Other [FanFic] Rose & Sunflower 2: Vox Arcana (Updates MWF) -Ch 51 [27 January] -COMPLETE

//Well, that escalated quickly.//

Lys nodded in response to Sebastian's suggestion, scrubbing at his eyes with the back of his sleeve and taking a few deep breaths to calm himself. Flashing him another violet-colored smile, Sebastian squeezed his shoulder and stood up.

"Gimmie a few to talk to Abby, it involves her, too, but for the moment, put yourself back together. Grab a drink, because if you didn't burn through almost all of your mana pool I'll be amazed."

Everyone shifted out of their Empowered state, relieved that the incident had been resolved quickly and without anyone getting hurt. Trying to lighten his friend's mood, Sam dropped into Lys's lap, laughing with his usual merry humor and sandwiching the ginger-haired man between himself and Elliott, who was amused by the spontaneous group hug.

"That was crazy, dude, I put enough electricity through you to drop a horse and you just got angry. Well, okay, maybe not a horse, that would be way too much, but I did try to put your ass down hard and you just shook it off like a bit of static on laundry day." Seeing Lys's face fall even further, he put an arm around his neck and gave him a very firm noogie, which at least produced some reaction as Lys snarled and punched him gently in the shoulder.

"Ow, that hurts, knock it off. It wasn't crazy, it was stupid. I could have hurt you all, or worse."

"Shut up and listen to yourself! ...That doesn't make much sense... But okay, think about it, on your own you kept all of us at bay and could have kicked most of our asses in a throw-down fight."

"I was fighting angrily, all I felt was pain and rage."

"Exactly! Holy shit, dude, you really weren't paying attention. You were just raging and attacking blindly. This wasn't anything like the skilled and tactical fighting you showed back at the tower, you were just brute force overpowering. Now think of how powerful you'll be when you really take off your limiters in battle and think about what you're doing. We've got our very own boss encounter on our side! With more practice and upgrades you'll be raid-boss level and we're gonna wreck all the fools! You were like some scary-ass avatar of war or something, and no lie, it was kinda sexy." Sam's electric grin was infectious, and Lys wiped away a few final tears, though these were of happiness, as he hugged him back.

"You are such a goofy doofus and I'm so glad you're my friend."

"Yeah, well, I'm just awesome like that. Now quit moping around and smooch your hubby for being smart and taking you down safely," he snarked, mussing up Lys's hair as he stood up and suddenly remembered the handheld game he'd been playing earlier, searching for it and whooping with glee to find it intact and undamaged. Elliott disentangled himself and stood as well, offering a hand to Lys, who was still a little unsteady, and pulled him back into another hug, which was gratefully accepted.

"Sam might have been jesting, but his words were true. You fought with the uncontrolled fire of one who has lost everything and holds back nothing as they obliterate those who have wronged you. I am certain that against our foes you will be a force to be feared and respected."

"That doesn't mean anything. I lashed out at all of you, even you, and-" Sam unsuccessfully smothered giggles as Elliott interrupted the Fire wielder using his earlier suggestion. Taken aback for only a moment, Lys ignored him and leaned into Elliott's act of affection, finding that he had needed it without realizing it. "Heh, feels like you needed that, too," he remarked running a hand through his hair, "I'm feeling a bit better now. Just... I..."

"Take responsibility for it but no blame," Elliott replied, reaching into his satchel and pulling out a mug and a container of mana tea, "and as strange as it is, you should be flattered. When I fought against you I attempted to Link in order to better exert control and to possibly break you free of your mental bindings. Here, drink this." He handed Lys the filled mug and continued. "I felt something deliberately blocking me, and Haley stated the same. You were specifically targeted, my dear, and it was a tactically sound choice. True, it would be a good idea to disrupt communications by controlling our Voice, or by crippling our healing abilities by taking me out of the picture, but you are possibly the strongest offensive fighter we have, and your mind was already vulnerable. By tapping into some of your deepest fears and giving them life, our enemy very nearly damaged us beyond repair by turning our own weapons within, not only depriving us of a powerful warrior, but crushing our morale by forcing us to combat a dear friend and companion. And please, drink up. You burned yourself quite hard."

"...That's why. I don't want to risk another incident. I'll take a potion if something happens, but I'd rather not.." He trailed off as Elliott put his fists on his hips and glared.

"Dear, I realize that you just had a rather traumatic moment, but if you do not stop acting silly I will slap you." Blushing a little, Lys channeled a bit of mana to warm the mug in his hands.

"I'm just on edge, not hysterical. Besides, this is a bit cold, gimmie a sec." With the drink finally at an acceptable temperature, Lys sipped it, which did the trick of restoring both his heavily depleted mana pool and his spirits. "Yet again, you're right, love, that's helping a lot. Hmph, you're both sweet and stern, and often within just a few minutes of each other." Sebastian turned to him after conversing with Abigail about something.

"And in just a few minutes we need to get going again. No rush, but finish that up and we can get on our way. The sooner we leave the sooner we can get you back home." Everyone packed their gear, and Lys finished the tea, handing the mug back to Elliott. Sebastian picked up the camping lantern and noticed Lys's momentary look of fear. "I told you, I've got an idea, and I want your help. We need to conserve our mana and batteries, and there's something I want to try. Trust me." Lys nodded but reached for Elliott's hand as the cavern went dark once more. His heart pounded so loudly that he was certain that everyone else could hear it and felt the prickly burning of tears in his eyes, embarrassed at being scared of the dark. In a strange dichotomy, he was grateful for the darkness so that nobody could see it. He felt Sebastian touch his shoulder again, but this time he was expecting it.

"Okay everyone, Link up to me and take my lead. Lys, I need you to give me a 'C.'"

"...What?"

"Just like tuning an instrument. Nice and clear, doesn't have to be loud." Not sure what Sebastian was trying, Lys complied, though his first attempt failed as his voice cracked. Taking another deep breath to calm himself and focus, he gave his friend the note he wanted, and cut off in surprise as he "saw" the cavern around them light up, but not with light, with...

"Echolocation? And something else," Elliott remarked, very impressed, "very clever. Our eyes will only hinder and misdirect us down here. We require other senses in order to navigate."

"Exactly. With Abby and I we can use sound waves passing through earth and air to produce a better picture than we could with light alone. I mean, hell, we only use a tiny portion of the visible spectrum to see, so let's try to use something different down here where light is limited. Lys, give me that 'C' again, and I want an 'E' out of Elliott, no pun intended. Let's see what happens when we start building harmony." The two-part resonant notes provided more "vision" than one did alone, but without being "blinding" or oversaturated. Sam picked up the fifth in the harmony, which provided the final calibration that Sebastian needed, as well as a small perk-up to their mood.

Sam and Lys provided travel music, as their voices were enough to "illuminate" their path if they walked on opposite sides of the group, as well as a morale boost. Continuing on, they descended deeper until they saw actual light ahead, and their voices trailed off as they entered a section of the tunnel that was lined with bioluminescent organisms. The soft, multicolored light left them all speechless, and they walked slower as they took in their surroundings, barely able to resist the urge to touch the glowing plant (and possible animal) life on the walls and ceiling. Sebastian knelt to scrawl a waypoint here.

"This is really fascinating, and maybe later I can grab some samples for Maru. I bet she'd get a kick out of studying some of this stuff. Ready to go on?" This strange change of scenery was apparently permanent, stretching ahead of them in the tunnel that wound its way into the heart of the earth. Quietly, they pressed on, wondering when or if they'd encounter any-

Voices. Everyone froze, holding their breath, waiting to see if they had been discovered. Kneeling again, Sebastian put his hand on the ground and closed his eyes. Gesturing to Abigail, he opened a Link, which they opened up to everyone else as soon as they had coordinated their abilities. In a manner similar to what they had done earlier, he sensed and broadcasted the conversation just ahead and out of sight.

"You wasted both my time and energy with that foolish rush, Echo, this had better not be a repeat incident. I barely had enough power to properly summon Umbra Terra and you know-"

"Enough, you have made your position quite clear more than once. It needed to be done, and while it cost you a bit of power you didn't overexert yourself, and if you had, the onus would have been on you."

Two voices, both male, were arguing, though not angrily or heatedly, just a disagreement. But about what? Sam frowned, noticing something but unsure exactly what it was that caught his attention.

"Well, it's back on you now, because now the Chosen are active and roaming around, which makes our job that much more difficult."

"It needed to be done," repeated the second voice, sounding annoyed but patient, "this forced their hand, and they had no choice but to Activate their Chosen. It was a gamble that they might be injured or killed, which did not pay off at this time, but it gave me the information that I need so we can better combat them. They are strong, yes, but two of their number are particularly reckless, and one of them has fears and failures that I can exploit. His mind is too open and I was able to induce him into attacking his allies."

"Which I notice failed. Again. Your plans aren't terribly successful, Echo."

"Mind your tongue. I'm the one who gave you life after it was taken from your host."

"Yes, taken by your dragon. Do not get me wrong, I am grateful for this mortal shell, it is a much better existence than what can be called a 'life' in the old realm, but I can still feel the mind of its previous owner scratching at mine. It will not wrest control from me, I have been in possession of this body longer than he did when alive, but it should stand to reason that this form is now mine in entirety."

"The previous soul is necessary to grant you your elemental power and memories. Further, it is what anchors you to this realm without the mana requirements of your full-Shadow brethren."

"And what of The Fire and The Water? They are your two newest Reclaimed, are they not? And yet they are willful and stubborn, defying you at nearly every opportunity."

"Is that so different from you? They are new and powerful, and their seeds have not yet had sufficient time to properly take root in their hosts. You are the oldest and have had plenty of time to conquer your host, they will do the same eventually. For now, deploy to the surface as planned. The Chosen are on their way, and with them wandering aimlessly and endlessly down here you will be able to operate with impunity aboveground. Report back to me when you are successful. I trust that this should not take long."

Sharing a look of matching worry between everyone, they knew that it was time to move. Haley stood and Sent a group message.

No time to waste. Empower and fight. Shifting with ease, Lys grinned at her, his fire and confidence back in full.

Ready, Player One? Time to see how well we paid attention in the tutorial levels.

Save the sass for after the battle, sweetie, and Alex, you're up first. Get in there, get their attention, and we'll see how the music changes from there.

Looks like we're all ready to dance the Charlie Foxtrot, then. Follow me!

Borrowing a little of Sam's speed, Alex led the charge, flanked by Sam and Lys just behind him. Haley was right behind, with Sebastian and Abigail on opposite sides, weapons out and ready. She opened her mind, expanding her thoughts and sight, observing everything at once. Two figures; a man and a six-legged beast of shadow. The man was dressed in what could only be called wizard's robes and ragged leather boots in unassuming shades of brown. Everything about him was earth-tones; his eyes, hair, and the somewhat overgrown beard and moustache, though his skin was closer to olive. But those eyes, there was something not quite right about them. They stared too much, unblinking, and while they watched and saw, there was something behind them that wasn't quite human. An obsidian staff appeared in his hand, and as it did so, the beast charged. It wasn't a dragon in the traditional sense in that it lacked wings and scrabbled like an alligator on six somewhat squat legs, but it moved with blinding speed, meeting Alex and impacting the shield with a loud clang that left his arm tingling.

"Cursed Chosen," the man intoned with a frustrated sigh, "meddling where you are not wanted. It appears that it falls to me to destroy you before I can carry out my mission."

He's talking, this is good! Lys Sent as he drew his swords, let me run with this. Haley replied with a mental nod of approval.

Do it, see what you can find out, maybe it will distract him. Split your attacks! Abby, Seb, back up Alex on Umbra Terra. Sam, assist Lys in talking to and taking down the other guy. He might be controlling or powering the beast. Elliott, you're on the dragon but watch for heals. Everyone responded with a thought and moved as directed.

"Oh? What is that mission, screwing up in front of your master?" Lys taunted, taking an experimental swing at his enemy, which was blocked by the staff before he had to dodge shards of earth that erupted under his feet. "I mean, it sounds like you're just a reject anyway, might as well surrender and save yourself the embarrassment."

"I am the Earth Reclaimed, and I was chosen by a new master when my host fell in battle." Sam was fast but his electric powers were useless against the Reclaimed, so he resorted to swift strikes with the copper staff, which the other man continued to block, fighting defensively.

"And he left you all alone. Guess he doesn't like you much."

"I am one of six but I need no allies to defeat you children. I am the eldest of our number and-" He almost was unable to dodge a wild, two-sword attack from Lys that forced him to change his footing and shift his earth-shard attacks to keeping the twin-bladed assailant at a distance. Abigail was using heavy bowshots to deal massive damage with each shot to the dragon, while Sebastian tried to slow or trap it by manipulating the room around them, but he was having to fight against the Reclaimed, who had much greater mastery over the element. Elliott had brought along a gallon of water, and like Alex's armor, he was not bothered by its weight or bulk. Opening the cap on the waterproof container, he coaxed free the liquid within, splitting it into a tendril of water and shards of ice, which he sent at the dragon in slashing arcs. Haley pursed her lips thoughtfully, reading the fight and changing tactics.

Change targets! Lys, on the dragon, Seb, on the caster. Drop him first, but be careful, he's alone but dangerous.

