I can sense Teuila stopping the carriage, coming into the cabin, and gawping at my state, but I’m not really in my body, or physical reality. My consciousness is split between the four written works, stretched, distorted. Dawn’s still wide-eyed, and Teuila joins her in remaining wide-eyed at my state. I don’t know if the two can see the glow trails of the runes flowing into my mind, two from each written work, each trail stabbing into my brain painfully into paired locations across my face and cranium. I have to focus. No more rest, no more comfort, no more love.
Eventually I can tell that Teuila and Dawn realize I’m not going to be responding, so they cuddle up beneath me. I can tell that my useless mortal shell is getting hungry, thirsty, and tired, but it can go eat dirt for all I care. Rrgh, Bud, not now! I. I’m sorry. I can’t afford to be patient, or kind, or, or Reggie at all. Reggie Shellcracker is a failure, a useless vexation. Leave me be! Please. I’m sorry. If I live through absorbing these, I’ll try to remember who I was, who I am, to make it up to you. Hours continue to pass as I siphon Rayileklia’s ambient mana through the staff to keep the telekinesis enchantment activately wrapped around my brain, granting me the power to keep this up.
At some point, Teuila and Dawn woke up, and Dawn decided to sit outside with Teuila at the helm. Good for them, that’s fine. Hm? I’m bleeding? So what. That’s just an everyday occurrence for that useless mortal shell. I thought I told y—, huff. I’m sorry. I’ll try to remain mostly myself. You’re right. Thank you Bud. I think, I think without you in my head right now, well. Without your presence, I might willingly burn away my emotions and soul to learn faster. I, I need you to keep fighting, to pester me, to not let me shut you up or yell at you. Remind me to be kind. I’m sorry. I. I can’t express enough the magnitude of the favor you’re doing for me. It’s, it’s just so hard to maintain this. If I let it break, I won’t be able to get back into it. Worse, the whiplash of not finishing it might put me into a coma, for I don’t know how long. Yeah. We can’t afford that. That’s why I was being a crappy friend. Sorry.
Hrrrrk. I didn’t realize Reggie Shellcracker’s mortal shell w—. I mean, I didn’t realize I was bleeding quite so badly. Shid, this is bad. Teuila probably won’t stop for quite a few hours yet, no one’s even noticing me gushing blood. Huff. Well, let’s stretch this telekinesis even more. Yes, I’m basically using it to create a telekinetic thumb in a cracked dam, on top of straining my brain to levitate myself, and the written works, when the telekinesis is only supposed to be able to interact with a single object at a time. I know I’m damaging something within me, but I don’t know what. I rather quite don’t care. This isn’t one of the things Jarrah warned me about, and he basically only cared if I were to die before finding the cure for Dawn, which we were all hoping was in that evil, horrid book.
What? He. Yes. Yes he did say that. My life is worth more than the offal I treat it as, throwing it around at every opportunity. But this is important Bud! The most important task currently in existence! Okay, yes, I’m a pompous twit. Egotistical, self absorbed and whatnot. Regardless, the task itself is more important than my life. Worse, with my limited perception of nearby reality, tapped more into the magical world, I can see Dawn’s curse picking up pace again. Instead of nearly a month, she has maybe a couple of weeks left. I can’t slow down, and I can’t give a crap about any dangers to myself. I. I’ll try to remain me though.
What? I’m, I’m bleeding from that many places? Friggin’ hell. Huff. Wait, I haven’t what in how long? Uh. Okay, I’ll admit, even I’m surprised I’m still alive at this point. We’re where? Already? Wait, it’s been -DAYS-!? Oh, hey, look, the written works are almost done. Another few hours. Huff. How, how many hours. How many days have I been at this Bud? Almost three days straight? Dawn and Teuila have been trying to gain entry into the sanctuary for most of a day or so? My, my throat is so dry, and caked with dusty, bloody mucus.
