Unequipping the potion belt that I hadn’t even bothered to figure out which potions I’d wanted on it yet, I shape a hook in the wall above where I’m going to set Prinrin. I place the potion belt on the hook, such that it hangs loosely and can spin freely. Turning back into my vault, I frantically toss through the items contained herein. The potions I’m looking for prevent the benefactor from freezing to death. Finding one, I plead with Prinny to drink it, and thankfully she doesn’t deny my attempt to save her life.
My desperate glare speaks enough volumes that Yisstendahl’s son knows what I’m requesting of him, and he carefully begins building a charge that should be enough to freeze Prinny solid. I don’t know if cryo stasis actually works, I don’t know if magic can circumvent the failings that it should probably have, but I’m pleading all that’s good in the world that I can manage this. I’m taking every precaution I can think of.
Carefully adjusting potions of frost resistance, or similar abjurative potions, I set them up so that when I begin the process, they’ll slowly drip until empty over Prinrin before the next potion falls into place. I’m essentially creating an I V drip with the magical belt. I save one of the potions so that I can analyze it with my myconid form in order to hopefully reproduce it. I’m also starting my myconid form without the non-ambulatory disadvantage, and I’m letting the windup for it take several hours, so that I can keep it up for quite a while without making the refractory period ridiculously long.
Prinny jokes, “I guess I’ll be stiff as a board while you’re all squish then huh Schism sweetie?”
I flash a sad glance at Prinrin, upset that I can’t enjoy her humor right now when I’m so worried for her. I need to learn dispellation. I need to learn some sort of abjurative effect that dampens necrotic energies and protects from them. I need to learn how to enchant that effect onto items that all of the order can wear. Ugh, so much to do, so little time!
Miraina arrives with the Spellknight twins, Yuri seems a bit put out that I’ve got Yui running around while she’s a tad banged up. I flash him an apologetic and worried glance, which he catches. Yuri eases up on his stern expression, noticing the stakes and my emotional state. It probably doesn’t hurt to assuage him that I just brought him to the most vulnerable location, where he could hurt us the most. Right here he could pilfer untold wealth, artifacts, and destroy our respawning system, and my other projects.
Explaining quickly, “This is a beloved Order member, Prinrin the Copper. She’s taken some strange necrotic curses that are worsening her injuries, keeping her from recovering, and killing her. I intend to master a spell of dispellation that *should* be able to remove it when I’ve got it mastered, but I’ve only got forty eight of a hundred twenty eight runes mastered. If I apply an abjuration bookmark to the tome that it’s in, I could maybe master the spell in a week if I didn’t have to use my magic for anything else during that time. But sadly I’ll be going on at least one hunt, toppling at least one stronghold of Terrorzin’s, if not two, three, four, five, or even six in the next week. I—.”
Yuri nods solemnly, and Yui holds up a hand for me to pause. She glances at Yuri, who seems to understand her meaning, but doesn’t give her an answer. Cautiously, Yui asks, “How do you master spells Schism, what method, what mnemonic do you use?”
Grumbling, I frown and answer truthfully, “I’m incapable of using any mnemonic, I was trained by a celestial in the Hidden Heart, who used all manner of methods to deduce or unlock mnemonics for me, and none worked, some nearly killed me. I do it all by rote, by muscle memory, by perfecting the exact motions of learning runes.”
There’s an expression of shock shared by the twins that I’d probably be a bit proud of normally, but at this moment, it only serves to slow down whatever exchange is occurring. If she had an idea, but it’s no longer applicable, I might as well move on with my ask—.
Before my thoughts can even move forward, interrupting them, Yui continues, “That’s impressive, and probably all the better. If you had some method of examining our muscle memory, I think we could aid you with that particular spell.”
My eyes flash wide. I’m literally in the middle of transforming into a form that gives me a hivemind. Can this please be a lucky break with no strings? Please? I hazard, “I’m about to shapeshift into a myconid, a mushroom-creature that can emit psychic spores to link minds with other creatures, depending on how much consent there is between the creatures, I can access more of their bodies and minds, muscles and memories. I—.”
Slumping, somewhat defeated, realizing that they’re prisoners that we’ve mistreated, I add, “I wouldn’t ask this of you. I’d intended to ask if you could enchant Prinrin with some of your abjurative effects. I saw some of them included resistances to elements. I want her to not die while being frozen. I want to freeze her to buy time to master the spell, but—. If I could master the spell before she would die anyway, I, I, glp. I’d be forever indebted either way.”
It’s right around now that Atter and Shiz show up, having trailed me from the infirmary. This— is bad. Four people who aren’t quite fully accepted into the family yet, four people who were enemies only a day ago, that see me being my most vulnerable, with tears in my eyes, holding the body of a dying woman that I love. Four people whose combined strength could very well end me before I put up any resistance if they attacked while I held Prinrin. Teuila might be able to drive them back or finish them off, but they could very well kill me first in my vulnerable state.
I don’t think Atter would do that to me, and Shiz seems to be following her lead. However, if the Spellknights decided to take advantage of my moment of weakness, while surrounded by so much wealth and power that’s uncategorized in my vault, I wouldn’t really blame them. Teuila’s hackles rise at my unfairly unfavorable line of thought, but she keeps herself calm-appearing outwardly. Kagired continues checking on Prinrin’s vitals from moment to moment. Lucky finishes his task, and sits dutifully nearby.
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Miraina edges out of the vault to return to her duties, or at to least to appear to do so. I think she’s staying within psychic range to determine if I’m going to need her to go for backup. She’s extremely intelligent. I can also sense the wealth of overflowing emotions within her about Prinrin being on death’s door. I know their secret and—. I’m doing my best Pawn. I swear.