Feinting, Lys dumped power into his wings and launched himself at the dragon, leaving the Reclaimed to attack empty space, barely missing getting clipped by Sebastian's scythe. The three of them danced around each other, Sebastian and Sam attacking with coordinated strikes through the Link, but unable to penetrate the defenses raised by the older man, who wielded both staff and stone with incredible accuracy. Slashing at the dragon's hind legs, Lys ducked and rolled under the massive tail that could easily have crushed him if he'd not been paying attention, pressing on to harry and lash out with flame and steel. He cut deeply into the beast with every attack, who began to show signs of looking fatigued. With a roar of anger, it turned away from Alex and lashed out at Lys with claws as long as his swords. Once more, with agility unmatched, he launched off of a hard light circle and leapt up and over, landing on its back. Raising both blades over his head, he plunged them into the dragon's back with all of his strength, struggling to maintain his grip and footing as it howled in pain and thrashed about, trying to throw him off.

"Your confidence is your undoing," the Reclaimed smiled, dropping to one knee to slap a hand flat against the ground, which rose up under the dragon. The beast knew what to expect, gripping the stone with its claws and arching its back, slamming Lys between it and the ceiling with a bone-crunching impact. Lys fell off and bounced twice before sliding to a stop, his swords and armor vanishing like before.

Fire down, alive but out, Haley Sent, stay on your targets. The dragon looks hurt, keep at it then focus on the Reclaimed.

"Big mistake," growled Sam, moving with greater speed than before, "that's my best friend and big brother, and I'm gonna kick your ass for that!"

"You are all noise and no effect, little Chosen. You of all are the most powerless against me. Only fools would- Umbra Terra! Damn!" The dragon finally collapsed and began to fade away into thick wisps of shadow-smoke, after one final hammer blow to the head consumed the last of the power that kept it bound to that realm.

We've got him! Drop him before he can escape! The Reclaimed dodged the water and ice that Elliott sent his way, putting up a sturdy shell of earth around himself

"You have won this time, but next time you won't be so-" He cut off as the head of an obsidian spear, the blade wider than his hand, protruded from his chest. Gripping the staff so hard his knuckles were white, Sebastian twisted as he pulled back his weapon and reformed it into the scythe from behind the Reclaimed, whose shield had been no barrier to him.

"And your arrogance is your undoing." The Reclaimed collapsed, eyes wide with surprise, but moved no more. Cheering, Sam spun his staff over his head.

"Hell yes, we did it! Let's get Elliott on getting Lys back on his- NO!" A cloaked and hooded figure, wearing dark grey robes, similar to Haley's, also with the symbol of Yoba on the collar and waist, but inverted and in silver, was striding toward a portal with their unconscious friend slung over one shoulder and a silver staff in the other hand, also bearing the inverted symbol. Every element under their command leapt toward the figure, but they were too late, and the portal snapped shut. Horrified silence fell on the group, and Elliott's hands shook with rising fury.

"...Lysander... I..." Everyone felt the sudden surge in power and got as far away as possible as the floor around him in a ten-foot radius immediately iced over, dotted randomly with razor-sharp shards. "They took him. My dearest, my light, my untamable fire..." Sebastian grabbed him by the shoulders and made eye contact with him.

"I can track them. I think. Maybe. I'm going to need Gil, but I think we can track where that portal went. It's our only option until Lys wakes up." Nobody wanted to say it, but the collective fear was that it would be "if" and not "when."

"He's right," Haley said, trying to keep her voice steady, "we can try. Set a waypoint, grab the Reclaimed, and let's get back to the tower. We can't do anything else here." Alex put a sympathetic hand on Elliott's arm, seeing frost form on his gauntlet.

"Bro- Elliott, c'mon, he'll be okay. Trust him."

"...I failed him..."

"We all did. Let's go."

Six points of light flashed and faded, leaving the cavern silent once more, still bearing the marks of a hard-fought battle, though none of the Chosen would call it a victory.

 

Still loving this fic, it's getting really exciting now!

 

//Oh dear, this really isn't his day...//

The arrival of the Chosen got the attention of the previous wielders of the title, and immediately they knew something was wrong.

"Where is Lysander?" asked Rasmodius, looking uncharacteristically worried. Elliott's voice was barely above a whisper but it cut through the room like a knife.

"They have him." Alex put the body of the Reclaimed on the ground and grabbed his arm again, seeing the frost form faster and more thickly this time on his gauntlet and wincing at the cold that now bit through.

"Step down, you're not going to be any good later if you don't put down your power for a bit."

"I... I need to..."

"What you need to do is stand down and let Gil and Sebastian go have a look, they'll-" He cut off as Haley dropped her staff with a clatter, putting her face in her hands, unable to hold back tears any longer.

"I'm so sorry, Elliott, it's my fault! I'm supposed to see and watch everything and as soon as he was out I stopped monitoring him because I thought they'd leave him alone and I needed to focus on the fight and I wasn't paying attention and...and..." This snapped Elliott out of his own reverie and he got to her before Alex did, wrapping her in the same warm hug he always gave to Lys.

"No, not at all. You were overwhelmed by the battle at hand, and your strategy and coordination were masterful. We worked flawlessly as a team and complemented each other at every turn. We... I..." Abigail managed a small smile.

"Like you said earlier, 'responsibility, not blame?' I mean, who would have expected that?" Linus straightened after examining the Reclaimed, not at all happy about what he saw.

"This was The Earth from the second generation after we were Activated. He died against the dragon but we were unable to recover his body. You all need to tell us exactly what the hell happened down there, and don't leave out a single thing."

"Linus, put on a pot of tea, you all look ragged. Ras, you'll have to- Ras? Rasmodius!" The violet wizard had been lost deep in his own thoughts and jumped when Marlon shouted his name. "This isn't the end, Ras, we've still got hope. He'll be fine. Alex, what did you mean by Sebastian and Gil needing to go back?" With a glance at Elliott, who had thankfully returned to his Awakened state with the rest of them, Alex filled them in.

"Lys was knocked out in the fight with a dragon and the Reclaimed over there. Right after we killed those two he was taken away by... I don't know who. Two people were arguing before we fought, and we only saw one, so he must have been the other. I think he was called 'Echo.' Was wearing something like what Haley does, but in reverse. Y'know, gray and silver, inverted Yoba symbols. He left through a portal, and we were hoping you could track that." The silence from the other four was all the answer they needed.

"If he had traveled by my waypoints I could," Gill offered, "but a portal? I'll go down and look. If he uses the same or similar shards that we do I might be able to get something, but I can't guarantee it. Sebastian, you have the location?"

"Yeah, here," he offered the obsidian stone, "last waypoint, way deep down."

"I've got it. I've not been down that far in ages. Lead on, I'll follow once I feel it activate." After they disappeared, Marlon shook Rasmodius, breaking him out of another self-imposed trance.

"Ras, get a hold of yourself. Once Lysander wakes up he'll signal their Voice and the cavalry can ride in for a rescue."

"...Did you see his face?" It took a moment for the Chosen to realize that this question was directed at them. Once again, Alex answered for the group as they sat down around the table.

"No, he was cloaked and hooded, and his back was to us."

"As weird as... Nah, I'm just being weird," Sam mumbled, about to suggest something but catching himself. Linus approached with a pot of tea and cups on a platter.

"It may not be as strange as you think, young Lightning, any ideas or impressions of any kind may be useful." Taking a cup as they were passed around, Sam rubbed the back of his neck and scrunched up his nose in thought.

"You're gonna laugh, but I swear that this 'Echo' dude sounded like my boss." Abigail's eyes crossed a little as her vision unfocused, thinking about this.

"Wait, him? He's weird and kinda smarmy, but he doesn't look nearly old enough for that. Did you guys ever know a 'Morris?'" Once again the older men were silent with thoughts that they didn't like.

"No. Not a 'Morris,' but a 'Maurice.' It was too long ago, though, surely he'd have..." Linus forgot the end to his sentence as Sam handed him his phone, on its screen a random photo that he'd taken of his co-workers and boss one day. Marlon took the phone and swore loudly when he saw the photo, and Rasmodius's silenced deepened as he clenched his fists. "He looks a little different, but it's been a very long time, and even we have resorted to appearance-changing magic. But he was the first to fall, how could he-" For the third time they shared the same thought.

"We never recovered his body. The other two, yes, but once the battle was over we found no trace of him."

"For once I hate to interrupt," piped up Sam, raising his hand, "but could you please share with the rest of the class? You knew my boss back when or something?" Rasmodius's voice was a low growl, and though there was hate in it they weren't sure if it was directed at himself or the other person.

"Maurice was our Voice, and we were ambushed by Umbra Volatus without warning. He perished instantly, yet when we attempted to recover our wounded and fallen he was nowhere to be found."

"My boss is a zombie? Cool! Ow!" Alex slapped him upside the back of the head but he still retained his grin.

"No, not a 'zombie.' Something worse, and much more terrifying. Alex, what was that word you used, 'Reclaimed?'"

"Yeah, does that mean anything to you?" Sebastian and Gil returned at this moment, both looking very somber.

"Not at the moment, but perhaps we require clarity and context. Sebastian, sit and refresh yourself with your companions. And all of you, relate to us everything that happened down there. Leave behind nothing. Any detail, any tidbit may be of grave importance."

Sebastian and Haley told most of the story, with Alex and Abigail filling in intermittent details and Sam providing colorful and amusing commentary, but Elliott said nothing, his forehead pressed against folded hands and elbows on the table. The old Chosen listened carefully, sometimes prompting for clarification or details, but otherwise allowing the story to unfold. The pot of tea was empty when they finished. Rasmodius had been pacing restlessly the entire time, and Marlon was about to tell him to quit doing that when Haley stood up and knocked over her chair, eyes wide with surprise and joy.

"Lys!"


Cold. It was very cold. He was very cold.

Twice in one day I wake up feeling like I've been hit by Alex's warhammer. I'm going to need a few really good beers tonight. And Elliott's...attention...

Trying hide the fact that he was awake, Lys listened carefully, hearing voices. They echoed slightly.

Enclosed room, probably metal. Freaking cold... I'm in a freezer? What the hell?

He felt something constricting around him, as well as the sharp jab of something almost biting into his skin. Risking a look, he cracked open one eye a bit and saw that he was bound with thorny vines of ice, from ankles to chin, where it ended in a collar of the same. Swallowing carefully, he felt sharp pressure on his neck and tried not to grimace.

Damn, I'm proper trapped. I can't do this alone.

"What is your game, Echo? It is dangerous to bring anyone here, especially a damn Chosen, and particularly him. Kill him quickly before he can cause an even bigger mess than you've already made."

Oh dear. Apparently I have a reputation, and she's got an attitude.

From the small slit of vision he allowed himself, he saw a hooded and cloaked figure with his back to him, in grey and silver. In front of him was a slim woman of medium height, her raven-black hair tied back in a bun.

"Simply killing him won't do. I need to wipe his bloodline from this world, and I want that fool Rasmodius to see and know it. It would be easy enough to snuff out this candle, but to have it light my path would be the final revenge I seek. "

"Hmph, it seems that you already carry a torch."

"Touché. I shall return presently; I require a seed in order to Reclaim him, and his power is greatly reduced in here."

"What do you need with a second Fire? It was The Earth that they struck down just a bit ago."

"It is not another fire, it is him that I need. Besides, I shall rebuild our numbers and more soon enough from their ranks. Just stand guard and please try to avoid killing him until I command it, I need to make certain that this seed properly takes root and I will have difficulty enough in battling his fire as it is."

The grey figure vanished in a swirl of shadow, eerily reminiscent of the way Lys and his companions teleported.

Okay, bad news here. Time to call for help. Haley, can you hear-

He screamed as the icy thorns dug into his skin and cold raced through his veins. Gasping for breath, he made no pretense about being unconscious any longer, and felt a sharp jab as the woman strode over and planted the point of a summoned rapier of ice firmly in the center of his chest.

"You hide yourself well, Fire, but your eavesdropping will do you no good. And do not consider calling upon your friends for help. Spare them the same fate you are about to befall."

Her armor reminded him of fencing gear, in snowy white and gleaming silver, snug-fitting but not constrictive. Sensible boots laced up past her ankles, and she wore a half-cloak that clasped at the left shoulder, which was apparently where Elliott had derived inspiration for his. Ice-blue eyes stared down from above a nose as sharp as her sword and out of a face that was so pale it was nearly translucent. The same as the Earth Reclaimed, there was something not-quite-right with her eyes, in that they stared too much, but there was still a bit of humanity left to them and emotion in her face. Those cold eyes narrowed with suspicion as Lys gave her his most infuriating grin.

"Too late."

In that earlier moment of blinding pain he had sent his location to Haley, and the rest of the Chosen now appeared simultaneously, fully armored and weapons drawn and ready for battle. The point of the sword dug in more firmly, eliciting another gasp of suffering. Taking in the situation at a glance, Haley Sent a frantic message for nobody to attack just yet. Sam stared around, his mouth open in shock. The room was already cold and covered in frost, but at Elliott's arrival all nearby surfaces began to fully ice over. Summoning a blade of his own, he pointed it at her, his voice as cold as the room.

"I am here to reclaim what is mine. Stand aside or face the fury of the tempest." Unimpressed, she gave him a look of pure disdain.

"He is not yet Reclaimed, in either sense of the word, and though I do not care what the Echo has planned for your Fire, I find myself defying you on principle. Further, we seem to be at an impasse. You cannot fight me without endangering your companion."

"Why have you not summoned allies of your own? Will they not answer your call?"

"I haven't notified them yet. This room is too small for all of us and would cause needless casualties for which I might be blamed, and I cannot be bothered to deal with that."

Lys was getting colder, finding it harder to think. His mana was almost depleted as well, and he'd already fought hard and been badly injured earlier. Weakened in every sense, he was a liability right now and the reason his friends were powerless to act.

They can't do anything because of me. I need to change that. Just one last burst...

