Glyphs, Nightmares, or Infested Frame (Witch)
Content Warnings:
Talk of murdering headmates, and magic ideas, and muppples!
We tap the Old Cunt’s needle against our left palm, half-glaring and half-considering the schema we have laid out across the tables before us. Both the dissection of the Glyphs that protect the Archives kept within the Gemstones on the blunt end of the needle, and my working option for the Witchification of a Doll.
Oh how this would just… ruin us if the Groves discovered even a fraction of what we were doing here. Xafra herself aside, the myriad of very illegal Combat Dolls ignored, and the Estate’s new Functions all kept hidden, and not even to mention Sikkina and her Sanctuary down below… This would start such a bloody conflict.
Lynette is… still seething, even after hours of good progress on our workings here.
At first I thought it was possessive wroth when Lynette told Xafra she needed to have a pointed word with Adaline at her Mistress' earliest convenience. But… no.
As I’ve worked to hide my emotions from her she’s done the same, and the little titters I managed to feel last night were… messy. Almost unfocused as she held her weeping Doll close and murmured soothing words while barely holding back hissing cruelties over the bond to Xafra.
But in the end she simply… requested they visit to go over the bones of our discoveries together in the morning, and when Xafra asked for clarifications Lynette told her to ask Adaline before pointedly ignoring us both for the next few hours and eventually carrying her Doll down to snuggle between us and Schatzi in our bed below. Only seemed to really calm when the little Doll agreed to let us seal it in our lower bedchambers when the Suns were about to weep. Totally calmed by its Mistress’ words and promises to keep it safe and protected for the Sky's 'cruel regard'.
Alerted to their movements by a wordless nudge from Lynette, I intone gently to Xafra as her and Adaline approach our Spire. {We’re in our uppermost study.}
Xafra and Adaline walk in holding hands, Xafra in her Doll form and Adaline wearing a mourning dress.
"Good afternoon." I greet softly and with what I hope is a considerate smile. "Thank you both for coming, and..."
A little intentional almost growl from Lynette catches the last words in my throat for a second. But... If I'm to let you use my lips I'm Cracked and Riven allowed to say what I feel about this.
She relents, and goes still.
"...Apologies. For last night." I finish. Then eye Adaline's dress as a touch of worry bubbles. "Did... Are all of the Dolls alright?"
"No apologies needed. We are having a... celebration of life for Caravel, the Doll that was lost to the Undercroft on my orders, later today. I am sorry for causing distress both now and last night. My attempt was to prevent such but... failed." Adaline responds, her voice calm but hollow and strained.
See? I nudge Lynette. This one was only trying to help your Doll. Keep her safe. Hers was an act of reckless ignorance of her triggers and traumas, nothing else.
Xafra nods. "Mmhm. Adaline told me what occurred and I made it clear to her that she should have spoken to Lynette first at the least, considering the Dolls fragile temperament. If there is something we can do to make up for the distress, please let us know."
Lynette intones steadily.
“We’ll… go over that. It’s relevant, actually. An innocent mistake, from my perspective. But…” I sigh and look down over the table of schema between us. “The little one isn’t mine. Lynette will spit her piece when she shares her thirds of all this.” I look back up to smile gently at Adaline. “You’ll have magic again, Dear One. And… options even. Three new Arts to master and study and… and refine. If you fancy the lot.”
"This one is very grateful. That's... incredibly exciting." Adaline responds, failing to keep as calm as she is attempting.
"So... for two of these I'll need Xafra to work out how to supply the Ousia and Physis for the workings. Whether that involves the chipping or melting of the Frame's outer Ousia shell, or some kind of stored reservoir, would be my guess but... any option will do." I gesture them both forward to regard the schemas I've had Warden and Schatzi assist in sketching out. "First path, and my focus, sought to resolve the disputes between the Frame's new mind and how it can exert will outward. Our energies are not buckets to pour out but... almost more like muscles to flex. The magic has to have clear links to your perceptions else you're just wasting energy and at most heating the world about. So..."
Then I reach over and pull a stack of clear glass slates with etchings across them.
