and unimportant – and anything further would make it all too real. The illusion of play had shattered with just that graze already, and she fully intended to pull away and leave him with only that.

 

[cleopat]

The headless horse with the headless rider was unexpected.

Tamsin stepped closer to Varick as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder, careful to make sure she stayed out of the way of the specter of the horse and its rider. She didn’t need to disturb it in its confused state, risking any potential attack against them, even if it couldn’t see.

A voice spoke out to them, a surprise in the field of the dead. She laid her eyes on the bald man kneeling in the grass, careful to stick close to Varick.

Harmless he may seem, but she was immediately suspicious of a man, alive, at Mont Pellinor in the middle of the night. Even if they themselves were there as well. Well, he didn’t seem so threatening.

Although Varick ignored Pate’s hand, Tamsin decided to be kind and take his hand in greeting. “My name’s Tamsin.” No harm in giving her name, right? “Could you show us these ghosts who think that all of this is an illusion?” That should be a good step into finding Thomas, who just may be in a similar state of confusion that Risa was.

And that poor headless horse, who was cursed to ride around without any destination set.

~~~

Drazhan felt like a little kid that had been given candy when Kirsikka agreed to his terms. He got a kiss! It was only a soft peck that left him wanting for more, so when she began to pull away, he followed her, prolonging the kiss for as long as his ribs allowed before they protested the movement.

“Totally worth it,” he murmured with a smile on his face, leaning back onto the pillows. A sober Drazhan would’ve been teasing Kirsikka about the kiss and even asking for another, but Drazhan in his current state did no such thing.

He just kept thinking on how nice her lips felt.

“Okay, as promised, I’ll take that potion.” He reached a hand up to grab the potion, and once it was in his grasp, Drazhan leaned up slightly to down it as if it was a tankard of ale. Once done, he set the bottle aside. “Of course, I wouldn’t mind another kiss.”

 

[Lucyfer]

Pate smiled warmly at Tamsin as she took his hand, “Tamsin, I think I’ve heard your name before. Bard?” He asked, but wouldn’t give much time to answer before going on, “You know, I can’t say exactly where they’re at right now, they do move around. The night may be the same to them every night, but it isn’t for everything else around here, and there’s a few things that even worry them.”

“Like your bird?”

“Mm, yes, surprised you haven’t heard it already. But I suppose it is my duty to help clear up whatever’s brought a Primal out this way, so,” he brushed his hands against his thighs, “Follow me, loves, I’ll show you where they usually end up, maybe they’ll be there now!” And he started to walk, not further in the fields, but towards the fort.

A fort in surprisingly good condition, as if it were untouched. ‘Well, no surprise.’

The fort held to the end, and the end had been for the Ordo Sors favor. There was no reason to come back and destroy the fort, especially while the whole battlefield was avoided. “Surprised you don’t scavenge in the fort,” Varick noted.

“Oh, I do,” Pate answered, “but with those delusional ghosts around, I tend to prefer not finding out whether or not they can harm me. Besides, the mages took most of the good things anyways.”

The main gate was unlocked, and he led them in, “It’s further on a bit, they go to a tower – think it’s where they believe the Boreal Wind is,” he noted, “every night, they always think they can find her. Sad, really. Here, I’ll show you.”

Varick let him continue to lead, frowning a bit as he noticed how…well, unscavenged the area actually was. ‘No, you don’t scavenge here.’ Something was up here that was not wraiths.

~***~

Kirsikka didn’t jolt away when Drazhan followed.

She wanted to.

She wanted to run her hands through his hair and push him back down with a far fiercer kiss.

Neither desire was satisfied as she let that kiss end more naturally, as he lost strength to follow, and she straightened up with just the hint of a smirk on her lips as he mentioned it being worth it. It absolutely wasn’t. Not for her, and certainly not for him – she knew that wasn’t a good kiss, and it hardly sated any desire.

Worst decision ever.

She wanted it more.

She wanted to forget it just as Drazhan would, as he took his potion, and wanted another kiss. This one, she could deny, although she considered humoring it. The realization of that want to linger was enough to make up the answer for her, though. “Sorry, Drazhan,” she denied, “only the one – and don’t think getting injured like this again will get you more, either.”

Hopefully, this would be enough for him to pass out again.

Then she could work on more potions, and try to block this out of her own mind.

Or at the very least…linger in it long enough that maybe, just maybe, the want would decrease.

 

[cleopat]

Tamsin raised her brows at Pate. “Yes, I am a bard. You’ve heard of me?” Obviously he had heard of her before if he made the comment to begin with, but it wasn’t often she met many people who knew of her, and so the comment made her feel good. It made her forget momentarily the seriousness of the situation.

They continued on towards the fort, a fort that remained in pretty decent condition despite the circumstances, and a fort that seemed to be lacking in delusional ghosts so far.

Tamsin wasn’t sure if the shiver she experienced was due to the cold temperature or the overall situation.

“Is this tower where the Boreal Wind really was? Or do they just think that for some reason?” It seemed odd, for them to just congregate in a random spot in the fort for no other reason, but what did she know about ghosts and wraiths? She learned something new every time Varick opened his mouth.

And Tamsin was too focused on the idea of meeting these ghosts, and focused on swallowing the magical feeling inside of her, that she didn’t pay too much attention to how the fort truly looked. How unscavenged it really was.