Her attention no longer on him, Lys was able to focus inward and gather the last of his power, concentrating it and releasing it all at once, shattering the bonds that held him and the first few inches of the rapier. Without hesitation, the fencer drove her sword downward into his chest, the blade ablating against the heat until Lys's mana was exhausted. It wasn't enough to stop her attack, and the remnants of the rapier were jagged and sharp, piercing all the way to the hilt. She teleported away the moment she felt resistance against her weapon, too fast for even Sam to retaliate. Alex dashed over as Abigail reached into her pocket and slammed a portal shard onto the floor.

"Portal up! GO!" Elliott was the first though, followed by Alex carrying Lys, who clutched at the shattered weapon, his shirt already staining red. Seconds after Abigail opened it, she was the last through, leaving behind yet another scene of wreckage.

 

"Lysander and the No Good, Absolutely Terrible, Very Bad Day"

Or, Lysander's erratic luck deciding he needs another kick to the teeth. Poor guy.

 

Poor Lys isn't exactly having a good time srsly tho the last few chaps have been super exciting and intense and it's great. True adventure, friends and foes and the like! I think you're doing an excellent job keeping the action and the tension on the edge and weaving a narrative through the hotspots. would make a great book and a good movie and you've still got more up your sleeves i'm sure.

 

...yes, of course, it is clearly bad luck and not the author being evil. ... *Cough.*

! Thanks, sweetie

I'm trying to avoid obvious tropes and cliches while still adhering to known and proven story structures, which has been a bit of a challenge. Like I do NOT want to tread into "Chosen One" territory. Blah. At the same time, I want a reason for all of this to be happening to and around Lysander, other than "because reasons."

Also I'm feeling good about being able to weave a coherent but currently-mysterious narrative that leaves the reader curious but not confused. Some stuff I come up with as I write and I'm all "this is brilliant!", and then I need to pause to make sure it isn't story- or world-breaking. Like last time, I know where I'm going and how, but the small details are yet to be written.

 

//I don't know about you, but I'm glad that this is all over with. ...For now...//

Rasmodius froze with horror as the Chosen poured through the portal. Shoving him to knock him out of it Marlon pointed at the center of the room.

"The circle! It will provide you power and stability. By the light, this is dire. Ras! Boost the circle's power, Elliott is going to need every scrap of mana we can give him." Alex set Lys down in the center of the circle, trying to be gentle, but his cousin still groaned with pain, gritting his teeth as his knuckles whitened around the sword.

"Shouldn't we get that out of him?" Sam asked, reaching for the icy blade, and was very nearly tackled by the Gridball player. Junimos appeared, squeaking softly in what was obviously concern, and the circle glowed even brighter. Elliott sat down and held Lys's hand, trying to smile and be supportive, opening a Link with Haley to his husband. He doubled over as he sensed his pain and fear, grasping the sword with his other hand to steady and channel through it.

"We cannot, not yet. It has caused great damage but it is keeping him from bleeding out any further. I will extract it as I work, but I must move swiftly. It will be alright, my dear, and I apologize for your discomfort, but we lack anything that can relieve your pain." Diving deep into his predecessor's memories, Elliott began the arduous and intensive task of healing the extensive level of damage that Lys had suffered. He was now having trouble breathing, shaking as his pulse raced and he felt himself begin to go into shock.

This is it, I've used up all of my luck. I'm... I'm so cold, so scared... I...

Squeezing Elliott's hand with what strength he had left, he smiled, trying to put on a brave face that he knew was a lie.

"...I love you," he whispered, as consciousness faded. Elliott almost lost control of the Link, only able to maintain connection with Lys's mind because of the Junimo-boosted power of the circle.

"Damn it, damn it! I... He's losing too much blood, I'm having difficulty in stabilizing him." Rasmodius finally took action, stepping into the circle, removing his coat, and rolling up his sleeve.

"Blood transfusion. Linus, Gil!" They vanished, returning a minute later with an armful of supplies. "We'll apologize to and reimburse the good doctor later, but this is an emergency. Marlon, see if you can dive into Elliott's memories as well, if there's any memory of how to do this."

"Whoa, you can't just do that blindly," Sebastian interrupted, "you need to match blood types."

"He is B negative," offered Elliott, sounding distant through his concentration, "but I do not know if anyone else here who could be compatible."

"It will work," Rasmodius asserted, sitting down across from Elliott, "and right now, we have no other option. Someone look up the information, just in case our memories hold no answers." Gil took a knife from Marlon's belt and slashed Lys's sleeve to the shoulder, giving Marlon access to Lys's arm. The one-eyed man fumbled mentally a couple of times as he attempted to Link with Haley, out of practice for so long. As he downloaded the memories that Elliott sent him, Alex pulled Haley into his lap and held her supportively, noticing her getting overburdened. With the knowledge that he needed in the front of his mind as well as something that Sebastian had pulled up on his phone, Marlon swiftly inserted the needle into Lys's arm, taping it down, then moving over to Rasmodius to do the same.

"You've got it going the right direction, right?" laughed Sam, trying to bring levity but unable to feel it himself, "it's a bad idea to drain him even further." Marlon bristled his moustache as he checked the connection and flow.

"I saw how to do it, and yes, it is already working. Now we must see if it is enough to keep him alive long enough for Elliott to save him."

Silence fell in the room as they waited; Alex continued to hold Haley, who leaned into him and maintained the steady Link. Abigail sat next to her and held her hand, unable to do anything else. Marlon monitored Rasmodius and Lys, ensuring that the flow remained steady and uninterrupted. Eventually, Sam and Sebastian seated themselves on either side of Elliott, providing moral and physical support, seeing him starting to get fatigued. The Junimo faded in and out, fresh creatures trading places with those whose power was exhausted, supplying mana to Lys and Elliott that far exceeded what they could hold and channel on their own. Slowly, as he healed the damage that the sword had caused, he pulled it out, finally drawing it completely free and casting it aside with a loud clatter. Taking a deep breath to clear his head, he resumed his task, feeling so much to repair and prioritize.

"There was so much damage. I have healed most of it, and he is no longer in peril, but- No, NO!!" Abruptly, the Link completely vanished, and Elliott half stood up, reaching out to Haley with his hand and mind. "Get him back! Please! I am not yet finished."

"I... He's... I can't reach him. Elliott, I can't- There's nothing, I can't connect to his mind. It's...he's..." Haley slumped against Alex, too worn out to cry though she wore openly the pain she felt. Elliott pulled Lys into his arms and put his fingers to the other man's throat, searching for a pulse. It was there, but he could feel it growing fainter, and his breathing was becoming more shallow. Brushing aside a few stray copper-red hairs, Elliott ran his fingers down his husband's face.

"...My dearest, please, come back to me... I..." Rasmodius sagged, pulling the needle free from his arm and dropping it carelessly.

"So this is how it ends. Hope is such a harsh mistress." Marlon hastily applied pressure and a dressing to the needle site while Linus carefully removed the other one from Lys, also bandaging it, though he thought to himself that it wasn't really necessary anymore. Securing the tape, Marlon squeezed his friend's arm in support.

"I'm sorry, Ras. We all tried. Your idea worked for a time. Elliott did his best. This was just..." The Junimos began bouncing up and down, squeaking loudly, and Sam shot them an angry glare.

"Show some damn respect! He might have been dangerous but he was still fighting for you!"

"They're not happy, Samson, they're...worried," replied Gil, and Rasmodius looked up at this, listening to the frantic chirping.

"Music? What song?" Elliott held Lys close, hunched over and wrapped around him, as if he were trying to hold in the last of his life himself.

"...Spring's cool breezes call out to me, they sing the song I once knew..." Softly he sang Lys's song, a final memory and farewell. The Junimos went quiet, now watching with what they could only guess was respect, but there was a bit more...expectation... Scrubbing at his eyes with the back of his sleeve, Sam sniffed and glanced over at Lys, then froze as he saw him weakly mouthing the words along with Elliott.

"Guys, he's... It's working." Almost too quiet to hear, Lys's voice still got everyone's attention.

"...n't believe you...let me...get away with those...silly lyrics..." Elliott cut off mid-verse, his chest tight and unable to breathe for a moment, releasing Lys enough to see his face, and he drew a ragged gasp of relief as he saw him smile weakly.

"They're...your words. And they're perfect." The smile faded a little to apology as Lys reached up to touch Elliott's cheek, almost knocking askew the silver spectacles.

"I'm sorry, love."

"What? Whatever for?"

"For making you cry. Those eyes are too pretty to have tears in them." Halfway between a sob and a laugh, Elliott hugged him tightly, his head swimming with tangled emotions.

"Even after being torn from death's grasp just moments earlier you still have the presence of mind for a terrible flirt. Your fire truly is unquenchable. By the light, I was terrified, I thought that I had lost you." Still weak, Lys talked slowly, pausing for breath often.

"You did. For a while I was out but I could still sense you and Haley, and I could feel you working. But as you healed the damage it kept costing more and more of my own energy and resources, and I tried to hold on but... My mind became too weak and I felt myself fading. I couldn't feel me anymore. I didn't know who or what I was. It was all...going away. I was floating and falling at the same time and I felt so tired. And just as there was almost nothing left I heard you. I remembered it, my song, and I followed it."

"Like Orpheus of myth I have brought back my love from the underworld with the power of music." Chuckling, Lys tapped Elliott on the nose, the way he always did when playfully correcting him.

"Really now. I'm the talented and enchanting performer whose music can charm and amaze anyone. And remember, he didn't successfully rescue her, so your analogy rather falls apart at that point. Also, mom's a dancer, not a poet. Wrong muse." Elliott laughed with delight and hugged him again, unwilling to let go in any fashion.

"My brilliant, beautiful phoenix."

"Okay, I'll give you that one." The Junimos had vanished, but nobody had noticed until just now. Rasmodius got to his feet and stumbled while doing so, accepting a steady hand from Marlon. Lys glanced down and saw the dried blood on his hand and shirt, and grinned wryly. "This is the second time I've woken up covered in my own blood. This is a bit of a morbid and creepy habit I don't want to develop. But what happened to my sleeve? And why...a bandage?"

"Ras totally saved your ass," Abigail replied, helping Alex in getting Haley to stand as well, "looks like he's got a compatible blood type or it's 'just magic' or something." Silent with respect, Lys sought the correct words but couldn't come up with anything appropriate.

"I... I really owe you, Rasmodius. Even after everything I've put you through, you did that for me. Thank you." It was brief, but there was a small, pleased smile.

"It needed to be done. I am simply relieved that it worked. Be more careful in the future."

"Good thing you stepped in, it would have been a bad idea for Elliott to burn both his mana and blood, yeah?" laughed Sam, finally able to find something genuinely amusing to reduce the tension.

"It would not have worked anyway, I am A positive. We are compatible in a number of ways, but it appears that this is yet another cruel joke that fate plays upon us." Sebastian was examining the remains of the rapier, his forehead creased in thought, which deepened with worry.

"Your swords." Lys was able to sit up with Elliott's support, and regarded Sebastian with confusion.

"What about them? They're wherever my armor is right now, unsummoned."

"Exactly. And they belonged to the last Fire element. So how the hell did Abby and I find them? If they're supposed to be bound to an owner..." He glanced up at the old Chosen for confirmation, and Marlon nodded and sighed.

"That is correct. We were likewise perplexed that the blades remained in this world once their owner had died, but now that I think about it his body was never recovered, either. We'll sit down tonight and compile a list of everyone who vanished and what we know about them so you'll know who you're facing. For now, though, well, I think that I speak for all of us when I say that I am proud of all of you. You handled yourselves well in your first fight, particularly against a new and dangerous enemy, and you recovered your companion, in addition to healing him from a deadly injury. No other group before you could have done this on such a short notice. You should all be proud of yourselves and what you've done." Standing only with the help of Gil and Linus, Rasmodius agreed.

"We will do what we can to provide you with the intelligence you need. For now, return home and rest. Take your tea there, as it is likely that you will not be awake for much longer. We will drop in at Lysander and Elliott's home tomorrow evening in order to present you with our findings. Linus, if you could send them through portals, I don't think anyone has the power to return on their own." Elliott released his Empowered form and picked up Lys, who felt far too light, much as he had when he was ill the year previous.

"Thank you for that, and your kind words. Please, all of you, any of you, drop in at any time, we enjoy the company. In the meantime, good night, I hope you all rest as well as we will." Striding through the portal, there was a moment of darkness before he stepped through into the area of the farm behind the house. Lys opened the door for them both, as he was too weak to walk on his own just yet, and Elliott promptly went through the bedroom to the bathroom. "After all that has transpired I assume that you'll want a shower before sleep."

"You know me so well, love. I'm totally grody. Here, I can stand a bit if I lean against the sink counter." Elliott put him down and, once he was sure that the other man was steady, dashed back to the kitchen to start a pot of tea. With difficulty, Lys tugged off the short-sleeved shirt, happy to note that it was undamaged, although slightly blood-spattered. Tossing it on the floor, he completely failed at the coordination needed to remove his completely ruined undershirt, not even able to get it over his shoulders. Elliott returned presently and assisted him with that task, smiling fondly and brushing the carved pendant with his fingers and Lys's lips with his own.

Lys turned to check his reflection and gasped, hand over his mouth and eyes wide as he saw a new scar through the dried blood; the rapier had left a slim, short, but ragged entry wound that Elliott had been unable to properly heal with the time and resources he'd had. He saw Elliott's face fall at this and turned back to him, almost falling over.