"This is my design. Utilizing a Bond similar to what I wove about Xafra. We inscribe various Glyph fractals into parts of your Frame's inner Etheric stores, woven in Xafra's Tone, and then seal it all in with a final set of loose commands to let you cast at your leisure." I spread out the glass slates, showing how each one is set with only a partial design. "And this is where this becomes endlessly mailable though. Each design can effectively be only part of a spell with various alterations and adjustments, allowing you to weave anything in a myriad of ways so long as you have the relevant Glyph shards installed." I smirk then as I look up to meet Adaline's hungry gaze. "And the best part? All done with precise efficiency. No random loss of resources due to flesh nonsense. Any Einwandfrei inscribed will be cast at identical cost so long as the energies are available. A true perfect casting, every time. No risk of leakage or miscast so long as the Glyphs are made and laid well."
Adaline laughs and takes a seat. "You've found a way to effectively make linguistic magic?"
Xafra looks stumped for a moment as her eyes go distant in that growingly familiar way where she's cross referencing her memories, "Oh! Chopping the magic into building blocks that can be slotted together."
I let myself chuckle with her and nod to Xafra. "Exactly. And as you both become more and more familiar with this, these Glyphs can be as big or small as you wish. Spells with endless complexity but specific use, simplified. Weavings with previously thought too bothersome to adjust, made complex. It... it's what I did with... um..." I pause, look down at the slates. "Its how all my Einwandfrei are. I took existing weavings and adjusted them. Cheated, really. Copied another's work and..." Then I pick up one of the thinner glass slates and crack it in two, let the new edge glimmer. "Turned the mundane into deadly nonsense. It's truly horrifying how many spells can become sharp as a talon when you crack the right edges. But... you're both much more considerate than me. I've translated out the three spells I have Tomes on into their simplest Glyphs, but that's it. You'll want to adjust and modify and improve on my very simple Fractals." Then I step over and pick up a small journal and pass it to Adaline in the same moment I offer the same Tome to Xafra across our bond.
The Fractals of Glyphwork; First iterations.
"Thank you," Adaline says with awe, clutching the journal tightly.
"You're very welcome." I reply softly to her.
"This is very impressive.” My Mate remarks. “You said there were other concepts as well? It's only been a few days, love."
"Well... there are two of us working on this. And Lynette doesn't need any sleep, while I only need a little." I shrug, and look away to hide the heat I feel touch my cheeks. "This is the most solid. The safest. The one I'm most certain you can make Function, and Function well. The other two are... odd. Lynette's double checked my work on this but those are the products of her research. Things she... she insists I let her explain. Arts pulled from this Estates 'studies' of the intakes within the Threads below."
"This one is listening, and prepared to hear Miss Lynette out." Adaline states.
{Alright, just… you know what I expect. We’ll not have a repeat of last time.} I intone gently but solidly, and in such a way my Xafra will hear.
“As a child, or adult, did you ever hear the tale of the Flaying Matron?” Lynette asks steadily. "Or the Skinning-Starved Witch, Flesh-Stitching Hag, or such? I've heard it given a few names across the Groves. Especially in communities that idolize Threshers as protectors and not what they are. Generally as a spook story aimed at the young to scare them into behaving as their parents demand."
"No... I don't think so, no. Nothing like that. I wasn't raised in a Grove and when I went to Thorn for training, I was rather focused on my learning more than making friends."
Lynette huffs out a laugh. "I was much the same, but I... Elevar had a gaggle of terrible sisters that loved to torment her. But... to my point. That story has infested that gerl's dreams in one fashion or another for decades. Weaving in and out of others with an almost... spiteful will. And it wasn't until we came here that we discovered an odd quirk that we suspect manifests in other Witches as well. That there are things that grow and spread like weeds in the mind, and... your suggestion about the Spell to seal away magic... well..." A pause, then she nudges me. And I grant her control of the Little Archive. "Inspired me."
She raises my left hand, palm up, and displays not Sikkina's Sanctuary, but a strange garden. One not growing plants but... strange glass-like vines. Twisting at impossible angles and refracting all sorts of strange symbols that hurt to gaze upon.
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
"Below, within Dream-laid Threads, there are things. Life not of flesh and blood, but the stuff of pure perception decoupled from the Waking World. Or... to what I mean to harvest, Nightmares." She smirks. "Where Elevar's first Path is a thing of linguist flourishes set and laid to be channeled through your Frame, This second one is of growing curses and planting them within the unsuspecting wretches you wish to see broken. Be they Witch, Doll, Sun-Blessed, or otherwise."