~~~

Drazhan stuck his lower lip out in the slightest pout at Kirsikka’s denial. He wanted more. Even in his altered state, he realized that the simple peck of the lips wasn’t enough to satisfy his desire.

But he was too out of it to complain. The second potion he drank took effect mere moments after he swallowed it, and this time, he was knocked out into a deep slumber, rather than simply rendered into a delirium state.

Several hours passed before Drazhan stirred awake. His head felt cloudy and his body felt stiff, but the pain in his ribs had dulled considerably since he could last recall. How long has he been out of it? He remembered Kirsikka giving him a potion for pain, and then things became hazy after that.

As he sat up in bed, Drazhan moaned, his throat feeling a bit scratchy. Water. He wanted water. But first he wanted to see if Kirsikka was nearby and see how much time has passed.

 

[Lucyfer]

“I’ve heard you!” Pate said, thrilled as Tamsin confirmed, “You were lovely,” he said, “surprised to find you out here with a Primal, but I’m sure that’s quite the tale! One for the songs, of course,” he grinned, “I’ll look forward to hearing it one day.”

‘Will you?’ Varick was still very aware of his surroundings, but Pate did stop at a tower, where the supposed Boreal Wind was believed to be holed up. Perhaps there was something there. Perhaps it wasn’t the ghostly guards, though…just something Pate wanted dealt with.

“I honestly don’t know. Don’t the stories place her on the wall?” Pate shrugged, “But she was probably an officer or someone of importance, she’d have a tower, right? The ghosts seem to believe it, whether or not it’s true, and it’s up there. They usually end up there at some point, but as far as I know, they always leave disappointed.”

“You’ve seen them leave?”

Pate shook his head, “No, but it happens again and again, so I assume they never overcome their goal that would set them free.”

“Hmm. And you’ve never been up there?”

“Oh no, don’t want to get caught myself – which really, I should be on my way,” he grinned, “you may be able to handle all manner of monsters, but I can’t, and I would hate to get in the way!”

‘Probably for the best.’

Varick had no other leads, really. And there was something in this tower that was apparently a threat, so he nodded, and without another word to Pate, went up towards the tower.

~***~

Kirsikka never went far.

Well, except for once, shortly after Drazhan had fallen off, and she’d let herself enjoy his peaceful sleeping, and the healing. She tried to make the memories of the kiss fade, but it wouldn’t. The mental struggle and the budding warmth – embarrassment, as much as desire – forced her to take a brief walk outside, as if the chill air would do anything.

Perhaps it didn’t do anything, but allow her to recognize for a moment that something felt off – and then like a bunch of nerves coming to life, everything hurt, an agony of twisting flames as the severed magic flared to reconnect, and Kirsikka was reduced to pressing her forehead to her knees and trying not to cry.

Fighting against it that way was not helpful to restoration. Freezing it out wasn’t ideal, but she didn’t care. The agony was too much.

She went back to working on potions with charred fingertips on one hand, but a bit of balm faded them to just red and tender by the time Drazhan woke up, sitting up with no problems. ‘Better.’ Much better. Turning from the potions, she recognized just how long she’d been up, just how long she’d stayed near. She was tired now – but she was hardly going to let that show, or suggest it had been all that long.

She approached, “You seem to be much better now,” she noted, “you couldn’t really sit up before. How are you feeling?” She hovered a step further away than before, because her mind was reasserting itself as to how closeness was the worst thing possible. No reaching out to touch his forehead, to brush away those stray strands again.