"Love, it's okay. You saved my life, that should have killed me. I'm just... I didn't expect to see something like that. She got me really good, and that strike hit a couple of vitals on the way through. Seeing that just really drives in, well, the point that this could've ended a lot worse. C'mon, let's get cleaned up. The sooner we do the sooner I can have a nice cup of tea and sleep for the next two days."

Lys had to rely on Elliott for support the entire shower, as while he had just enough energy to stand, it was only with assistance. Despite this, it was reassuring and comforting to have Elliott help scrub his hair and back, and he was certain that the emotion went both ways. As he reached for a towel when they were done, he felt the sensation of what he could only describe as being un-splashed, as Elliott had used what was left of his power to pull the excess water off of them both, leaving them completely dry.

Feeling himself winding down and fighting fatigue, Lys staggered to bed and was only able to get under the covers with assistance. Elliott shrugged into his robe and went into the kitchen, returning with two cups and the pot, sitting on the edge of the bed and pouring for them both. He ensured that Lys drank exactly half of the pot before allowing him to recline back against the pillows and go to sleep. Finishing the last of his drink, Elliott set the cups and pot on the dresser, hung up the robe, turned out the lights, and curled up around his husband, finally feeling the worried tension melt away. Lacing his fingers with Lys's, he smiled faintly at their rings next to each other, and was asleep in only a few breaths, completely exhausted by the day's events.

 

Praise the SUN lys is okay. Jesus rollerblading Christ that was intense. Remind Rasmodius to bring a Sanguinal Priest with him next time!

 

It's just a good thing that Ras knew he'd be compatible. Could anyone else have been? Possibly, but even if they did know they all had just had a tough fight and probably weren't in a good enough shape to help. It's time for things to wind down a little bit, I think that they've earned it. Oh dear, and someone has to explain to our good doctor that not only did they break into his clinic late at night to nick some medical supplies (for which they WILL offer monetary re-compensation or outright replacement), but the fact that they did so without any signs of forced entry, as well as their need for said supplies. I wonder who's going to have to- NOT IT!

 

//Good Monday morning, time for another update! No major commentary, just remarking that RWBY season 4 just started, and ooooh it looks good! I admit to being a bit inspired by that as well for this story, but can't really think of a way to incorporate or have a nod/homage to it without completely cribbing or copying it. Still, that sort of thing and the fight scenes are the sort of thing that go through my mind when putting this together, even if I can't script or describe something quite as kickass. //

It was early afternoon when Elliott woke up, and as neither his nor Lys's phone yielded any messages, he assumed that their companions were likewise still resting. Lys hadn't reacted at all to Elliott's movements, which concerned him for a moment. A quick check confirmed that Lys was breathing deeply and evenly, quite well asleep, especially since didn't respond the way he usually did when Elliott gently brushed his hair out of his face. Smiling fondly and with relief, he kissed him and got out of bed, at which point Lys did move, but it was simply to roll over, grab the pillow that Elliott had been using, wrap himself around it, sigh happily, and continue sleeping.

Elliott dressed like he usually did, finding that he desired a rather rich color palette that day, and shortly was wearing the black trousers and waistcoat with a plum shirt, though he carefully rolled up his sleeves instead of buttoning them as he strode to the kitchen to begin cooking. Setting his phone on the counter where he could see it if a message came through but not where it could get dirty or damaged, he began slicing up meat and vegetables for soup, humming to himself. Shortly after he'd finished and set it to simmer, Sam was the first to message the group.


RawkStar: hey d00ds, how's everyone feeling?

SeasideScribe: quite well, thank you. Lysander is still resting, but all of you are welcome to drop by at any time; I have started lunch and it should be ready within the next hour or so.

RawkStar: omg no way Lys is such a lucky guy

ShutterBug: oh ! I've never had your cooking before, I'll definitely be over soon

PurpleGoth: me neither, can't wait. Lemme wake Sebby and I'll blip on down

L33tK3ys: for once I'm the one that woke up before everyone else. I've been awake a couple of hours now. I'll be down in a few minutes, will bring along something for you guys

ProBro: guess I'll do the same. Grandma made some cookies yesterday, I'll bring a batch over


About fifteen minutes later the rest of the group showed up, all within minutes of each other. Sebastian had brought a large pitcher of cold-brewed coffee, something he was experimenting with, and put it in the fridge. Alex set the covered plate of cookies on the kitchen counter, and Abigail found room next to it for a crusty loaf of bread that she'd brought from the store, as it would make a good complement to the soup. Sam arrived with a couple of packs of beer, and Elliott was impressed by the wine that Haley had supplied. Seated comfortably around the table, they chatted amiably and had a quick snack of cookies and the cold-brewed coffee as Elliott tasted and adjusted the soup.

Lys yawned and stretched on his back, taking a moment to sort out his thoughts. He was alone in bed but he could hear talking from the main room and smell something cooking, so apparently he'd been asleep for quite a while. Sitting up took a bit more effort than he'd have liked, but he managed it without difficulty and rummaged through the dresser for a fresh set of pants. He had to lean on it as he put them on and worked the zipper and buttons, however, and deciding that he didn't quite have the energy to try pulling a shirt over his head, reached for his robe and found even that to be difficult work. With a hand along the wall for support, he walked into the main room and felt a warm rush as everyone turned to greet him enthusiastically. Pushing off of the wall he waved and continued forward, but staggered and began to fall. Elliott dropped the lid to the soup pot, instinctively wanting to run over, but was beaten to it by Sam, who didn't even need his enhanced speed.

"Shit, dude, you're heavy," he grunted, bending under Lys's weight, "let's get you to a chair. Here, have a cookie, someone pour him a coffee. That stuff's good, Sebby."

"Thanks. I've found it's great for when I'm pulling long nights of coding, and it comes out a lot smoother than if I use the coffee pot." Lys tried to hold himself back from simply devouring the cookie, as it was warm and delicious. From the smell in the kitchen, they had been carefully reheated in the oven, and that combined with the savory aroma of the stew on the stove made Lys quite ravenous. His injuries from the day before and his severe mana depletion didn't help matters any at all. As he forced himself to chew slowly Elliott ladled out a bowl for him, setting it on the table and offering a quick peck of greeting.

"Mmf. Thanks love," Lys replied, pausing to hastily finish and swallow the last of the cookie, "this smells amazing and I'm proper starving. It's funny what nearly getting killed will do for one's appetite. Hope you all don't mind if I'm a bit rude and dig in right now, I'm so hungry it hurts." Elliott had returned to the kitchen and had pulled out every bowl that they had, which was just enough for everyone.

"By all means, dear, go right ahead. I was concerned that you'd sleep longer, but it appears that my cooking also functions as an alarm clock."

"No kidding, dude, I'd wake up, too, if I smelled something this awesome-" Sam stopped short as when he had reached for Lys's bowl with a cheeky grin, Lys hunched over it and growled at him. This reaction caught Lys by surprise more than anyone else, but before he could apologize Sam laughed and punched him in the shoulder. "That was funny. If you're strong enough to try to kick my ass over food then you're in good shape."

"Sorry, just crazy hungry right now."

"Do I look bothered? It's all good, dude, we're just glad to see you up and about." Alex looked particularly downcast at this, and Sebastian nudged him with a curious look. Glancing around, he sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Just... I've been feeling a bit off since last night. I'm glad it all worked out, but he still nearly got killed because I wasn't doing my job keeping that beast focused on me. If I'd just..." He trailed off and shook his head, unable to find an answer. Lys glared at him from over the bowl that he'd just emptied, which Elliott took back to refill, having just set out a serving for everyone else.

"This isn't a video game that's all numbers and using the right abilities at certain times. It might have been some kind of weird summoned creature, but it could think and move on its own, and it was being commanded by that Reclaimed guy. I did something that made it really angry and really hurt, so it switched its focus to me. So if anyone is to blame at all, it's me for pulling aggro. You yank it, you tank it, right?" His smile was warm and snarky, and Alex couldn't help mirroring it.

"Yeah, that's true, isn't it."

"And can we talk about Sebastian's awesome one-liner?" Sam piped up, gesturing with his spoon for emphasis, "I'm still tingly thinking about it. And that wicked backstab? Badass, dude."

"I was kinda unconscious for that, so you'll have to elaborate," Lys replied, eating the second bowl a little slower, but still having to remind himself to chew thoroughly.

"Oh man, you should've seen it. Y'know how that guy said that 'Your confidence is your undoing?' After you got yourself knocked out we totally laid the smack-down on that dragon, but instead of running like he should have he tried to bubble and brag, and Sebastian just blew through his shield like it wasn't there and speared him like a fish, and said, 'And your arrogance is your undoing.' Just, epic, am I right?" Lys chuckled at Sebastian's embarrassed but pleased expression.

"I told you that you were braver than you give yourself credit for, it just took a while for you to realize it." He put his spoon into the re-emptied bowl and sighed. "And I think I'm done for the moment, don't want to over-stuff myself. Though...I hate to be a nuisance, but I'm feeling tired again." Elliott kissed his cheek and helped him to his feet, leading him to the couch.

"That is unsurprising. Given yesterday's events you should do nothing more than rest and replenish yourself for the next day or two. Recline here and rest at your leisure."

"Thanks, love, that stew really hit the spot. So did that cookie, Alex, send my regards to Evelyn." He didn't bother to stifle a yawn as he snuggled back into the pillow on the armrest, though he did grunt with discomfort as Xander hopped onto the couch at one end, walked up his leg, made certain to step on his groin with at least two paws, and sat down on his chest. "Fuzzy pain in the ass," he smiled, scratching the ginger tabby behind the ears. This provoked a body-vibrating purr, and he settled down happily, paws on Lys's shoulder, ears and whiskers forward, and eyes shut tightly in a contented squint. In less than a minute Lys was asleep again, in the middle of petting his companion.

"Um, so, do we need to be quiet or something?" asked Sam, finishing his own bowl of soup.

"That is unnecessary. He is quite the deep sleeper, and even without a Link I can feel his exhaustion. Haley, when he wakes again, I would like to scan him and see how he fares. At some point I want to try to repair the hasty work I did to simply keep him alive, but for now I want to ensure that he is not in any further danger."

"Sure. I still can't believe that you pulled that off, even with Junimo help. I mean, I was wiped out just keeping you two connected and you were doing all the work."

"Not only were you maintaining the connection you also handled a significant amount of mana transfer. I could only work on him the way I did because I had a direct connection to his mind and body, and though I was able to work externally for the most part, I did require significant amounts of mana to be 'sent over' in order to give me a foothold in which I could work. Trying to mend his body was difficult, but by infusing my essence I was better able to work because I could 'see' where I was and what needed to be done, in addition to bolstering his fading resources."

"Now I'm even more impressed. It looks like your magic-memories had a lot of good stuff in there. I wonder if we all should take some time to dive back into our past 'selves' and see what we can learn that could help us in the future. Especially if..." Abigail got up to get a beer from the packs that Sam had brought, bringing back a couple of others for those who wanted them.

"Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. If we can find out more about the people who were 'Reclaimed' we might have a better idea of their strengths and weaknesses and how to fight them. We saw Earth and Water. Have you two..." Sebastian and Elliott both replied in the negative.

"It didn't occur to me when we were at the tower, and as soon as I got home I crashed out."

"And I was otherwise occupied at the tower, likewise retiring to bed shortly after my return. Though I had shared the thought of diving through my predecessor's thoughts as well, I did not plan to do so until I was certain that I had the leisure time in which to do so. I had quickly pulled from specific entries for the information that I needed last night, and I am of the impression that what awaits me will take a not-insignificant amount of time to explore thoroughly. While my memories may be more technical than those all of you possess, it is likely that I am not alone in the wealth of knowledge that I will soon unlock."

For a while they talked back and forth about the previous day and how the fight had gone; what had gone well, and what could be done better, aside from the obvious. Lys slept deeply, though he began to twitch with discomfort as the tendrils of a nightmare invaded his dreams. Even without the Link Elliott sensed this and turned to regard his husband, and upon getting up to investigate Lys awoke with a shout of terror. This surprised Xander, who launched himself off roughly and hid under the table, lashing his tail before composure grooming.

Sitting up and sweating slightly, Lys gasped for breath and put a hand to his chest, recalling some part of the nightmare, and froze as he felt dampness on his fingers. Xander's flight had left small scratches from where he had dug in for purchase in his escape, and though they were shallow, the slight amount of bleeding was enough to send Lys into a panic attack, breathing quickly and placing a hand over his mouth as he doubled over, eyes shut tightly. Elliott sat down next to him, providing a warm, secure hold that Lys mentally and physically latched onto as he tried to calm down, reminding himself that it had just been a dream.

"You are troubled, dear, your mind is still in chaos. What haunts you this time?" About to answer, Lys saw his friends and their mixed looks of concern and worry, and shrank into Elliott's arms, trying to hide. Sighing, Sebastian got up as well, while Elliott shifted Lys to sit and hug him from behind, playing with a lock of his hair. Sebastian sat down in the vacated spot next to his friend and rested his elbows on his knees, his hands dangling between his legs, and gave him his usual look of sensible patience.

"What's up, little brother? Talk to us. We're not going to laugh or give you shit or anything. Hell, after yesterday, if you didn't have problems sleeping I'd be surprised." Lys relaxed a little into Elliott, feeling comforted by his presence, as well as Sebastian's grounded support.

"...I relived yesterday. And I re-died as well. But this time, I... I had no fire, I couldn't fight. I was useless, a liability. There was...I... Useless..." Tears burned his eyes as he gripped Elliott's hand. Sebastian's gaze was now sympathetic, and he glanced at the new scar that Lys wore.