The, the writings, I did it! I’m, I’m absorbing them. I need to hold on a little longer as they rearrange themselves. Koff. Glp. Just. Just a bit more you stupid useless mortal shell! Right, right. Sorry Bud. Thank you. The enchantments finish wending their way into my mind, driven through my skull like dental drills, and I’m allowed to breathe a sigh of relief. Releasing my hold on all the telekinesis, and the telekinetic enhancement enchantment itself, I’m rocked by spell-concentration backlash, and I’m sent flying from the carriage, ejected like a bloody, meat-cannonball. I crunch and squelch against the cliff face, streaking down it, leaving a gory smear. I can sense familiar presences closing in on me, concerned, fearful. I smile blindly their direction, barely hanging to life, let alone consciousness. N, no, no rest for, koff, the, the wicked. Apparently, either blood burst around my eyes, or I’m blind again.
I struggle to stand, falter, stumble, and fall on my face again. I vomit further gore, but struggle to one knee, and push off the ground with my dominant fist. I croak out, “Hungry, thirsty.”
Teuila virtually screams through tears, “A,Air! Airhead! What the hell!? Jeeze I bet you are. You, you, you Airhead! What the rotten turdburglars have you been doing!?”
Barely able to form words or flex my painfully locked jaw, I mumble, “Learning. Magic.”
Teuila cuffs me, ever so gently. She definitely desires, wants badly, to swat me harder, but can tell I’m threadbare on vitality at the moment. Ah crap. Sonnova. Yeah I’m weakening Kozzurth’s dragonforce about my inner self. Huff. Screw it. What do you think Bud? Tap into it, and get back to work? Or force it to stop helping me, and black out, possibly going into a coma? Yes, those are the only two options I’m willing to put forth right now. Yes, tapping into it kills me sooner. I don’t need to live as long, Dawn’s time is running shorter. Thanks for the permission I guess Bud. Look, I’m sorry I’m being so rotten, and, and snippy, and a crappy friend. I really, really am sorry. Thanks for putting up with me, and being understanding. Alright, here we go, let’s tap into it. Uh. How exactly do I do that anyway?
Pft, haha, no, no I didn’t know how before I put forth the choice. Sorry. Yeah, Teuila’s right, I’m a complete airhead. I grunt, “Entry?”
Dawn and Teuila look upset with me, but Dawn answers, “Been walking around this weird compound thing built up against the mountain, no windows, no doors, Lullaby told Essie to tell Teuila this was the place, so we’re kinda stumped.”
I stagger towards where I think I saw them near a constructed surface while I was a meat cannonball. They aid me in walking in its direction, both barely able to help prop me up due to how slick with gore I am. I weakly wave them away, and withdraw my staff after handing Dawn back her wand. Hm, Fireball? Lightning Bolt? Sleet Storm? Nah, we have a spell exactly for this. I adopt a wicked grin. Bypassed-wall.
I mumble, “Sanctuary,” as I set my bloody hand upon the wall, to attempt to sense where the spell will work, with its strict limitations, the wall suddenly dissolves and I tumble forward, caught by a thin, feminine form.
Whomever she is, jokes, “You needn’t have offered quite so much vitality for sanctuary, friend Shellcrackers, and the becursed-Dawn. Come, come. You two, please see these two to their rooms. You’ll excuse me, but I must away with your Reggie for a while. They’ve done quite a number on themselves once again, haven’t they?”
She chuckles sweetly, as Dawn and Teuila seem to object to the three of us being led different directions. I try to maintain awareness in case this turns out to be more dangerous than I thought it would be. If things go south, I think I can manage to battle my way around with the telekinesis spell.
The Sister comforts me, “None of you are in any danger any longer. You’ve requested, and been granted sanctuary. You attempted to assist us in thwarting a prophecy that nearly cost us a sister. You've done so with repeated great cost to yourself. We are indebted. You may yet succeed. We are hoping to assist in such. Tell us, what new powers have you just sacrificed your sight, heh, yet again, for?”
I frown, I haven’t really had a second to sort through the new knowledge. Let’s see, the Abyssal leaves, their knowledge was, huh. Almost useful. It’s sort of a far-seeing spell. It casts my non-magical senses about at any location on the same plane that I have enough knowledge of. That, that would have been great to look in on Lil while they were in the Heart. I, I could use it to check in on the Derbrightmine Dominion. I’d need some time to set up the requirements, and attune a scrying object to that location. I’ll think about doing that later, if we survive this, if, well, yeah. Plus, well, I need to have non magical sight to take advantage of it, a sense I'm currently lacking, heh.