No touch.

 

[cleopat]

“Why thank you!” Tamsin beamed at Pate’s words. “Maybe that will be a story worthy of a song one day.” And certainly, she felt like her journey with Varick deserved such a fate. Varick himself was worthy of a song written about him, even if the man himself didn’t think so.

Tamsin looked up at the tower in question, the feeling not wavering once. If anything, it grew stronger, but she wouldn’t say anything. Not in front of this person they didn’t know.

She gave a quick smile to Pate before following Varick up towards the tower, assuming he wouldn’t be following behind them given his earlier words. She didn’t blame him. Before she met Varick, she wouldn’t even consider going into such a dangerous situation with ghosts that may attack her.

And now look at her! Following Varick into such a situation.

They weren’t greeted by empty space in the tower. Standing in the middle of a room was, judging by the faint glow around him, was a dark-haired specter of sorts, that she could see wore battle mage armor, an indication that he had been a casualty at the battle. “You think he could help us?” she whispered to Varick, even if the whisper may have been useless. No way he didn’t notice their entrance.

~~~

Drazhan moved and twisted his torso ever so slightly to test how much pain he was truly in. There was some soreness and stiffness, but he felt confident that he could go back out and continue their journey right then. Just as long as they didn’t encounter another golem.

He looked over at Kirsikka as she approached his bed. “I’m feeling better, really. Like I could take on another golem,” he chuckled. “How long have I been out?” He had no concept of what time it was, and yet it also felt like something was missing. Like something happened that he couldn’t quite recall.

And it involved Kirsikka somehow.

“I’ve been asleep this entire time, haven’t I?” he decided to ask to see if anything else did happen. To see if his mind was just playing tricks on him, or if there was reason behind it. There was a flash of Kirsikka leaning over him as he laid in the bed. But that was just a dream, right? A terrible, tortuous dream that would never happen.

 

[Lucyfer]

Varick wasn’t surprised to see a figure in the room. He expected something, and not the wraiths that Pate promised. What he didn’t expect was a figure in battlemage robes, the colors of the Ordo Sors, staring out a window on the far side of the room. ‘Familiar….’ Varick tried to place him as Tamsin whispered.

Could he help? Yes.

Would he….

“Help with what?” of course he heard, and turned from the window to look at them. The glow seemed to leave him as he stepped out of the moonlight, making him almost look like he was corporeal. Were it not for the long cut along his neck – closed, but obvious – and the accompanying stain of red that drenched the robes at the collar, Varick might have even been convinced he was alive.

The injury spoke for itself. “Dravon,” he knew him by name, he realized, and recalled the other thing he knew: Dravon was the eldest mage he’d ever known, and he hadn’t moved on. The deadliness of the situation was all too clear for Varick, “Wasn’t expecting to find you here.”

Dravon gave him a curious look, before almost coughing a laugh, “Varick – no. Unless you’re hunting me, of course.”

“No, another. So you…know you’re dead.”

“Oh yes,” he said, posture shifting as if he had weight to carry on any leg, “A mere nuisance, really.” His gaze moved over to Tamsin a moment, “Curious you’ve brought the likes of her, here.”

Varick knew if he acted surprise, he’d give away he didn’t know what Tamsin was – and wanted to know. So, he made a non-committal shrug, intending to change the subject, “Odd you’re still holding on if you know. I didn’t take you for a necromancer. Or Lich.”

“Neither,” he said, “but there are things yet undone. Perhaps you’d help me, Varick?”

‘No.’ The alarm bells were ringing hard in his head. No, helping him would be unwise, what he had left undone was nothing good. He may have been good in life, but this was no wraith before. Varick got the sense he would actually be able to touch Dravon, and that worried him. ‘But you could barter for knowledge on what Tamsin is….’

Was it worth it?

~***~

“A while,” Kirsikka answered, which was honest, as he seemed prepared to take on another golem. Kirsikka wasn’t. Nor was she about to remind him that he hadn’t really been able to fight it, so much as…get hit by it. “You woke up once. I gave you a potion for the pain and it knocked you right back out,” she chuckled, “But if you don’t need that, our horses are near, and our supplies are here. We can leave.”

He wasn’t wincing, and she assumed he’d had enough rest by now. No need to keep him here.

No need to keep either of them here.

“It’s day now, so we should be able to return to the town as well and explore it,” he hadn’t wanted to do so at night, so it was best to get a rush on that. Not to mention, some sense of urgency fueled her own agenda of Drazhan not thinking about his brief time awake. Better he accept it, grab his things, and they could both head back to the wilds.

Into distractions and danger.

All of that was preferable to anything else, really, so she’d pick up one of the bags to start packing the potions she was allowed to take with them. It wouldn’t be enough against wounds like he’d had, but it would still be useful.

 

[cleopat]

Stepping out of the moonlight, the figure looked as real as she and Varick did. Tamsin’s gaze was immediately drawn to the cut on his neck and the blood that stained his clothes. It was obvious how he died, which, in a way, surprised her. He didn’t die by the freezing blast of the Boreal Wind.

Another thing that surprised Tamsin was that Varick and Dravon knew each other. She looked at the Primal with a raised brow - a silent inquiry to know the story later.

Curious you’ve brought the likes of her.

Her attention snapped back to the dead mage. What exactly did he mean by that? Got some sort of disdain for bards? But then she realized and wondered, if he could sense what she truly was. What she didn’t even know about herself.

Since Varick said nothing, Tamsin spoke up. “What exactly is it that you need done?” It couldn’t be anything too horrible, right? He and Varick seemed to be friendly towards one another. This Dravon couldn’t be a bad guy then, right?

Though, she wasn’t unaware of some of the rumors that followed mages.