"You're not useless or a liability. You just got screwed, that's all. In fact, if you hadn't dumped the last of your mana the way you did things might have ended even worse. We were the ones who couldn't do anything, and we're the ones who felt useless. By jumping in like that without trying to get more intel on the situation it could have ended up worse. You were awake and cognizant, and to be honest, I don't know why you didn't teleport out the moment you had the chance."

"I wanted to, but I didn't have the time to focus to try once she noticed that I was awake. It would have taken me a few moments to try to cache enough mana once I'd 'calculated' the jump back home, and she would have seen that. I had to call for help and... I don't even know if I'd have had the power to do so. I've no idea how far away I was."

"You were being held in the walk-in freezer at work," Sam piped up, grimacing as he took a swig of his beer, "and yeah, I'm certain, 'cause I freakin' work there. We all know Morris is the Echo, so don't be so surprised he'd use known locations like that. Oh, damn, you weren't there for that, were you, Lys?"

"I... I appear to have missed a critical conversation..." They filled him in on the events between his capture and rescue, which he absorbed silently. "I think I need a bit of sunlight. And a smoke." Sebastian supported him as they made their way outside, sitting on the porch in the light of the summer afternoon, though Sebastian did tuck himself into the shade. Everyone else followed suit, bringing the snacks and drinks with them, as the day was too nice to spend completely indoors.

 

This is out of left field but i'm really happy that the JojaMart freezer finally makes an appearance. lmao! Also the small paragraph describing the AAR was nice too, small team spec ops right there. Seb's words ring true as well "you just got screwed, that's all". damn right, that's life! You get your peeps together and get back up, have a nice picnic, then kick ass again You can't keep a good Lys down for long. I expect that he's not gonna be too happy about that ice lady's gift to his torso.

 

Heh, well, my unit's entire mission is focused on AARs and learning/teaching, so I'd be extremely remiss to not have my own characters sit down and at the least perform a quick hot wash of the day's events.

As for fencer!Elsa there (we'll find out her proper name soon enough), well, at the very least, Lys is itching for a rematch. You know, where he's actually got a fighting chance and isn't a damsel in distress! He'd make a terrible princess anyway, pink looks terrible with red hair. (I'm looking at YOU, Little Mermaid, OMFG... )

 

//I've gotta run out of town over the weekend, so hopefully Friday's and Monday's updates should go up without a problem. Provided that I'll have the chapters finished and will be able to post from my tablet, finding wifi out there is sometimes a pain in the ass. Also, I'm doing Nanowrimo for kicks and giggles, though I'm almost cheating 'cause this is already at 43k words. Just for reference, the original R&S finished at 142k, so this might end up being longer, and that is just freakin' weird to me...//

Pulling out a pack of the flavored cigarettes, Sebastian flicked one to Lys and took one out for himself. With a snap of his fingers, Lys produced a floating flame, as though he were holding an invisible lighter. Sebastian stared at it for a moment before breaking down into laughter.

"Just how long have you been waiting to do that?"

"Just occurred to me. Here," Lys offered, lighting Sebastian's cigarette, who accepted with another laugh, and Elliott sat down next to him and took his hand once he had lit his own.

"If you are feeling well I'd like to scan to see what was done and what needs to be done."

"Go ahead, love, let's find out what's still wrong with me."

"I didn't mean-"

"I'm joking. You did a hell of a job putting me back together. Have at it." Haley sat on the bench on the patio, closed her eyes, and opened a Link between them, and Lys smiled around his cigarette as he felt the presence of Elliott's mind within his own again. It wasn't intrusive at all, it was welcome and reassuring. Taking one last, deep drag on his smoke, he exhaled slowly, leaning against one of the supports for the patio awning, closing his eyes as well and letting Elliott dive into 'himself,' feeling him probe and examine his injuries. Even though it was his body and he'd always had an excellent sense of self and what his condition was like, it was only with Elliott's assistance that he could 'see' and feel everything that he could now, and mentally catalogued anything of note. This only took a couple of minutes, and Elliott withdrew from and closed the Link, looking both thoughtful and relieved.

"Currently, you are in no further danger, and though I could leave you as you are now, I would be dearly remiss in not doing my best to bring you to complete health in the near future." There was something that he hadn't mentioned in front of the others, and Lys knew what it was, keeping quiet about it himself. They didn't need to know just yet.

"Works for me. Looks like she managed to go exactly between my ribs so I don't have bone shards scattered about, but that collapsed lung scared the shit out of me." Sam dropped his empty beer bottle at this news and gave him the same horrified stare that everyone else wore.

"You're kidding. You really..."

"Yeah, you heard how funny I was breathing? She nicked a few vitals going in and outright punctured a lung. Patching that was the first thing he had to do, as well as keep me from drowning in my own blood at the same time from all of the internal hemorrhaging. Shit, it's like a nightmarish combo of the last two times I nearly died." Despite his attempt at a dismissive laugh, Lys's hands began to shake as he felt himself gripped by terror of all of those memories combined, and his pulse raced again as for the second time that day he could feel the onset of another panic attack. Elliott pulled him over into a hug, and Sebastian squeezed his wrist in solidarity. He regained control of himself a bit more quickly that time, taking a deep breath and an even longer pull on his cigarette. Abigail stood up and walked around to look at him a bit more closely, her hands in her pockets.

"So, when Elliott goes back to work on you again, you gonna have him fix your scars, too, or...?" Thinking quietly, Lys examined his left wrist and hand, the cigarette held loosely between his lips as he ran his other thumb down the fresh scar on his chest.

"No. The ones from when I... When... Shit, still can't admit it to myself even after all this time." He ran a hand through his tousled, loose hair and sighed. "The ones from when I tried to kill myself are part of me now. They're a reminder of not only what I did but how I survived, and how I changed. Same for the one on my hand, your knife cut clean but still left a bit of a mark. That's a reminder of how not to be an idiot." Opening his hand completely, he showed Abigail the thin line that bisected his palm but wouldn't have been noticed had he not pointed it out. "As for the one that I got yesterday... No, I'm keeping them all. The internal scar tissue needs to be mended, but the ones on the outside? They're proof of just how damn hard I am to kill and how I'm going to keep on fighting. Besides, like I said last year, it's kinda nice to finally have one that isn't self-inflicted." Putting the empty bottle under the bench so it wouldn't get knocked around or broken, Sam stood up and got Sebastian's attention.

"Hey, I wanna try a thing, need your help, be right back." Without further explanation he disappeared in a swirl of light, reappearing seconds later holding his skateboard. He fished into the pocket of his denim jacket and put on a pair of bluetooth sport headphones, tossing the jacket onto the porch. "Lys, mind if I borrow your yard to try some moves? I've got a bit of energy to burn and it's awesome outside."

"Sure thing. Just as long as you put it back the way you found it." The long bond of friendship told Sebastian exactly what his friend had in mind, and he chuckled and shook his head as he merged his mind and mana with the earth in front of the house. With a flick of his fingers as he took another drag from his cigarette, he formed a half-pipe skateboard ramp out of hardened earth for his enthusiastic companion.

"Hell! Yes! Skate park on demand! Time for some sick tricks!" For nearly half an hour Sam amused both himself and his companions as he practiced, and Sebastian formed new terrain for him to tinker with at his behest. Several times he fell and should have done so painfully, but he'd picked up the ability to blink-teleport a short distance away, usually a bit higher up, so that he could redirect his energy in the right direction or land properly. Though he was interested in his friend's antics, Lys became withdrawn as his thoughts again turned inward. Alex noticed it the same time that Elliott did, and he left Haley's side to sit at his cousin's. Also picking up on the downcast vibe, Sam halted his practice for a bit and flopped down on the ground near everyone else as Alex ruffled Lys's hair.

"Hey, you're looking distracted. Things okay in there?"

"Mm? I... Just that dream earlier. It's nothing."

"That one today and the other you had yesterday in the mines... I didn't know you were prone to nightmares."

"I'm not, or, well, at least, I didn't used to be..." Sighing again, Lys held the stub of his cigarette in his palm and slowly incinerated it with his power, watching it change colors as it burned to ash. "I never had a problem with bad dreams growing up. To be honest, up until university, I was a bit of an airhead. I just...did things, and went about my way. I trusted that things would eventually work out and never really worried about anything. Then I had that incident with Allen and... I had trouble sleeping the next couple of weeks because I kept reliving that moment over and over again. It went away when I came out here, and I was okay for a while, funny enough, up until Elliott and I hooked up." He let the small pile of ash trickle off of his palm and gently dusted off his hands.

"It was the same thing again, and it got worse after the next incident on the docks at the jellyfish migration. Between those two nightmares I was at my nerves' and wits' end, and it led up to our fight at the community center that day. Even stranger was that after Elliott and I...became intimate, the nightmares shifted. It was no longer about myself, I now dreamt of losing him and others. I've not had bad dreams since Allen and I made up over the winter, but now I can feel that darkness tugging at my mind again. Deep down I'm terrified that I won't be able to protect everyone, that I'll lose everyone and everything because I wasn't brave and strong enough." Sagging and leaning into Elliott again, he felt tired again. "I'm such a damn coward."

"Bullshit," offered Sebastian, handing him a beer, ignoring the look of challenge that Lys gave him, "do you know what the definition of bravery is?" Lys shook his head and took a drink. "It's doing something even though you're scared. Did nearly dying wipe your memory of yesterday? You were completely terrified in the mines and you still pressed on. Even before your nightmare nap I could tell that you were uneasy, but you kept it to yourself and kept going. And don't give me that 'but I only' or whatever crap you're gonna say is going to be, yeah, I gave you something to think about and latch on to that was something other than the oppressive, crushing darkness, but you are the one that still chose to stand up and keep going. And by the light, you should have been paralyzed with fear waking up like you did in that freezer, but you know what I saw when I jumped in? Confidence. Arrogance. You were badly hurt, completely restrained, held at swordpoint, and nearly out of mana, and yet you still had a grin like it was all a minor inconvenience, like she was the one in a trap. You are weird."

"Heh, yeah. I guess I am. And I wasn't bothered, I was annoyed when I realized what was going on. More than anything else I was embarrassed because I felt like I was the helpless princess that the prince has to go and rescue, and all she can do is sit there and look pretty. That almost hurt worse than getting stabbed. Although..." He took another drink and frowned. "The Echo said something weird, and I need to run it by Ras as soon as he and the others get here. It's not got me worried, that's not the right word for it, but... I think I'm being targeted specifically, and I need to know why." Elliott's eyes went wide with concern, and Lys squeezed his hand, flashing him a soft smile of reassurance.

"You're certain that you are a direct part of their plans? What was it that was said?"

"Verbatim? That he would 'wipe my bloodline from this world.' Further, he specifically wanted Ras to know about it. And he also wanted to try to turn me into one of those 'Reclaimed' guys, so it's a good thing I woke up when I did. I just... What the hell did I do to warrant that sort of thing? Or someone in my family? This sounds like a grudge that's gotten twisted over time. I mean, what, did Ras or one of my ancestors shag his sister or something? Muh, speculating won't get anywhere. Where the hell are they, anyway?" He finished his beer and handed the empty bottle to Elliott, who collected up the rest and brought them inside. Getting annoyed and frustrated, Lys stood up with the aid of the awning support, but still almost found himself doubled over and out of breath. This further exacerbated his irritation, compounded by the desire to punch or incinerate something but lacking the strength, mana, or target to do so. Glancing up at the sky, something clicked for him.

Power. Energy. Fire. This is MY element. I can feel it. I'm tired of passively drawing from my environment. It's time to draw it in myself.

Shrugging out of the robe, he dropped it carelessly on the porch and staggered out into full sunshine, dropping to one knee as a fit of dizziness overtook him. Alex nearly got up to assist him, but a snarl of fury kept him back.

"What are you-"

"I'm tired of being weak and helpless. I'm tired of being tired. We could be set upon again at any time, and I can't just be sitting around taking my time to recuperate. I'm taking action, and I'm taking power." Opening his mind, he cast about, feeling for the threads of mana that connected him to the world and provided him with energy. Now that he focused, he could "see" them better, and saw that they were different; most were spider-silk thin and shimmered as such as they connected to him, and he recognized them as the threads of passive regeneration. But now that he actively looked, he could see thicker, brighter threads that were far fewer and did not connect to him directly, but he knew how they could. Reaching out, he grabbed several of those threads and connected them to himself, grinning in satisfaction as he felt the warm rush of power.

Yes, there it is again. Why the hell did Rasmodius never tell us how to do this sooner? I could have done so much more.

The multiple threads were a bit too much for him to handle at the moment in his weakened state, but another flash of insight told and taught him how to "braid" the strands into a single cable, all funneling their energy to him as one. Sam watched him with a birdlike air, head tilted to one side.

"He's weirder than usual today. Though if he starts sparkling I'm'a look for a bit of sharpened wood to stake his ass with, even if Elliott would bitch about healing him." Lys's somewhat dangerous smile interrupted him, and Elliott returned outside to see him stand up completely under his own power, stretch languidly, and channel a quick flame on his palm.

"A little better. But not completely." With a thought, he shifted up to his Empowered state and laughed with delight. "Much better! It was quite unpleasant being without-" He gasped as his armor and weapons faded, leaving him as he was before, and collapsing from the dizzying sensation of sudden mana drain. Sam and Elliott rushed to his side, pausing when he growled and pushed himself to his knees. "Damn it, DAMN IT!! I... I had it again, that power, I was strong again. That just means I need to try again." Gritting his teeth, he opened his mind again, but the connection broke as Elliott dropped down to his level and wrapped him tightly in a hug.