Then she cuts off the display, and looks between them.
Xafra shrugs and nods, no stranger to the subtle horrors of life.
Adaline looks hesitant in comparison, "This one... No. I don't know if I can be trusted with such a weapon."
"I do have a question about these... Nightmares. They are the captives freed with the Moon's rivening, yes?" Xafra asks with disquieting casualness.
Lynette's momentary pause at Adaline's hesitation turns thoughtful. "What an odd question. I'm not sure the creatures' origins. Was actually going to ask if you've ever had to evict infestations from your Driftdream? I suspect if things such as this had been twisting between Dreamers then you'd not only have met a few but... feared them more than even the Denizens. Or Sun-Blessed. If I'm being kind. Even this place treats them as nothing but the most dangerous of intakes. What I'm offering isn't even an echo of one. Simply weeds growing from the mulched corpses."
"Not until I surfaced and only one so far, odd little thing. Anyway, I had been doing some thinking. You recall how I mentioned the Slipways to Elevar? They function similarly, I believe to how these... Root Folds of yours do. Tunnels through unreality from one place the Moon shone to another, all enabled by the Horrors that mother moon contained within herself."
Lynette tilts her head. "Adjacent concepts? Would make sense. Although... Hm... It seems quite the risk to bind such creatures for use like that. Would need various methods of pruning and decontamination to ensure nothing hooks itself onto someone and spreads like a flame on chaff. I'll have to see if Warden retains any memories with more detail." She tip-taps her chin in thought, then turns an expectant gaze on Xafra. "And... this 'odd little thing' you mentioned. I trust you purged it well?"
"Shredded to nothingness and expelled. After my, shall we say, visitation to your domain, I felt quite unwilling to try and consume such an entity."
"Can we... refocus please. For now at least?" Adaline interrupts.
Lynette relaxes, visibly. Even letting Xafra and I feel it through the bond. "Good. Yes. Of course."
Then she steps over and lifts another journal that was laid beneath a few schema. Then turns to Adaline. "But to your hesitation. Can I be blunt with you? Clean up some... misunderstandings and misconceptions?"
"I believe that's more than reasonable, Miss Lynette."
She sighs and sets the book down between us. But... keeps fingers splayed overtop. "Alright. Elevar insists that you are the second most brilliant Witch she's ever met. And given the correct tools, will soon overtake the first. As to the why... well... you'll have to ask her because I don't know you. At all, really. My final memories before my weaving are of the night Yselda and I verified this flesh was infested with the Soul Rot. After that... I'm only allowed to consider softer memories. The Estate backwashes or blocks everything pertaining to the Garrote, Elevar's panic attacks, and you before her most recent return. No exceptions." She lets herself smile softly then, "And of the three Arts we've found this is the one she is the most excited to see you cultivate. Because it is like any garden. Ready to grow either wretched weeds, or bountiful fruits at our leisure."
Then Lynette carefully pushes the Tome forward. "And that's the other quirk. You and I will have to work together on this. Xafra's Driftdream is too precious a place to risk some of the things you might wish to try, so we'll be using the Estate's Threads for the growth cycles. Interact with them through Elevar's Little Archive." Then she steps back, revealing the name on the cover.
Dream Gardens, First Iterations.
"Okay. I don't know why... she would trust me with this potential, but... okay. I am grateful for this opportunity and your assistance."
"To the last then." Lynette murmurs and nods as Adaline gently takes up the second Tome, "And the most... odd. Barely worth considering honestly, compared to these first two..." Another nudge, and our Physis construct alights again, but this time to display a single scale of deep purple with faint flickers of scarlet, jade, and cerulean. "This was kept in a vault deep below alongside other broken remains of the intakes' previous forms and possessions. Within... are invocations in such an odd smattering of languages. Normally I'd discard it as nonsense. Honestly. But..." Then the image shows yellow energy being passed through the object, and afterwards... a subtle weaving of magic is produced in the form of little Wisplight. "When Empty Nomos is pressed through alongside them... things happen. All sorts too, depending on the invocation perceived through word and will."
Adaline's worry turns to pure fascination. "This is a way to harness Nomos?"
Xafra fails to conceal a twinge of jealousy and terror that races through the bond.