~~~

So he had woken up once during his time resting and healing. Drazhan vaguely remembered that, though the more he thought about it, the more the memories came to him. Nothing much at the moment, nothing too scandalous.

“I think I remember you leaning over me,” he mused, swinging his legs over the side of the bed, but not standing up just yet. His eyes followed Kirsikka as she set to pack up a bag with the potions. “I must’ve been talking about something.” But what, he couldn’t quite remember.

Everything was on the tip of his tongue.

But surely nothing of importance happened while he was awake, right?

“How many hours of daylight do we have left?” All she said was that it was day. If it was getting to be late in the afternoon, then he would suggest that they stay with the elves for another night, to resume their adventure early in the morning. If not, then he had no issue continuing then.

It was then the memories of earlier clicked in his head. His brief time awake, Kirsikka insisting he take a potion that made him feel funny, her admitting that he was handsome, then the kiss. And here she was, acting like that didn’t happen at all. But that didn’t surprise Drazhan in the least.

“But I am curious about something,” he started, a grin on his face. “Exactly how long have you thought my face was handsome?”

 

[Lucyfer]

It wasn’t Varick that asked, but that didn’t surprise Dravon. He knew quite well that Varick was considering the longer side of things, that whatever Dravon wanted, wouldn’t send him to the other side. It would do something for him, as a member of the dead. “There’s a Nue out there stalking the fields. I’ve barred it from being able to enter the fortress, but I’ve also barred myself within.”

“Mm. So Pate was lying about the other wraiths being able to get here.”

“Is that the bald scavenger?”

“Mm.”

“He’s a nuisance.” Apparently, one that Dravon had tried to harm, if Varick took Pate’s concern of him to heart.

“So the Nue’s here to kill you? They tend to be creatures of dreams and omens.” Varick noted.

“So they are,” Dravon still gave little away, which was…a nuisance. Varick sighed. “What is your price? I can aid you with whatever you’re looking for here, if it isn’t myself or the Nue already.”

No, it was neither, and that bothered him. There was more to this place then he realized, more than anyone likely realized, if it was harboring a Nue that was hunting. Ill-omened indeed. He didn’t want to state a price. He didn’t want to help Dravon with his unfinished business. “Sorry, Dravon. I don’t take marks from the undead. I’d help you move on,” he said, “but…I’m not helping you get out of here.”

“Really?” Dravon let his brows lift, and gestured towards Tamsin, “But you’d be helping her.”

~***~

Kirsikka had no plans of reminding Drazhan what had been discussed, and merely hummed in agreement that he’d been saying something. As for daylight, “I haven’t really been paying attention to that,” it felt like the daylight was new, but she wasn’t certain, she’d forced herself to focus on the potions so that she wasn’t too distracted by anything. It could already be afternoon.

That wasn’t what Drazhan seemed all that concerned with, though. His question about being handsome was enough to cause one of the potions to slip from her fingers and clang against the other bottles. They didn’t break, but the sound made it apparent he’d struck on something honest.

‘Damnit.’