"Dearest, stop, please. I know what you are doing and why, and I understand your frustration, but right now you cannot."

"I will not-"

"No, you won't. Stop. You have figured out how to actively regenerate from your surroundings. That is brilliant. But even though you can replenish your power on a whim your body cannot yet support it. The vessel that holds your power is damaged and must heal before it can contain the energies that you desire to wield."

"Then Link up and heal me again. I've got the mana for it and-"

"No! Listen to me." Lys felt Elliott's fingers dig into his back and knot in his hair, as well as the sudden tension in his shoulders. "Dear, you need to rest. Time is the currency in which your injuries must pay their debts, and no amount of magic or medicine will alter that. I..." His words were too quiet for anyone else to hear. "I nearly lost you once more yesterday. Let me be the one to protect and support you, even for a short while." Lys was silent, but Elliott heard what was not spoken; it was not a sulk, it was assent. Elliott hugged him again before he stood and offered a hand, and Lys accepted it, though they both knew that he was capable of it on his own now. As they did so there was a quadruple swirl of light as the old Chosen teleported in, with Linus carrying a small stack of papers. Rasmodius shot Lys a look of surprise.

"You are awfully spry for one who nearly perished not a day previously." Shrugging, Lys gave him a grin of amusement as he put the robe back on but left it untied.

"Well, I am a bit off-kilter, but even phoenix hatchlings are a little unsteady at first."

 

//Well, nine hour drives may be LONG but they're great for creativity. I was able to plan out and figure out the details of this chapter on the road, even though I didn't have the opportunity to type it out until I got here. And the barracks have decent wi-fi, too, so tonight's update is on time, and I'll be able to take care of Monday's as well. Woo-hoo!

I hope you all enjoy these characters as much as I did in creating them; I had such a massive burst of inspiration on the way and was really able to flesh out the details. But holy CRAP, I'm going all Wheel of Time with all of this mythology and background characters. Is it weird that I'm going into this much effort for a story that's only tangenitally related to the game? I'm not sure anymore...//

Sebastian returned the yard to its original state as everyone filed back indoors to take up seats or stand wherever possible, as while they had a few chairs and the couch, they hadn't ever quite anticipated this number of guests at once. Linus set the stack of papers on the table and Sam took the top sheet, which was a charcoal drawing of a tall, muscular woman in heavy plate armor, her light colored hair tied back in a long, thick braid. A broad smile split a rounded face with an equally broad nose, and one would find themselves describing her as "handsome" rather than "pretty." Abigail whistled, quite impressed.

"Dang, Linus, these look great. Chalks and charcoal are so much fun but make such a mess. Good job on keeping these clean."

"My thanks, young Wind, I have found that in my wilderness isolation the charcoal from my campfire was the easiest artistic medium to come by, and as such it is what I prefer, even though I have access to more modern materials."

"Who is she?" Sam asked, examining the picture, as everyone else took a page or looked over each other's shoulders. Rasmodius resumed his thoughtful pacing as he explained.

"The picture that you hold is of Birgitte, the third Chosen that we were unable to recover. She was a powerful warrior and fiercely protective of her companions. Always ready with a smile or a laugh to brighten the mood, she took great pride in being the protective older sister to the other Chosen. Which is why in the final battle she pushed herself beyond her limits and refused healing in order for The Water to keep everyone else alive, and her efforts saved all of their lives, as Umbra Volatus raged against her the entire battle, allowing the others to fight with impunity. But eventually her strength waned and she bade The Earth to cause a landslide at the cliff’s edge where they fought in order to drop the beast into the chasm below. Though her idea was successful, she was too weak to evade the dragon’s grasp, and it dragged her off of the edge as well." Elliott set his jaw with anger at the drawing of a woman of medium height with dark black hair tied back in a bun, wearing armor that was reminiscent of fencing gear.

"The woman of ice. Tell me about her." The cold edge in his voice was not lost on anyone, and he very nearly crumpled the drawing in his hand.

"Edelweiss, the fifth lost Chosen. A brilliant medic and talented fencer. She was calculating and precise, and though she appeared standoffish and stern to many, she was simply a woman of logic and careful thought. Most Water Chosen are proficient with water alone, but she was a master, or perhaps a mistress, of its solid state. Her extensive fencing background made her a force to be feared on the battlefield, and she and The Fire would often spar, out of mutual respect for each other's talents and elements. She wielded both blade and floating shards under her command with deadly skill, and in conjunction with The Wind was capable of forming a vortex of shards that would cut anything caught in it to ribbons. The killing blow against the dragon was both elegant and vicious; she froze the surface of the lake in the south of the Cindersap forest, and when the beast dove at her, she shattered the lake and pierced it with a thousand shards of ice. It plunged into the waters and she froze the surface after, which should have been the end of the battle, but it had just enough strength to break through the surface and grab her, pulling her into the watery depths below. In full honesty, when I saw the broken blade with which Lysander had been attacked, I lost all hope for any chance of recovery." Lys rolled his eyes and grabbed the final page from the stack.

"Thanks for your concern."

"You never saw her in action, boy, so you should count yourself extremely lucky that you only suffered the injuries that you did. She knew exactly how to strike to hurt, and how to kill. I can only surmise that either she desired your suffering or that she did not have the opportunity for a proper killing blow." Lys didn't respond to this, and Haley tapped the sheet that she held, its drawing of a shorter man with neatly cut hair to his shoulders, dressed in what appeared to be fine silks, in a style that was both stylish and that allowed for free and swift movement, with ankle-high boots and a bandanna with long tails.

"Looks like this guy was your lightning element. What about him?"

"The fourth to be lost, Nikolai. Charming and cheerful, he was a rogue and a scoundrel. Always smiling at and propositioning women but never following through, he always preferred the chase to the conquest. A notorious pickpocket and lockpicker, there was nothing that he couldn't get and nowhere he couldn't go. But despite all of that he was one of the bravest Chosen I've ever known, and valiantly kept Umbra Volatus focused upon himself when The Iron was felled by a swarm of smaller enemies. The others successfully fought them back and The Water got him back on his feet, but Nikolai's speed only kept him safe for so long; he had to be lucky several times, but Umbra had to be lucky once. Crushed beneath the dragon’s talons, he reached out to the storm that had raged around them and called down lightning with all of the power that he had left. For a moment the night became day and the world became nothing but sound, and when both faded there was nothing left."

Alex held a page with a tall, slim man, whose appearance brought to mind the word "fey," with long fair hair and armor that was similar to Abigail's; a light chain shirt over a clean long-sleeved one, with heavy trousers under a chain skirt, and the often-popular knee-high boots.

"So I guess this guy is our Wind. Hunh, he looks like an elf, that's kinda cool, actually."

"Anadlwyn. The second to be lost. The finest archer this land has ever seen. Sparing with words, he was often silent and introspective, but when the subject of literature was broached he was gregarious and verbose. He spent considerable time at the home of The Fire, studying and documenting the flora that grew there, both cultivated and wild. Most of the books at the library that speak of this valley were penned by him, as he was also an avid historian and delighted in gathering stories and tales from any who would offer them. He was not as strong a warrior as many other Chosen, but his attacks were precise and deadly, and he never missed a shot. When the dragon broke from The Iron and targeted him, he took to the skies to evade and return fire. However, The Wind is a strong, stable flier, not swift and maneuverable like The Fire. Loosing a powerful volley that blinded the dragon, he very nearly escaped, but by chance and perhaps other senses, the beast lunged and seized him in its jaws. With no other recourse, he summoned powerful winds to buffet and knock it out of the sky, and they crashed deep into the forest.” Lys was staring at the last page, and everyone knew who it was. Sparing him a glance of sympathy, Rasmodius cleared his throat before continuing.

“Finally, the sixth and last, Leodegrance Regulus von Morgensonne.”

“Who was he?” Lys asked, and Rasmodius paused for thought, understanding the context.

“He was your great-grandfather.”

The drawing was of a tall, muscular man, whose thick, flowing hair and beard reminded one of a lion’s mane. The Morgensonne grin was obvious even in the charcoal sketch, and his attire was similar to what Lys had chosen, though there was something more…noble about it. Biting his lip as he felt the sting of tears, Lys set the drawing on the table but still stared at it, taking in every detail.

“He preferred to go by ‘Leo,’ didn’t he?”

“You are correct. He was a large, bombastic man with a regal bearing, and even those who had been lifelong friends of him would swear that he was a lost king. So much to the point that The Iron, an accomplished gold- and silversmith, fashioned a crown for him out of respect and friendship.” Sebastian cocked his head to the side, remembering something.

“Hey, that crown… Did it have laurel leaves and a lion’s head?” Four matching expressions of shock were his confirmation, and he disappeared for half a minute, returning with a somewhat battered yet dignified crown of gold. Laurel leaves met at and framed a roaring lion’s head in the center, both simple yet distinctive.

“I found it, what, over fifteen, nearly twenty years ago when playing by the lake. It was a little dirty and dented, but I cleaned it up and tried to fix what I could without breaking it. I never told anyone about it, but weird as it is, this inspired me to look into fantasy games and books. Lys, I… I think this technically belongs to you now.” Lys hesitated, half-reaching for it.

“But you found it.”

“And it’s your family heirloom. Not like I can use or wear it anywhere anyway, right?” Once more Lys hesitated, then accepted the item, surprised at its weight. He examined it silently as Rasmodius continued.

“Though he was a large man he was never intimidating, unless the situation called for it, and even then it was dire. He had a deep bellow of a laugh that never failed to inspire laughter in others, and he used it freely. Easily the most physically strong of any Chosen, he still had the gentlest touch when the situation called for it, and everyone felt safe and protected when in his presence. All were friends and family in his home, and visitors were plied with good food and drink until they could no longer stand. All that he asked in return was their companionship and perhaps a story. He was not a musical man, which was rare in the Morgensonne line, but he was fond of and had a knack for spontaneous acts of poetry, particularly after a few mugs of whatever libation he had imbibed.

“But the king was dethroned in battle when Umbra Volatus struck down The Iron with a fatal blow. With a roar of victory, the dragon attempted to fly off to attack from above, but Leo grabbed it by the tail and held on, dragged into the sky with it. Undaunted by the dragon’s attempts to shake him off, he climbed up the beast’s tail to its back, and with all of the fire that he could muster consumed Umbra completely in a cloak of searing flame. The dragon’s wings were nearly destroyed, and they fell like a meteor. Leo could have leapt free and flown to safety, but that would have allowed dragon to do the same. He held on to its shattered wings, forcing it into a dive, laughing like a madman the entire way, and they plunged deep into the heart of the mountain lake.”

The crown fell from Lys’s hands as he put his face in them, unable to hold back tears any longer.

“I never wanted to be a hero, I always wanted to support and defend one. Despite that I took up the call when the Junimos Activated us, even after learning of the danger. I could deal with that, I want to protect others. But now I have to fight an ancestor that I never knew, and yesterday I found out that my family is being targeted. Why? Four days ago everything was normal, and now I’ve found out that this 'Echo' person want to use me to get back at Rasmodius. What did you do, and why the hell is it my problem?” There was a momentary look of guilt that the wizard was unable to hide, and Lys’s inward pain became outward anger.

“You know something. There’s something that you know that you didn’t tell us about.”

“It was not important at the time, and we did not-“

“The HELL it isn’t!” Lys shouted, standing up and slamming the table with his fist, causing everyone to jump, “your damn secrets nearly got me killed. What are you hiding?”

“We all have secrets and for our own reasons. There was no reason for-“

“DAMN your bloody secrets, old man, I want answers now.” A sword of flickering flames appeared in Lys’s hand, and Rasmodius glared at him.

“You dare channel at me, boy?”

“This takes focus and power, and therefore is keeping me from breaking my fist upon your face. My patience wears thin, explain yourself or I will have difficulty in holding myself back.” Marlon attempted to talk to Rasmodius at the same time that Elliott tried to soothe Lys, but both of them were rebuffed.

"Do not shout at me, I will have none of it.”

“And I will have no more of your evasions.”

“Impudent little boy!” Rasmodius spat.

“Insufferable old man!” Lys roared.

“I have suffered enough and that is all that you need to know!”

“And I have not?! What the hell is so damn important to you that you’d put your secrets over my life?!”

“I am only doing what I must in order to protect this valley and the last of my children!” Rasmodius snarled, a halo of fire forming around his clenched fist. The room went completely silent and Lys released the blade of flame. As soon as he spoke the words and channeled the mana, Rasmodius realized what he had done and sagged, defeated. Marlon put a hand on his shoulder in support, saying nothing. It took Lys a couple of tries to form words, as his mind was a jumble of confused thoughts, latching onto a random one.

“…You said that that color was magic…” Sighing, Rasmodius removed his hat and ran a hand slowly through his hair. As he did so, the enchantment rippled and faded, replacing the deep purple with a very familiar shade of copper-red, though it was streaked with white, with wings at the temples. His eyes were now hazel, and very sad and old. Still poleaxed by the discovery, Lys continued to chase his current thread of thought. “But…why violet?”

“…It was her favorite color…”

//Well, what did you THINK the "M" in "M. Rasmodius" stood for?

Also, I drew heavy inspiration for Leo from famed British actor Brian Blessed. If you have not seen any of his works you are truly missing out, and I urge you to fix that immediately. //

 

Well, I certainly did not see that comming!

 

: O

Holy heck, I love this. And that ending!