Lynette smirks at them. "Well that leads us to the problem with this. First... there are possibly infinite variations of Nomos. Was that something that was known in your time, Xafra?"
"What? No. At least, not to any that became me, and no partners mentioned such. They were considered monsters, even the idea that they were truly sapient was considered controversial. Variations of Nomos... how strange. And not just two? one from each of the..." her sentence falters as she avoids saying the word.
"The eyes produce a twined helix of radiant Nomos brimming with their own frequencies." Lynette finishes and explains. "The Estate can cleanse Nomos, wash it free of all frequencies. Create Empty Nomos, as I've come to call it. You encountered it below. But between those two there are theoretically infinite variations. I suspect our weeping angry sun Godthing's gaze drowns and smothers all others. As well as locking it's use away from any not infested with Denizen Spores."
Xafra fails to stop herself from immediately returning to spear form, seemingly inert, but through the bond I can tell she's clearly paying attention, though terrified.
"As much as I understand your irreverence, as one who grew up far from any Grove, we at least learned that it is safer to be... respectful to the forces beyond our ken. Whether that be bitter Witches, or other rampaging horrors." Adaline chides as she moves Xafra's spear form onto her own lap.
For a moment I shove Lynette aside and half-step my body to move around the table but... pause as Adaline takes to holding Xafra well. "I... Apologies. She gets that bitterness from me. And every time we encounter more proof of some Divine thing or another we just... get more spiteful. A bad habit I've had since before I came here."
"I well understand, love. I would simply like to remind Lynette that Xafra is formed from dozen of girls who all lost family to the... predations of those she speaks so casually of. Spite is... Well deserved, but... Then again, who am I to talk? I left Lynette's Doll in a worse state last night." Adaline sighs and offers Xafra out to me.
I reach out and take her into my left arm. Lynette keeps her thoughts to herself but… this isn’t anything new. I’ve felt her annoyed regard toward me when I fell apart. So I Cant ::understanding/love/safety:: to Xafra and move to sit. “No you… you were trying to help. Lynette’s just a bitch. But also intentionally woven to not understand trauma or triggers. I… I’m still trying to teach her to be wary of them but… am quite horrid myself at remembering.” I sigh and smile at her. “And don’t worry about Lynette’s Doll. It's already forgotten and is even resting in a proper bed today.”
"It's alright. I am... truthfully most interested in the possibility of this third Art, though am happy to delve into each, yet I think... It may be best for this last one, Lynette, to wait until after our meeting with the Sun-blessed, as it has the potential to cause a diplomatic incident. You had Dämmerung speak to you, do you think it likely that one of their kin would take kindly to the modifications of their gift in such a way?"
[It is a significant risk.] Xafra murmurs over the tether to myself and Lynette.
I let Lynette bubble up to reply. “I’ll be cautious, of course. Have to be. I only have one scale left. The rest withered and cracked when subjected to anything other than Empty Nomos. The other two Arts have seemingly infinite possibilities, while this one is restricted to the Invocations etched within.” She smirks, “I just… found many of the mantras listed to settle well in my perspectives.”
"Sounds good. Was there... Anything else to discuss?" Adaline asks gently.
“Oh… yes. A promise to keep. I… I still need to tell you both about my first two Einwandfrei. What they did. Why I made them.” I murmur.
Xafra warms gently in my grasp, an odd little working to offer comfort.
"That would be appreciated. And... My... progress on one is of course available to you both, if you'd like to see it."
“I would love to see it. And… can’t wait to see it translated and cast by you through the Glyphwork.”
"wha.... oh. oh. I... This...." Adaline just slumps, lost in thought.
[It seems like she just realized that you've offered her the chance to save an entire generation of children from her fate.] Xafra intones with a chuckle.
{I… she… yes.} I let my hope titter down the bond. “The world was robbed of a brilliant Witch. And Xafra agrees, and says you’re going to save an entire generation from what inflicted you. None will fear the Soul Rot because of this.”
"Thank you. All of you. This is so important, and oh. With glyph work, I could incorporate it into the dams. oh. oh wow. I wonder if... no, I can't ask Calix. That would be unkind. but... Valthirii, and... I'm going to need to talk to an engineer. Like an actual, Mundane Engineer, not one of those sad excuses the Groves use that substitute Weaves for math." Adaline starts getting lost in thought before she suddenly snaps out with a question. "Is... Verbess okay?"