He remembered it all. She knew it wasn’t just that one-off comment about his looks and she hated him for it in the moment. She’d probably hate him a lot longer, because she knew he’d be relentless with this godforsaken teasing to get slivers of honesty from her. “I don’t know, how long ago was it some monster punched you in the face?”

The obvious answer was she’d found him handsome since they met. His looks hadn’t exactly changed much over that time, especially not in the face. She shoved the clanging potion in the bag, “I’ll be at the fountain,” nope, she was not staying here and enduring this, she was going to keep moving and Drazhan could keep up.

 

[cleopat]

“A Nue?” Tamsin repeated. “Is that the bird Pate was talking about earlier?” The bird that he mentioned was ‘creepy,’ and thought that Varick may have been there to take care of it.

And she knew of some of the stories that followed the Nues. Creatures of dreams and omens, not something a person would want to come across, especially in the middle of a battle-scarred field.

It seemed that Varick really didn’t want to help Dravon, and while Tamsin was curious as to why, she didn’t comment on it. She wouldn’t say anything. Varick knew what he was doing, and the two had a history together. Maybe there was some reason from back when Dravon was alive that Varick didn’t want to help him.

But then Dravon spoke up and mentioned her. She furrowed her brows at him and cocked her head. “How exactly would he be helping me?” She couldn’t help but to ask before thinking. “What do I have to do with this?”

~~~

Kirsikka’s reaction to his statement was all the confirmation he needed to know that what memories came back did indeed happen, and weren’t simply some fevered dream. The shit-eating grin never left his face, and while Kirsikka seemed to want to move on from the subject matter, he absolutely did not.

He stood up and moved faster than he thought he would be able to after sustaining an injury and lying still for so long. He quickly moved to block her path. “What’s with this aggression?” The smile was still on his face, though dimmer than it had been.

“You were so nice to me when I was drugged up.” Of course, she may have been holding onto the hope that he wouldn’t remember anything that happened in his drug induced state, but they can thank his Primal biology for that one. His body never reacted in ways they wanted it to.

Which, he imagined Kirsikka was annoyed about.

“Or maybe if I play nice, you’ll kiss me again?”He certainly wanted to kiss her right then, and melt that look right off her face. He knew she could be nice and kind, but what would it take to see that side of her again?

Maybe a miracle. Or more drugs.

 

[Lucyfer]

Dravon could see he had them with what he knew. Varick didn't know nor did Tamsin. "You haven't told her?" Of course he wouldn't assume that Varick was ignorant…out loud. The annoyance on his face was enough of an answer.

But Varick was an honest man.

Sadly.

"We don't really know what she is. I was going to see a friend about it," he admitted. "You know?"

"Mmm." The answer to the question had a price.

Varick frowned. "How does it relate to you? Are you some great grandfather?"

"Possible but unlikely," Dravon chuckled, "I was barren, last I knew. It's more that that which gives me unlife, also gave her life, though in different ways. The Nue doesn't happen to be a fan. It may attack her, anyways, leaving you few options if you care for her."

~***~

Kirsikka hated Drazhan and his interesting biology quite a bit right then. His ability to move quick, despite what he'd been through, was a nuisance. She was able to move the bag in front of herself as some minor safeguard against an approach. She scowled at his smile.

At his questions.

"Don't count on it," Kirsikka hated her own words, but she wasn't planning on it. She wasn't…planning on anything, which was probably why she made that stupid mistake. Curiosity, and the idea he'd forget it.

But he didn't.

And she was being mean because she was cornered. Damn the consequences of her actions!

Ok, she didn't want to be mean. "I'm sorry. I was curious, and you needed rest. I thought it would just knock you out and it didn't, so I had to convince you to take another dose." She sighed, looking away as she felt her face burning. "That doesn't make any of the words less true, but…I don't…I'm not…I…." Why the hell were words failing her? "I don't know what I'm thinking with you and whatever it is, it's stupid." And she needed to leave it alone.

 

[cleopat]

Varick hadn’t told her what? Tamsin looked over at the man, confusion clearly written on her face. Did he actually know something about her that he was withholding?

No, he didn’t. They wouldn’t be traveling all that way if Varick already had an answer. This Dravon guy had to be testing them. And he knew. He knew something about her that he wasn’t so willing to give up.

“The Nue may attack me? Like how that snake attacked me?” she asked Varick. That wasn’t a pleasing thought at all. Monsters drawn to her for reasons Dravon knew, which wasn’t comforting. She was just a simple, small bard! She meant no harm to any living creature.

“But what do you mean, by what gave you unlife gave me life? I’m just…just a simple woman with some strange ancestor.” That’s at least what she was telling herself, still in denial over her magical abilities that really wanted to make another show. But no. She was human. Nothing special.