 

Muahahaha! I was really on the fence for the longest time because I didn't know if that "twist" would come off as contrived or unbelievable, but it's kinda important to the overall concept of this story and world. I'm fond of the "history repeats" and family legacy type of plots and story arcs, and this was too good of an opportunity to pass up. Besides, he DID say in-game that he's possibly related to someone...

 

//I promise to get back to the action soon, I really do, but I am having SO much fun developing these backstories, and at the same time I feel like such a doofus because I'm playing fast and loose with the history of the game and estabished characters. *Flails around.* Also, I'm amusing the hell out of myself with all of this clever dialogue and names with hidden/extra meanings because yessssss, I love that sort of thing.

Post is going up early today 'cause I've got a nine hour drive back home and it was a LONG but good weekend. (It's pretty awesome when you encounter a Star Wars Imperial officer applying her eyeliner in the restroom and you give each other props on each other's uniform. ) I had other commentary but I'm tired off of my ass and I just wanna post this without any errors or shenanigans, as posting from the tablet is still a bit wonky...//

Dropping his hat on the floor, Rasmodius’s gaze likewise fell in that direction, lost in memory as he pulled out the ancient pocketwatch and opened it to the portrait inside. He gazed at it for a moment before passing it to Haley, and she in turn handed it around to everyone else.

“Her name was Violette Soirlune.” The way he said her name was unusually musical, and one could hear the love he still felt for her as a sad smile flickered across his lips for the blink of an eye. “She was one of the most charming, brilliant women I’ve ever known, and some days I still wonder what it was that she saw in me.” Lys was the last to receive the watch, and the picture within was of a woman in her late twenties, possibly early thirties, but it was difficult to tell, as the creases at the corners of her deep blue eyes hinted at someone perpetually young at heart. Dark black tresses fell in waves past her shoulders, framing a face that looked as though it had been carefully sculpted; firm, fine, aristocratic lines that were defined without being sharp, and a petite nose above lips that seemed to perpetually be smiling.

“Her laugh was like music and every movement was a dance. I see so much of her in you, Lysander, and I find it strange yet comforting to see her memory alive while bearing the markings of my lineage.” Nearly dropping the watch as well, he gaped at Rasmodius.

“Wait, she’s my…”

“I have almost lost count of the generations that separate us, but yes, she and I are responsible for your family line.”

“Our family line,” Lys corrected, finally able to find a smile, and Rasmodius echoed it.

“You are correct. But she was responsible for all of the good qualities of our descendants. Your song is the one that she wrote for our son, and she sang it to him every night. It has been passed down ever since, and I dare say that it’s very nearly a part of your- our line as much as this color is. It has changed lyrics and the method in which it has been performed over the years, but at its root, it is unchanged.” Chuckling, Lys picked up the crown and regarded it thoughtfully before setting it on the table.

“You were right, Alex, my song really is an heirloom. So what happened? Why does Morris- Maurice- hate us so badly?”

“He did not at first. Rather, he was a good friend and companion. We had met when I traveled to this town, before it was even a proper town, just a village. Long ago when I was young, much like you, I had set out on my own to make my fortune and way in life, and ended up here. With hard work and help from other villagers I was able to build a modest home and begin my own farm. Maurice’s family were merchants in the village, and I got to know him as I purchased and sold goods and supplies. And then one day I met her… She came to my farm to bring some goods that I had requested but had not yet arrived, as Maurice, her brother, was busy with other business. I was smitten instantly, but said nothing, assuming that a prosperous merchant’s daughter would have nothing to do with a lowly farmer. For reasons I shall never know she was also intrigued, and I shall never forget that moment,” Rasmodius smiled, and one could see the warmth of the memory as well as the pain of its distance.

“She asked me my name, and I was tongue-tied, unable to answer. Without thinking I offered her one of the flowers I had been gathering, one of the violets that grew wild in the area that I had hoped to replant and cultivate. She laughed, and it was like the sound that light would make as entered an open window, for that is what I felt deep in my soul. ‘How did you know?’ she asked, and I confessed that I knew nothing. ‘I am Violette,’ she said, and once more I was without words, barely able to form the sounds of my own name. Her smile was like the warmth of a sunset on a summer evening. I finally remembered how to speak, and we conversed for hours. She returned again the next day, having found some pretense to visit, and I was delighted at the opportunity. This continued for a week, until Maurice found out about our dalliances. I was concerned that he and his family would disapprove of us associating with each other, but they approved of my work ethic and the quality of the produce and flora that I grew. The three of us quickly grew to be dear companions, and when I mentioned after several months to Maurice that I had considered asking her parents for her hand, he said that he would be honored to call me ‘brother.’” Rasmodius continued to wear his distant look as he replayed memories that were older than any of them had expected. Marlon, Gil, and Linus listened as well, remembering the events from their own perspectives, nodding along, and also wearing expressions of nostalgic warmth.

“I had also made strong friendships with others in the village; Marlon Smith, Linus Fletcher, and Gil Potter, working the professions from whence their names originated. Klaus Gewitter was son of the family who operated the tavern, and as the rest of us congregated there routinely to socialize, we became friends with him as well. Once I felt that I had amassed enough wealth in order to properly provide for a family, I proposed to Violette. …She accepted, and it is a moment that I will carry with me to the end of my days, even should the rest of my mind and senses fail me. We were wed shortly, in a festival the likes of which the village had never seen, and I do not think I saw her stop smiling the entire time. Later that year our son, Philippe, was born, and I had never been happier. Maurice was elated, and the time that he did not spend managing the shop was spent at the farm watching and playing with his nephew. It seemed as if those days would never end, and we lived life to its fullest, enjoying each other’s company and building better lives for ourselves and improving the village. And then we were Activated…” His voice trailed off and he sighed, closing his eyes, and sagging further under the weight of memory. Marlon again provided a supportive hand on his shoulder, and Elliott approached him with a glass of wine, having opened the bottle that Haley had brought as well as another from their cabinet, pouring a glass for everyone.

“Take a moment to compose yourself. It appears that this tale’s ending is one of sorrow and pain, and though it is fermented and not a liquor, perhaps wine and not spirits are the ones that will lift yours. In vino veritas, as it is said.” Taking the glass, Rasmodius chuckled and took a sip.

“And the truth will set you free. One day we were all gathered at the farm, but none of us knew why, we were simply drawn there. Without warning, we all felt a strange surge of power, and not quite enlightenment, but understanding and access to greater knowledge. Then they appeared before us, the Junimos. Somehow they communicated to us their intentions, and though my connection to the land gave me a better grasp of their language, I was hardly fluent. We were incredulous, unable to believe what we heard, but Violette, so clever and full of life, reached out to the pond and called the water to herself. She danced with it, weaving and flowing, completely in tune and harmony with her element. All of us reached out and drew upon our powers, and as we did so, the Junimos explained how to Awaken ourselves, presenting us with the blank glass shards that I later learned to create for future Chosen. Marlon became The Iron, Gil The Earth, Linus The Wind, Klaus The Lightning, Violette The Water, Maurice The Voice, and I The Fire. At first we were apprehensive and worried, but swiftly we became enthusiastic, bolstering and encouraging each other, working as a true team. Later, our first encounter with lesser beasts of Shadow left us confident in ourselves and each other, and subsequent victories left us certain of eventual triumph. Such hubris…” He swirled the wine in the glass for a moment before taking another sip, steeling himself for the next part of the story.

“One day Philippe was with his grandparents so that Violette, Maurice, and I could have a day out together. I had plaited a crown of violets for her. As I finished it and placed it atop her raven locks the sky suddenly grew dark. Death flew swiftly and silently on wings of deepest ebony as Umbra Volatus struck without warning. Maurice knocked Violette and I out of the way, suffering a dire wound for his efforts. Without hesitation he called the rest of us to him, and this cost him his life; already staggered and injured, he was unable to both contact our brethren and evade the dragon’s talons. He fell and didn’t move again. We engaged the beast with all of our power and fury, but without our Voice to guide and connect us, we were weaker and uncoordinated. Klaus was the second to perish, tripped up by a lucky tail swipe that allowed it to seize him in powerful jaws, crushing him mercilessly. The rest of us frantically tried to distract it so that Violette could heal Klaus, but it only worked until she was focused upon her task and helpless to defend herself. She was also knocked aside, and…” He almost dropped the empty glass, then nearly shattered it in his grip as he tried to compose himself.

“It pinned her to the earth, its fearsome talons gouging deep into her flesh. Bravely, she demanded that we fight on, calling the contents of the pond to herself as she had that first day, using it to freeze the winged beast of shadow in place, preventing it from evading, defending, or attacking. I begged her to release him so that she could likewise escape and heal herself but she refused, imploring us to battle on. We fought with everything that he had left, hoping to destroy it in time for Violette to have the strength and power to heal her wounds. We were too slow, too weak… Marlon finally slew it, severing its head with one final strike from his sword, and Violette recalled her power. The dragon collapsed to the ground, slowly evaporating in twisted wisps of shadow. I ran to her, and…” He was silent again, and everyone waited patiently for him to continue. “I held her in my arms as she faded away. I was helpless to aid her, having no medical knowledge, and even then, only magic could have treated her injuries in that state. She smiled at me one last time, caressing my cheek. ‘Je t’aime, ma chérie.’ I had promised to protect both her and her brother and I had failed them both.” He tried to continue a couple of times but shook his head, caught up in grief and guilt. Marlon handed the empty glass to Elliott to refill as he took a sip from his own, continuing where his companion had left off.

“Nobody in the village had heard the fight nor knew about our abilities, and we couldn’t very well tell them what had really happened. A story was concocted about a wild animal attack, and though the villagers were devastated by the news the truth was never learned. Young Philippe grew up assuming that his mother and uncle had been killed by creatures from the forest, though he had no idea how close and how far that was from the truth. We grew old as we watched our families grow and have families of their own. Philippe married and had a son as well, and we all thought that the danger had passed, that we had destroyed the monster for good and that the sacrifices of our loved ones had meant something. More years passed and Rasmodius became a great-grandfather, and like his son and grandson, the fiery hair and personality showed strongly in the next generation. But peace was not to last, as all of our grandchildren were Activated one day. Knowing what they would face, we revealed our past and offered our knowledge. It was…not well received.” Rasmodius had composed himself, tracing a finger slowly around the rim of his glass.

“Philippe was furious, demanding to know why we had lied to him about the fate of his mother and uncle, but his son assuaged him, understanding the burden that we had borne and explaining it from his point of view. Philippe still did not like the situation, but there was nothing that he could do to change it, and so he did his best to support his son even though he did not completely understand what was happening. We trained them with all of the knowledge and skill that we possessed, hoping that they would surpass us and be the ones to be victorious in battle. Light help me, we tried… Like us they grew confident in each other and themselves. In their final battle we were unable to assist, as while we still had some abilities as Activated, we did not have the strength to fight and would only have been a liability. Once again Umbra Volatus took its payment in blood and souls, taking Gil’s and my grandsons, and his was never recovered.” Sebastian grew rather pale and gripped his glass in both hands.

“You mean, the guy that I… In the mines, that was…” Gil looked away and didn’t answer immediately.

“You didn’t know. And until you brought his body back to us, we had thought him lost ages ago. What you did was a mercy to his soul and a weight off of my mind. I now understand how the swarm from the mines was able to bypass our detection earlier this week; I had taught him how to use waypoints, as well as how to borrow and utilize my own.”

“As for Philippe… I devastated to lose another loved one to this beast, and in our grief we were irrational and hotheaded. All of you are familiar with Lysander’s moods, and as such can imagine the altercation that erupted from two of us coming to verbal blows. Things were said, words that could never be taken back, spoken in anger and pain. I do not know if he ever came to regret that moment or if he took his anger to his grave, as I left that day, disappearing into the forest. I fully expected and planned to die there, having nothing left to live for, but my friends tracked me down, hoping to bring me back. I refused, and after much discussion it was decided that we needed to disappear, to fade from memory. The dragon would appear again, we knew it, and the Junimos knew not when it would happen, only that it would. We made a pact with them; extend our lives and we would train and mentor the next generations of Chosen, in the hope that not only would they survive their ordeal, but that perhaps someday they would break the cycle of death.” Finishing his wine again, he returned the glass to Elliott but refused another refill.

“Ever since then we have been distant watchers and guardians, dedicated to tracking and monitoring the movement of the Shadows, and when their numbers spill over and their power becomes great enough to summon the dragon, we seek out the Chosen and set them on their path. We never spoke of our past, and we never sought to reconnect with what was left of our families. Marlon’s line ended when Birgitte fell, and Linus’s when Anadlwyn perished. Gil’s grandson was the last of his blood, and though my line remained small it burned brightly. Even so, I did not attempt to make a connection with any of the Fire Chosen. Why should I? Why would I expose them to the pain and sadness that I had experienced, assuming that they would believe me? Would they even be willing to open that line of communication anyway? Regardless, it was already difficult enough to watch from a distance as my descendants were born, grew, had children of their own, and passed away. To form a bond only to see them die after making that emotional connection… No, it was best for me and my memory to fade into the past and be forgotten. After my grandson was killed I created the enchantment to change the color of my hair and eyes, knowing that my true color was too familiar, and to keep alive the memory of the one who made my life worth living. Dearest Violette, I would give anything to hear you, to hold you one last time…” Abruptly, he turned and walked outside, to the surprise of his companions. Marlon was about to follow when Lys put his empty glass on the table and strode toward the door, stepping into a pair of slip-on sandals that he kept by the door for quick jaunts outside.

“I’ll talk to him. I’m either the best or worst person for this, and I’m really not sure which. Besides, I’m the one that sparked this entire conversation, at the very least I need to apologize for opening old wounds that scarred over long ago.” Laughing in his throat, Marlon clapped him on the back, smiling sadly.