“It’s struggling.” I sigh and pull Xafra close. “And it won’t wake up long enough to tell us why. Even… even through Quill Song to Xafra. But…” I go a bit still, try to keep my bubbling anxiety quiet. “Why the sudden curiosity?”
"This one wanted to know if she... Could work towards being accepted and inducted into the Pack." Adaline answers nervously, then she hurries to continue before myself or Xafra can respond, "I just. wanted to see if it was possible, and if everyone would be okay with it. It, Schatzi, Warden, Xafra, and yourself. This one understands it's a very significant request."
I go so still to fight to keep my anxious fury restrained, not aimed at adaline but… for the old cunt. “I… cannot speak to the Pack’s wishes here, but… may I ask why? And… how long have you been thinking about this?”
"There is an emptiness here" She puts a hand against her head, "where I had... created a Yselda to obey, to feed commands to loop into myself and permit a level of... autonomy. After that oddness with Mistress Xafra in the storage Spire, when we were first freeing Miss Lynette's Doll from her chains, the voice was gone and the quiet was... Good at first, but it feels now like I've been amputated, like there's a missing limb or organ or sense that belongs there. And... when the Pack did that... quill song that slammed through my Frame, it felt weird then it... hurt. It hurt so much, and yet it hurt just like... When I first awoke in this Frame, like sensory overload that could be adjusted to. I... don't know what Yselda did to me, to make this Frame, but I think… it's made to be compatible."
“I… yes. It seems the Old Cunt used some designs from my Doll in your Frame. It… Xafra’s mapping verified some connection points that match the Quill Roots. Full ones could be grown, in theory. Probably quite easily. But… well… Xafra? You know more about this than me. What are your thoughts?”
Xafra shifts back, manifesting her Doll Form once more beside me. "Adaline, You... turned yourself Polysouled... and then I... killed the other part of you. Elevar, it's like if someone were to suddenly rip Lynette from you." Xafra realizes in quiet horror.
I wince, and grip her hand. “I’m not sure it’s the same, and… even if it was, this manifestation was doing damage. Hurting her. Woven to…” then I look to Adaline. “Are you glad the voice you knit is gone?”
"Of course! I was stuck, and Mistress Xafra freed me!" Adaline responds forcefully.
It… takes me three heartbeats to notice what’s happening. To see my Xafra’s body stiffen. To understand that this isn’t just her wonderful empathy bubbling up. No… it’s like she was after giving My Doll the Breath.
It’s the Garrote.
Immediately I’m standing to move in front. Pulling her gaze to meet mine. “Xafra, dear one. I understand this sin and forgive you. As… as your Lord Owner, chosen Mate, and Witchling.”
She relaxes before she can even draw breath to speak in that pained voice, instead murmuring through the bond [Thank you.]
I pull her into a tight embrace. “Of course. I’m so sorry. And…”
{We need to get this off you.}
"Mmhm," she hugs me back tightly, then turns to Adaline. "I would... be okay with you joining the Pack, but I will prioritize Verbess' opinion on the matter, and would... probably need a second opinion on the information about your Frame that we recorded. Lynette, perhaps with your unique insights you may see what I cannot."
Warden offers a silent
I sigh and pull away. {I… yes. It’s been too long. I just… I’ve always relied on either Tone or Schatzi to rouse Verbess. The first I won’t do and… and the second has found her sister quite unresponsive to her prompts. I could call it through the bond. Of course. But… I’m that one’s Mistress. It doesn’t need to reconcile with me. It needs to settle things with the Pack. You and Schatzi and Warden will have to be ready to respond if I’m to demand it converse.}
Xafra's Quills thrum for a moment and miniature ethereal versions of both Warden and Schatzi form from her Physis on the table.
"We are on our way, Mistress" Schatzi states with a curtsy.
"That's... new?" Adaline asks in surprise.
I chuckle. “My gerls are quite adaptive and imaginative. That trick will help quite a bit when we’re adjusting your Frame.”
"Yes. Warden showed Schatzi how to implement it, and I offered some suggestions for optimization. The Pack is able to share my Ousia and Physis."
"O-oh. That's incredible." Adaline responds, grappling with the implications.