Hm, the Arcane tablets let me conjure semi-ethereal mounts for up to three people? Enough to pull our Carriage certainly. That’s, well, definitely useful. We won’t need to stay in any location while our buddy Apheliotes has to try to recharge from statue form. Both Apheliotes and the ghostly steeds are non sentient mana constructs, but still. I prefer to treat things with kindness. Yes, I’m sorry Bud. I prefer to treat you with kindness too. I’m sorry I treated you like crap these last few days. I’m really, terribly sorry. Thank you Bud. I’m truly grateful you were there for me through that.
The, the Luminous Illuminations. No wonder Milbert couldn’t use these, or most other books, and their enchantments were still charged. It grants me more mastery over runostructure, which comes with additional knowledge. Even though I’m brute forcing it, Milbert would have had to brute force it, and believe that he could, to study any of these tomes. The enhanced mastery over runostructure will let me quicken crafting the runes, almost as if I were incanting. I want to burst into tears. We spent all that time. There’s a cost though. It basically doubles or triples the sort of internal-vitality mana cost per rune, so instead of five hundred’ish, I’d only be able to craft around two hundred to two hundred fifty quick runes in a day. Still, seven’ish quick, powerful spells in a day. That’s basically what I get from the staff if I pour out nonstop fireballs or lightning bolts. I saw some strong thirty three rune spells in some of those other books. I’ll be able to learn them more quickly now too.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
The Baatorian Articles grant, they grant. Oh my god. They t-. Glp. They teach me basically how to be an enchanter! I can make enchantments permanent! I, I can have the aura vision up at all times! I, I could have telekinesis, forever! I could, wait. One of those spellbooks. Quickly. I shuffle through my hyperdimensional haversack. This one? No. This one? No. This one that I skimmed, I saw tele as part of a rune. Oh my heavens. It is. It’s telepathy. It’s. I. I can give Teuila back our bond. I burst into tears of joy.
I shake my head at the Sister, sadly, even whilst crying tears of joy, “I, glp, hah, nothing that truly aids our quest, not immediately. I could cast my sight to a far location, which, hah, at the moment would do nothing. I can conjure ghostly horses, enough for three riders, or a carriage. I can finally craft runes quickly enough to make actual use of them. Lastly, for any enchantments that I gain mastery over, I can make them permanent.”
My danger wraps sense that she smiles while wiping my brow. They also tell me something odd. Either there is powerful magic masking it, or she has basically no features on her face beneath the veil, save an approximation of lips covering multiple rows of tiny, sharp teeth. The, the Sisters aren’t human. They’re not Fae. They’re aberrant entities, possibly demons or devils, but I don’t think so. I suddenly realize that we’re not really on Rayileklia any longer while within their sanctuary. We’re only partially there, as if out of phase somehow. Perhaps out of phase with time, or space, or both. It’s not exactly another plane, or another reality, but it’s definitely not accessible to random average people. No wonder they’re so hard to find. I bet if someone destroyed that wall, they’d just find stone behind it.
My heart hammers rapidly in apprehension. The Sister can certainly sense this as she coos, “Shh, we’re not here to harm. We seek a positive fate for all of Rayileklia, and we’ve ever attempted to guide its heroes and do-gooders, or even simply its downtrodden. We’ll administer aid to you, and perhaps find if you’ve a natural magical power as an affinity that could aid us in ending this curse, and its prophecy. For now, please, young, ancient Shellcracker, rest.”
I. I really, truly am very tired. I can’t refuse it as she holds a bowl of fluid to my dehydrated lips. I gulp it down, attempting to be careful not to do so greedily. I technically can’t choke with this neckchain, but it would still be unpleasant to loose up sick upon her from the shock of sudden hydration. There’s a not-unpleasant taste to the liquid, that I’m almost certain is a sleeping agent. Bud, are you doing okay in this realm? Bud? Your voice is so quiet. I guess, I guess I’ll see you when I wake up. Please be okay.