“You remind me so much of my friend when he was your age. And for that reason, you are both the best and worst person to talk to him right now.”

Lys had seen Rasmodius take a right turn after stepping off of the porch, and following that path he saw the wizard walking slowly past the mana tea plants, stopping to stare thoughtfully at the stardrop tree that was already two feet tall and beginning to generate a woody trunk. Hearing Lys’s approach, he sighed and shook his head.

“If you still want to take that swing at me you’re free to do so. I never wanted to lie or deceive, and it was partially due to vanity and selfishness that we kept our past hidden, but-“ He was interrupted as Lys put his arms around the wizard’s shoulders and hugged him protectively, being slightly taller.

“You have suffered for several lifetimes in order to protect everyone that’s ever lived here. I don’t know how, but I’ll find a way to fix it and make things right. I’ll find a way to end this, so that you never have to go through this ever again. I’m sorry for shouting at you, that was rude of me, regardless of results or intentions. And…I hope that I will be as strong as you are. I’m still so terrified of losing everyone and I’ve nearly hurt them all because of it. I’m not brave enough, not yet, but I'll still make sure everyone comes home safe, I promise.” Almost as if he had forgotten how to do so, Rasmodius slowly returned the hug, feeling both warmth and pain from the form of physical contact he’d not felt in so long.

“Such nobility and honor. Her blood runs strong through you after all of these generations.”

“Oy, give yourself some credit,” Lys smiled, cuffing him in the shoulder, “you’ve got good qualities that got passed along as well. I’m stubborn and volatile, but that also means that I’m going to fight as hard as I can to look out for those I love, and I’m pretty sure that you’re responsible for that.”

“Just… Be more cautious in the future. Thrice I have despaired that I had lost you for good, and I do not think I can take the news of a fourth incident, even if you do escape death once more.”

“…Sorry that I’m going to be the last one. I’m bi, but I met Elliott, and…”

“Do not concern yourself. He is a remarkable and brilliant man, and I understand your devotion to him. You are happy and content, and that is all that I can ask for my children. Win this battle against the dragon and live a long life with him, with no regrets or anything left undone. Do what I could not.” Lys hugged him again, this time warmly.

“I’ll make you proud, granddad.”

“You already have.”

 

...I have a problem. Long drives are good for creativity. As such I pulled up my power mix playlist and looped the hell out of it while on my way back and began to spin up Wednesday's update. At some point I got a bit distracted thinking about something else and...

I HAVE AN IDEA FOR A THIRD BOOK, WHAT THE HELL RISU. It's R&S1 as told from Elliott's perspective, and I already have a subtitle for it: A Different Perspective. It's clever because it's told from his point of view, and he left home for Pelican Town for a change of scenery. And I just... WHO CARES, we already saw everything in R&S1, is it really necessary to rehash it from someone else's side? Besides, I'm still knee-deep in Vox Arcana as it is. This is what insanity feels like, isn't it? *Throws stack of papers in the air and flops on the floor, lying in angry silence as papers flutter down.*

Edit: I'm stressed and tired off of my ass and haven't been to bed yet, so I forgot to mention that I have at least SIX CHAPTERS already blocked out. *Continues to lie silently and angrily among scattered papers.*

 

//A slightly shorter chapter today to close out some loose ends. We'll pick things up with interesting things again on Friday. ...And if anyone IS interested in that third book, well, let me know. It's little more than an amusing distraction right now and a thought exercise, but it could further develop the world and motivations. Or it could just be a repackaging of the same old thing. I don't know. //

Lys turned to return to the house and staggered, but smiled in thanks as Rasmodius reached out to support him.

"If I'm not in better shape tomorrow I'm going to be annoyed. Half a moment, I'm still short on mana, let me regen really fast and we'll head back." Opening his mind again, he checked the passive threads that connected to himself and noted with satisfaction that he was drawing from them properly. He reached out to the thick threads of power and carefully connected to them, drawing actively but trying not to overload himself. Rasmodius was genuinely surprised, and yet not at the same time.

"That was something that I had planned to teach all of you in your next training session, but it seems that you have already figured it out. For what it's worth I am glad that you have. Your injuries and total drain of your mana yesterday have put you under greater strain than you should ever have had to deal with at once, and that you are not only walking but able to channel at all is reassuring."

"It's not helping much that I think the stardrop tree is pulling from me to grow, too, I can see threads from me to it, and while I'm happy to see it flourishing, this really isn't the time. Ah well, I'm alive enough to complain, so I guess I can't really complain."

Elliott sighed with relief as Lys and Rasmodius returned, the latter assisting the former to a chair at the table. Bouncing to his feet, Sam loped over to give Lys a hug.

"As fun as today was, I gotta get going. Dinner's soon and I hafta get a few things ready before tomorrow. Uh, dang, I just remembered that I work tomorrow... That's either gonna be awkward or dangerous and I'm really not sure which. But I don't think he really got a good look at any of us except for Lys, so it might not be so bad. I dunno."

"Y'know, I was thinking the same thing," Abigail piped up, "Lys and Elliott are lucky enough to live on their own, but we've all gotta work around families and work schedules. It's gonna be difficult to do this stuff and still keep it secret. As for work tomorrow, well, shout if something goes crazy, but otherwise just act normal. Well, as normal as YOU can be." Sam stuck his tongue out at her and hugged Lys again before grabbing his backpack and skateboard.

"Time to bounce, thanks for the food, Elliott, Lys is so lucky. Catch you all later, here's hoping that things go okay for the gig this week." He promptly vanished, and everyone else stood up to stretch and gather their belongings as well.

"I should get going too, I still need to finish a few last lines of code for a project so I can send it off tonight."

"And I'm having dinner with Alex's grandparents, and they eat so early. Hugs, sweetie, glad you're feeling better."

Once everyone else had disappeared the kitchen was occupied by the old Chosen, Lys, and Elliott, who had just checked the soup on the stove.

"There is still enough for everyone else, could I invite you all to stay? There is also enough of that lovely bread that Abigail brought over to bulk out the rest of the meal, so do not be shy about asking for seconds." Rasmodius was about to refuse when Marlon slapped him roughly and strongly on the back.

"We've gotta get back ourselves to check on some stuff, but Ras has nothing but spare time tonight. You three get better acquainted and have a nice evening. My thanks for your generous hospitality, misters von Morgensonne, I look forward to dropping in again later." He, Gil, and Linus vanished, leaving the red-haired wizard to give the empty space they departed an annoyed look.

"It is a pleasant offer, but I do not wish to intrude upon your home and time." Elliott took his hand in both of his and smiled warmly.

"Please do stay a while longer. He is alive thanks to your quick thinking and generous gift of life yesterday, and I am delighted at the prospect of getting to know more of his family. Let me repay your efforts with a meal and drink, as well as good company." Unable to refuse the kind and heartfelt offer, Rasmodius nodded and took a chair, looking rather confused as to what his role in the evening entailed. Lys got up again to get something but was stopped by his husband.

"Dear, sit and entertain our guest. I will take care of everything."

"It will go faster if I-" Elliott put an arm around his waist, pulling him close, tilting up his chin with gentle fingers.

"My dearest, be seated, be comfortable. Allow me to play the role of the dedicated host. You are not weak, but you are recovering from dire wounds that took all of my skill to repair. Take this opportunity to be pleasantly selfish and let me do all of the work. And it will go much faster if you do not argue with me."

Sighing and trying to pout, Lys couldn't help the flicker of a smile turn up the corners of his mouth, and Elliott really did try to not let his kiss linger too long so that he wouldn't make their guest uncomfortable, but they both did seem to need that contact, and Rasmodius seemed more amused than anything else. Lys sat down again, nearly dropping into it, and poured another glass of wine for them all as Elliott set out the bottle and glasses.

"So this was your home?" Lys asked, trying to slow down and eat slowly as Elliott set down a steaming bowl of soup.

"More or less. The house itself is different, it has been changed and rebuilt more times than I can count over the intervening years, but the location, the home, that remains the same. It has been long since I resided here yet I feel at peace."

"You are welcome to visit at any time," offered Elliott, "you are not only family, you are progenitor of his line, and have been a guardian of this land and its people of your own volition for generations."

"I... I shall have to take you up on your offer again. Thank you."

Conversation was slow to start, but as Rasmodius grew more comfortable in their company he gradually became more vocal and gregarious. Elliott had a knack for keeping a topic going or segueing to a new one, as well as making their guest feel welcome. For a few hours they socialized until Lys found himself yawning broadly and apologized for it. Rasmodius stood and retrieved his hat.

"Quite alright, it is growing late. I shall take my leave. Once more, I thank you for your gracious hospitality and excellent repast." He was about to put his hat back on but paused, thought, and ran a hand through his hair, re-enabling the enchantment. "I hope you do not find this offensive, but I've seen this color in the mirror for so long that it almost feels more natural. And her memory... Perhaps one day I will walk as I once was once more, but until I can make amends for what I have done..." Elliott nodded and helped Lys stand.

"It is understandable to mourn and seek to fix what was broken, but do not let it consume you."

"...I have something new to fight for and protect. Perhaps soon I will make peace with myself. I bid you both good night, rest well." He vanished in a swirl of light, and Elliott put an arm around Lys to help support him.

"It is not late, but it is also not a bad idea to retire-" Lys grabbed him by the collar, kissing him deeply and forcefully, but there was desperation in it as well. Elliott pushed him back and held him by the shoulders.

"Dear, there is something on your mind. I am not averse to pleasing you tonight, but first I must ascertain your needs." Retaining his grip on Elliott's shirt but shifting it a little, Lys leaned into him.

"I'm scared and cold. I'm still in pain and so empty. So much has happened in such a short time and I've learned of so many things. Family that I never knew existed, some of whom are not only out to kill me but use me against other family, as well as my friends. Right now I need to forget everything else, to lose myself in your touch. Tomorrow I can be brave again and face the world and our enemies, but for now I..." Elliott ran his fingers through Lys's hair and hugged him softly.

"I fully understand, and will do my best to assuage your concerns and ease your mind. I will give you all of my warmth and care, and keep you close and safe through the night."

"Thanks, love, I'm not trying to run away, just- Ah! Put me down, I can still walk!"

"For now."


Lys awoke as normal the next day, feeling much more like himself, and while he was still a little sore in places (though not due to Elliott), it was a minor irritation and one he dismissed shortly after rising. His puttering around to get dressed woke Elliott, and he apologized, hoping to let him rest further, but the offer was refused. Together they changed into work clothes to deal with the garden, as they'd let that set of chores slip the last couple of days. They took only enough time to have a quick cup of coffee and a bit of toast, as neither of them were fond of breakfast, and they had a lot to do that morning. It took longer than normal to harvest, replant, and care for everything, but everything eventually was dealt with sufficiently, and they returned to the house to clean themselves up and get something to eat.

The rest of the day was theirs, as the rest of the Chosen were busy with work or other tasks, but would meet the day after for one last bit of practice before their gig in Zuzu City. They took the time to take care of errands in town, visit with a few people, and have a walk in the early-summer warmth. Lys was no longer unsteady or tired, and seemed to grow stronger during their outing, pulling power from the town and the bright sun. Picking up a few things at Pierre's, they returned home in no hurry and began making dinner. Still not very good at cooking, Lys needed frequent help from Elliott, who was eager and happy to assist and share his knowledge. After living together this long, however, Elliott correctly pointed out that it was a lack of confidence, not ability, that was his greatest hindrance.

Not too long later they sat down to a meal that surprised Lys with its quality, and Elliott playfully gave him sass about his self-confidence and often lack thereof when it wasn't called for. After the fuss and bustle of the last few days they were content to enjoy a quiet meal together, and once the kitchen had been cleaned and everything put away they once again went to bed earlier than they normally did.

"We must be getting old, love, it's only just gotten dark out and we're already crashing out," Lys remarked, yawning deeply and getting tangled in his shirt at the same time.

"You continually over- and under-estimate yourself, my dear," smiled Elliott, unbuttoning his waistcoat and shirt and hanging them up, "you suffered a severe injury the other day that should normally leave one hospitalized for quite some time, and that and our battles consumed your mana and left you dangerously low."

"Everyone feels the need to remind me of that," Lys muttered, pulling free the ribbon that held his hair, "so I got hurt. You got me back up, time to move on." As he was about to remove his pants Elliott hugged him from behind, kissing his neck.

"This isn't a game, figuratively or literally. I did not cast a white magic spell that fixes everything, it was accelerated healing that consumed a great amount of resources from us both. I too am fatigued, and surely you must be feeling it more strongly. I apologize if it appears that I have focused too strongly and too often upon this point, but I..." Lys felt Elliott's hold tighten around him and heard the pain in his silence. "I thought that I had lost you. For a few moments I felt emptiness and despair the likes of which I had never before felt and never again want to experience. Forgive me for being obsessive and overprotective lately, but..." Lys turned in Elliott's hold to return the hug and brush aside a few stray wisps of hair.

"It's okay. I understand, and I'd probably do the same. Sorry if I was a bit flippant, I didn't mean to disparage your feelings on the matter. I'm alive and doing well all because of you. Well, and a little help from Ras, and Haley, and... Okay, everyone chipped in at least a bit. But you're the one who called me back when I had almost completely faded away. That's special. I don't know if I'd have responded to anyone else." There was relief in Elliott's kiss, and Lys felt his fingers tighten in his hair, holding him as close as possible. "C'mon, let's get some sleep. We've got practice tomorrow, and maybe things will be a bit more normal for a few days."