~~~

Drazhan raised a brow as Kirsikka began to explain herself. Or tried to. She fumbled over her own words, which, in a way, amused Drazhan. She tried to continue to be mean and cold but failed.

Even Kirsikka couldn’t deny what she was really thinking.

Drazhan reached one hand up and gently turned Kirsikka’s face back to him, swallowing the jokes he wanted to make in regards to her flushed face and the words she fumbled over.

“Stupid. You seem to use that word a lot when it regards me,” he said with a bemused smile. He wasn’t really insulted by it. Not when it came from her. From others? He may have been more than slightly insulted and punch-happy. “But why is it stupid?” Maybe simply because she didn’t want it, but her mind and body betrayed her.

“Maybe you’ll find yourself surprised with how right it feels.”

 

[Lucyfer]

Dravon wouldn’t give Tamsin any further answers, either. He shook his head, shrugged his shoulders, “Just what I said,” he answered as she sought clarity, and Varick knew the only way to the answer was the Nue.

This didn’t encourage him further, because he got the sense the Nue and the Serpent might be a bit different in their reasoning if it was also after Dravon. “Well, if it comes to bother me, I’ll deal with it,” Varick noted, “Tamsin, come on.”

“Are you that concerned about what I’ll do, Varick?” Dravon asked as Varick turned away.

Varick paused, sighed, “It’s obvious you mean harm to someone, or something, and it’s obvious you died a violent death,” he said without looking back, “That you won’t say it outright is enough for that.”

“Clever,” Dravon allowed. “But not quite as clever as I am. You could have had answers, Varick. Now you’ll leave here with nothing.”

“Hyoo! Hyoo!”

There was the sound of the Nue, and Varick realized Dravon had dropped the barrier at some point in the conversation. The Nue was coming for him…which meant it would notice Tamsin, too, and Dravon had better odds of slipping under its radar.

“You son of a—” the tower walls shattered, and a very not-bird-like creature rolled into it after crashing through the bricks, looking far more like a winged tiger than a bird.

And its attention left Dravon almost as soon as it took a single breath, falling on Tamsin.

~***~

‘Well, you are stupid.’ Kirsikka at least held that back, even if she could cite several reasons for why Drazhan was stupid, starting with the fact he’d traveled this far with her. That he hadn’t run as soon as he realized who she was. That he was trying to have something more with her. Oh, there were plenty of reasons why the title ‘stupid’ suited him so very well, and she wished it was enough to make all those feelings go away.

She didn’t like stupid people!

She wanted to freeze his fingers and break them off where they touched her skin.

Or bite them off. ‘No.’ Bad imagery.

The heat was hardly fading, nor the blush, as she was forced to look at him again and consider what he had to say. Scathing comments came easily to mind to deter this, sweet poisons that looked like innocent fruits – things that seemed right weren’t always so. ‘Well, this doesn’t seem right.’ Not with how she was trying to fight it.

“You really are stupid,” she could only sigh, “for not being angry with me over drugging you and taking advantage of that, you know.” Was that going to change his mind? No. Was it worth pointing out in the vain hope? Yes. “This is not something you should like.” She was not something he should like.

 

[cleopat]

The chaos of the moment was instantaneous. Tamsin heard the cry of the Nue before it crashed through the walls of the tower. She screamed at the explosion of debris, ducking her head and throwing her arms over her head to protect herself.

When she looked up, she realized the monster’s focus was centered on her. Oh that can’t be good.

She wanted to scream again, but the noise caught in her throat. The beast approached her with a blood curdling screech. Tamsin was paralyzed with fear as she watched the bird move closer, but it was halted by an invisible barrier.

Quite literally. In her panic, Tamsin unknowingly casted a shield around her, and as she realized this, she recognized the familiar purple shimmer as the shield she had casted during their encounter with the cursed frog.