My sleep is, thankfully, dreamless. I was nearly certain I’d have nightmares of the Sister leaning in and unhinging her jaw to eat my head or something. Brr, I shudder at the thought. So the one that contacted us did almost die? Did I hear that right earlier? Bud? Could you tell? Gosh you’re so quiet. Oh? Okay. Sure Bud. You can nap as long as you like. I’m so sorry that I treated you so bad for so long Buddy. Take it easy. We’re safe for now, and we might have a chance still. They seem to earnestly want to prevent this curse. I mean, they sent us to the cult, likely knowing we’d have to fight through it, and learn about the curse. Perhaps they didn’t know the details of the spell, so didn’t know that our destroying the cult wouldn’t end it.
I stand, and nearly jump out of my skin as I stand up, bumping face-first into a Sister’s abdomen. I shudder, they’re like Dawn, they can appear in my danger wrap sensory range without warning. Brr. I gulp, and carefully step back, holding my hands up placatingly as I attempt to apologize, “Sorry, I, well, couldn’t see you there.”
She titters, apparently finding my accidental coincidental turn of phrase humorous, since I’m currently blinded. It’s unnerving how, well, sweet and kind they are, despite what is apparently a monstrous nature hidden beneath their veils. I suppose that’s the point of them, to hide their nature, to put people at ease.
I’d be a little more at ease with names, since they know so much about us, so I state as such. I request, “I’m slightly apprehensive about someone knowing so much about me, without so much as knowing a single one of their names. I’d introduce myself, but, well, you know who I am. Would you mind sharing your name?”
She chuckles and apologizes, “I’m sorry, we exist in a state that, well, names aren’t very necessary here. We only go by Sister. Each of us is. Well, perhaps when -we- are more comfortable with you, we shall divulge more.”
Brr, I shudder at the secrecy, and its implications. I gnaw on my lip as I postulate. They could very well be either a single entity, or extensions of one or more entities. This might not even be their actual realm, or actual forms. If they are true beings from outside the usual planes of reality as I suspect, then all of this could theoretically be pretense, a bit of a farse, for the comfort of, well, mortals I guess. Is it just me, or did she look nervous just then? Oh, she’s offering me her hand, and I haven’t taken it. Perhaps she’s worried, or insulted. My bad as it were. I quickly grasp her hand, politely near her fingertips. Hoof. Oh, wait. I’m, I’m not well yet. I begin stumbling, and she kneels before me, catching me in her arms.
She announces as much as I’d just concluded, “You aren’t yet well enough, though your young ladies dearly desire your company, and word of your wellness. Is there something you’d like to have them told to comfort them?”
I gnaw on my lip as I adopt a quizzical expression. Shrugging, I offer, “Uh, if it’ll help put them at ease, just that I’m recovering, and that we’re all cool, cooler than cool, ice cold. They should both get the joke. To be fair though, they’ll probably be suspicious of anything you guys say, since you could theoretically have been listening in on us at any point.”
She responds, “Fair point young ancient. Truly a fair point. We’re regretful that we must keep you separate for the nonce.”
I scratch the back of my head and furrow my brow while gnawing my bottom lip. She answers the question I’m about to form, “You’re currently a danger to every being near you. Your weapon and you are recovering from some form of heightened state that, well, could quite literally be quite explosive as it settles. You’re lucky your weapon survived being dragged along on that ride.”
My jaw hangs slack and I blink my unseeing eyes forcefully, stunned. I didn’t know I was risking Bud, Lullaby like that. Bud, I am so, so sorry. Fudge, I’m such a dick sometimes. I’m so friggin’ egotistical, maybe narcissistic, definitely self-absorbed. Ugh, I should have stopped for at least one second to consider everyone else around me. I mean, maybe I’m not totally self-absorbed. I was doing this for Dawn and the Aasimovians, and by extension Teuila, Jarrah, Alanea, Flint, just, everyone. Still, super egotistical to think that I’m some kind of guru or sage that can manage such bending of the rules of magic without a cost that might affect only me instead of possibly those around me.
I nod as I apologize, and allow the Sister to help me back into a semi-seated position on an inclined bed of some sort. She wipes my brow, and tends to me, well, tenderly. Again, it’s a juxtaposition that I hope Teuila and Dawn don’t have to suffer. Ah crap. They both can have, and usually do have, density senses or silent sonar as well. I facepalm, accidentally catching the sisters hand. She clucks her tongue and chuckles, removing her hand to bring forth another bowl of liquid from somewhere. I accept the nourishing fluid that’s doubtlessly laced with a sleeping aid, yet again. Hopefully I’m not out for too long.
She instructs me as I’m falling asleep, “Each dose only sets you to sleeping for a scant few minutes, an hour or two at most, please feel at ease, take advantage of it. You deserve a much longer rest, but as we all know, you’re pressed for time.”
I feel as if I merely blink, and I awaken again, alone in the room, again. At least I think so. I cautiously stand, with my hands forward both placatingly, and so that I don’t end up jamming my head in someone’s crotch or bust as I struggle to stand. I’m feeling quite a bit better, but I’m starving. I’ve got to thank Bud for all this extra sap and stuff that I was able to pack away. I reach into my hyperdimensional haversack and remove a leaf-packet of sap with some sort of granulated tree-flour. Despite the leaf being intended as a wrapping, I just eat the whole thing. Again, I’m starving. I also don’t know where to put waste. The leaf was a bit bitter, but my heavens is that sap and flour delightfully delicious. Bud, you are the best. The absolute best. I hope you’re resting up okay Lullaby. I hope you forgive me when you’re able to chat again.
I begin to exit the room I’ve been led to, in order to explore our location, when I’m once again met with a feminine form that my face bumps into. Crap on a cracker they just show up wh—. Ah, yeah. My earlier hypothesis. They could very well be projected avatars or something. Though, why exactly would you spawn it right where I’m going to bump into? I mean, unless they just enjoy either the embarrassment, or the sensation. Or maybe they’re just sneaky little ladies like Dawn.
I begin my apology, but the Sister clucks her tongue and offers me a delightful titter. She then offers me her hand once more, and this time I’m able to take it, as well as to follow her without stumbling. Hopefully she’s leading me to rejoin Teuila and Dawn. This complex is, well, hah, complex. It definitely makes use of three dimensional space. I’m starting to build a map of it in my mind, but it’s difficult with its wide array of ramps and turns and small rooms or vestibule rooms. Wait. That room. I can sense it. It’s powerful. It’s at the very edge of my danger wrap senses, through several walls, but around enough corners that my silent sonar bounces to it. I’m almost certain that room contains an active ritual circle.
I could swear the Sister is flinching or shaking or shivering nervously, just for the slightest second. I, I think I know what that room is. It’s their anchor to Rayileklia. She just shuddered, I’m almost positive. I squint her way, but she continues leading me on, wrapping her free arm about herself, rubbing for the warmth of friction. Oh. I forget that other people get cold.
She comments, “It does get so chilly in our friendly little space. We don’t precisely have a means or procuring fuel without, say, sending someone out to deforest our nearby beloved Heart of the Wilds. Obviously we’d do no such thing.”
Ah, that makes sense. Still. One does wonder sometimes. Ah well. I offer the sister, “I’m pretty warm, and I’m carrying around a, well, a heat source that I won’t disclose, nor will I hand it over, but if you’d like a hug for warmth, I could oblige, and even let some of the heat out of where I’ve got my object.”
She shakes her head while chuckling, “Worry not, we’d never dream of taking such a precious gift from you as the life force of a phoenix. I will take you up on that hug young ancient Shellcracker, cherubic Reggie.”
She shrinks to my height, causing me to blink swiftly in surprise. We hug, but I realize another oddity. My silent sonar has difficulty detecting them, because they’re only solid in either short bursts, or a few locations at once. She quickly detaches from the hug and dusts herself off. I gnaw my lip as I ponder the meaning of such a finding. They seem to be, ephemeral, almost ethereal. It’s as if they’re simply souls doing their best to manifest a physical form. Hm, a soul Sister. She resumes her usual height, and I wonder if all the Sisters will be, or are identical.
It doesn’t take long til I’m blindsided by someone speeding into me who, in a loving voice, shouts, “Air!”