“Varick!” she cried out, for reasons she wasn’t quite sure of. A cry for help. A cry of fear. A cry of…what the fuck is she supposed to do?

~~~

Drazhan chuckled. “I never said I wasn’t angry about that. I’m certainly not happy you did that to me.” No, he wasn’t pleased, and he was thinking of ways to get back at her. But really, what good would that do?

But there was one way in particular he was thinking that would be perfect.

“I know how you can make it up to me though.” And if it weren’t for the blush, her actions while he was drugged, or even her thinly veiled words now, he wouldn’t consider his next action. Even with those thoughts, he realized that maybe Kirsikka had a point. That he could be stupid. Maybe.

“That kiss earlier was entirely unfulfilling. Maybe you can apologize for drugging me by giving me a better kiss.” He wouldn’t force it on her, but rather give her the option of accepting the kiss or push away if that’s what she truly wanted. But he didn’t believe that. He believed that she was trying to deny any feelings she held for him.

 

[Lucyfer]

As much as Varick would have liked to strangle the mage right then, he could not. The nue had made its choice, as Dravon predicted and went after Tamsin, forcing Varick to engage as she cried out.

He wasn’t prepared to deal with a nue, and they weren’t common, either. Thankfully, there weren’t any special rules for them – he didn’t need silver, or to strike any certain point. Not that it made it easier. When he lunged to plunge his sword through it, it dissipated into a dark smoke and rose above, but didn’t go far, no doubt reconsidering how to engage.

Varick considered offering Dravon, who was still there – until the thought that Dravon was still there struck him just as suddenly as it seemed to strike the nue.

Dravon seemed able enough to interact with the real world to fog up a mirror and place a glyph upon it. The glyph flashed a blinding light, and suddenly, the nue dropped back to the ground as an angry tiger with wings – and met Varick’s sword as it plunged through its head. He hadn’t been taken by nearly as great of surprise by Dravon’s action and had moved.

Much as he wanted to leave the nue to deal with Dravon, he understood it would just come back after him and Tamsin.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t dead, either.

It let out that terrible cry and slammed a paw hard into Varick’s side, knocking him away from his sword that remained in the nue, before it began to fight to try and pull it out of its own head with its clumsy paws, staggering backwards and continuing to cry out as it did so.

Varick wasn’t terribly wounded. The armor absorbed the blow, the claws not even breaking through, so he was able to get up and march back towards the creature to grasp his sword and pull it out, as it wanted.

It lunged immediately when it was freed and toppled Varick to the ground, before trying to catch his head in its maw. That’s where the Primal had to offer it his arm instead, and those claws broke through armor and flesh.

~***~

Drazhan had a weird way of showing he was angry by wanting another kiss. Of course, now he wasn’t drugged. And even drugged, he’d been begging for one. He probably knew that now, too. And no, the kiss she’d given him hadn’t really been anything beyond chaste; not much to get upset over, but she had still wanted him to be.

This was what she got instead.

Somehow, she should have expected this.

If she denied him, he might even get genuinely mad! That shouldn’t be a goal but it almost felt like one now, because of the aforementioned stupidity. “Fine, but that’s it,” as if she could fool herself. As if she could fool him. “No more after this.”

This was a terrible game.

Still, she set the bag down so it wasn’t an annoyance between them, and stepped into his space, trying to disregard the way everything in her wanted to freeze up again as she snaked an arm around his shoulders, and up the back of his neck to get her fingers entangled in his hair.

Before she’d lift up on her tiptoes to kiss him (and simultaneously pull him down a bit so she didn’t have to be on her tiptoes) and try not to think about it at all.

 

[cleopat]

Tamsin cried out as the nue struck Varick, the first time not seemingly phasing the Primal, but the second time drawing blood. Sure, he may have been a Primal experienced in dealing with all sorts of creatures, but that didn’t stop her worry.

Any minor mistake could kill a seasoned hunter.

The nue’s attention drew back towards her with the cry. Tamsin instinctively backed up before the creature even had a chance to move towards her. She was defenseless. She didn’t have armor or weapons like Varick did. The one thing she did have that may help her, was completely unpredictable.

But she would try.

Tamsin threw up her hands without a thought, and the nue froze in its attack, as if every limb was paralyzed. “I don’t know how I did that.” Nor did she know how long the magic would last.

~~~

Drazhan could have grinned in triumph. Jump in celebration. Kirsikka actually agreed to kiss him, under the guise that it will happen only once. He could see through that lie. They would both want more, and Drazhan would continue to push and seek those kisses.

“Sure, whatever you say.” Even his tone indicated that he didn’t believe her, and he wanted her to know that. To make her realize that this doesn’t have to be stupid. That whatever they were doing could be fun.

He wrapped one arm around her waist, settling his hand on her lower back. This time, he intended to make the kiss last longer than a simple chaste kiss. His other hand rested on her jaw as he gently lifted her head, his own lowering to meet hers.

His lips firmly pressed against hers in a firm kiss he was denied earlier. Drazhan wouldn’t allow this to be chaste. And he knew Kirsikka didn’t want it to be chaste either. So he slithered his hand from her jaw to entangle into her hair, holding her closer to him.

 

[Lucyfer]

It would have been better if Tamsin froze the nue off of Varick. As it was, he was still well under the nue when it froze, and it was not a light beast. Being frozen didn’t help matters. “I’d really…rather you let it go,” Varick grumbled, although he doubted she had much control over that as he tried to shove it off of him.

Whether she did or didn’t, the nue wrested control back, and it snapped at Varick, finding his arm in its jaws. At least now, Varick had gotten it off of him enough that he was able to get up to his knees, and he leveraged that position, shoving his arm further into the creature’s mouth.

It pushed back, at first – before it realized that was bad.

It opened its mouth to try and let go of Varick’s arm, but he didn’t stop pressing. Black smoke had been leaking out of its first wound, and more came as its jaw cracked and broke when Varick backed the nue into a corner and it couldn’t get away from the pressure anymore. Only then, did Varick remove his arm from the creature’s now rather slack-jawed mouth.

It staggered a bit aways, and Varick was able to lop its head off before it got too far.

It all dissolved into black smoke.

He very much doubted it was truly dead – but for the night, it was.

He slid his blade back into its sheath. “We really…need to get you to Calliope.”

~***~

There was going to be no easy escape from the kiss this time. Not that Kirsikka expected that, even before he wrapped an arm around her. Even before their lips met and Drazhan made sure there was no denying what was happening, or masking it as anything else. ‘Well, if it’s just the one….’

Oh, what a lie!

Kirsikka’s body may have melted against Drazhan’s, but she hardly melted into the kiss. She met it, that firm press easily opening itself up to a hunger she’d long ignored – not just for Drazhan, for any sort of physical affection at all.

If it was one kiss, it was going to be worth it this time, damn it!

So she kept him just as close. Her fingers curled in strands of hair nearer to the scalp, and the other hand pressed nails hard – but not painfully, just enough so they were felt – into the back of one of his shoulders, a threat against him pulling away if anything.

As if he’d be the one to break it first.

And of course, he wasn’t.

Kirsikka could really only keep her thoughts at bay for so long and focus on the physical enjoyment before they kicked into overdrive, disrupting the pleasant fantasy that this was all fine, that it could even be fine going beyond a kiss, and causing her to break away breathlessly. Her hands disentangled quickly to move to his chest and push away, gaze turning to the side so she wasn’t looking directly at him.

 

[cleopat]

Tamsin felt her heart stop in her chest as she watched Varick with the nue after it fought off her attempt to stop it. Watching his arm fighting with its jaw, she was afraid his limb would get bitten in two, but fortunately that didn’t happen. Varick gained the upper hand and decapitated it before it dissolved into black smoke.

Legs buckling beneath her, Tamsin slid down the wall behind her. She felt like every cell of energy left her body as the adrenaline wore off. If she could, she would fall asleep right there.

Chuckling, she nodded her head. “Yeah…yeah, that might be a good idea.” Calliope would help her. She would hopefully give her the answers she sought, since it seemed that Dravon was going to be no help.

Tamsin looked at Varick’s arm. “Are you hurt?”

~~~

Kirsikka’s scent invaded every sense of Drazhan. He wanted to get drunk off of her, to linger in the kiss and anything more she offered to him. He wanted to feel her nails down his back, his hands trailing over her soft skin, but that wouldn’t happen just yet, if at all.

Kirsikka broke away from the kiss, and while her hands moved away from where they were perched, Drazhan kept his arm around her waist, and his hand in her soft hair. When her head turned away, he gently traced his lips over her jaw and placed a soft kiss on her neck.

“Really? You still don’t want to look at him?” he chuckled, finally drawing his hands away from her, but he didn’t step away from her just yet. Drazhan couldn’t find it in himself to leave her addictive warmth, her pleasant scent.

“I won’t be opposed to delaying leaving one more night.” Meant to be a joke, but Drazhan was also serious if Kirsikka would have him, which he highly doubted. She was the stubborn type and still fought against the kiss. That didn’t mean he wouldn’t try, and back off when she told him.