At my most recent thought, Pawn comes zooming back, and she leaps into my arms to wrap her own arms around Prinrin, crying, “Momma, it doesn’t matter if Terrorzin finds out anymore. Schism’s gonna kill him. I don’t want to hide it, not if I might lose you. The secret doesn’t matter anymore.”
Everyone who didn’t know Prinny’s secret is stunned, completely unmoving. Atter and Shiz exchange a glance that speaks a million volumes, and they each take a knee, each bringing their dominant fist to their chests. I know that Miraina could have had this conversation with Prinrin telepathically, but the shrewd young woman chose to make it public at this moment intentionally.
Prinny coughs out, “Guess, koff, cat’s out of the bag now, huh sweetie? Oh my sweet Pawn. I love you so my sweet. Your mum loves you to bits. Sorry if this little old lady koff-kicks it, and isn’t around to see you grow up my sweet. You’re the best daughter a mother koff-could have. You’ll be o-koff-kay. Sch-koff-ism and our Lady will lookoffk after you.”
Through tears, Miraina, Pawn, sniffles out, “You sniff, say that about all of us mommy.”
Smiling, Prinrin chides, “And it’s true, and I mean it about each of you my sweetie.”
Yuri’s gaze softens further, no longer harboring resentment towards me for letting Yui get injured by Teuila. I think he’s confused about Miraina being Prinrin’s daughter, because Terrorzin probably feeds his followers the same propaganda that only he knows how to create Draconiacs, and it’s always only done when he abducts egg clutches. I can sense the wheels turning in his head as he starts to make connections, realizing the propaganda, to some extent.
Yisstendahl’s son looks supremely uncomfortable with the revelation. I’m not sure how many of the dragons who have direct blood descendants or ancestors normally know them, or are normally allowed to stay with them. I’m surprised Yisstendahl has a son, especially one who hasn’t betrayed the Order or run off to join Terrorzin after we slew the Order's previous archmage.
Gritting my teeth, I affirm Miraina’s assertion, “I vow it. Terrorzin’s reign ends. No more clutches stolen, no end of the world, nothing. He doesn’t get a single thing more that he wants. I want this gorram war over with! That includes driving back the Felgre horde once more, and putting a stop to the Celestial Emperor once and for all! Any of you that are with me are welcome to come along for the ride.” In a sinister tone I add, “Anyone that stands in my way I’ll destroy on the spot. No more mercy from here on out.”
Atter pleads, “You don’t really mean that Schism, do you? You offer mercy because it’s right, because it’s *just*. I wouldn’t be here if you didn’t.”
Prinrin similarly pleads, “Schism sweetie, don’t koff, let this taint you. Our lady loves you and your mercy.”
I seethe, but I don’t answer either of them. Ahliyui and Ahliyuri both sweat nervously, anxiously. Yisstendahl’s son does as well, now that I’m noticing things with my silent sonar. Oh, my Honoris Causa is slipping out as wrath bubbles up. Sighing belatedly, huffily, angrily, I work to stuff it, and my feelings, down. Everyone else sighs in relief when I suppress it.
Thankfully, the twins seem to have made up their mind as Ahliyuri offers, “I’m with you Schism, if you can offer a world, a future without our tyrant, where sons and daughters meet their mothers, where families exist, I—. Nothing’s more important than family, in my eyes. Put me where you need me, take of me what you will.”
Radiant Spellknight Ahliyui corrects, “What my deranged brother means to say is, we’ll help you save your little old lady friend, and we’ll fight anything you point us at. You already knew family was the most important thing to me, and fighting was the second. It doesn’t take a mathematician to see two and two adding up to us being on your side, or at it. Set her where you want her, I’ll weave a few abjurative enchantments that’ll prolong her life. Yuri, set up some cold resistance. Little miss, the Order’s The Copper, I’m going to be slowing your heart. Try not to panic, or it’ll ruin the effect. Okay?”
Prinrin strikes a chord as she responds, “What a sweetie you’ve turned out to be my dear, oh yes indeed. You’re one of the clutching ones aren’t you? There are so few of you left. Must be your power that kept you from being snatched up and slain to hide what you are. Oh I can see it, you’re expecting again soon aren’t you? What a delight dearie. You’ll make a fine mother indeed. Thank you my sweet. I’ll trust myself in your hands.”
I think each of us other than Yui, or Shiz, are stunned at Prinrin’s assertion. I certainly find myself blinking in surprise at least. Shiz mumbles an apology, “Yui, I’d figured they were yours. Tinth took them to the Ice of Rage, and I hid whose they were. Tinth probably guessed, but he didn’t push it. But I didn’t stand up for them, for you. I don’t deserve your forgiveness. I guess I’d never have fessed up if that didn’t come out just now. I wanted to pretend I didn’t know you were a clutcher. I just wanted you to live.”
Hell it’s one revelation after another at this point. I’d be floored if I could afford to take my attention away from Prinny. Ahliyui is conflicted at Shiz’s admittance. I would be too, knowing that someone could have possibly saved my eggs, my children, but that it might have just gotten all of us killed if they’d tried. Friggin’ hell. Terrorzin needs to fall.
Sighing, Ahliyui virtually growls as she mutters, “I’m glad I didn’t end up either slain, or snatched up for the breeding pits, or whatever the hell Terrorzin has at the center of his domain. The rumors are vile. I know I’d never have seen my brother, or a combat, ever again. So you do have my forgiveness, and gratitude.”
Gagging at the idea of “breeding pits,” I struggle to not vomit. Yuri’s expression contains equal measures of gratitude and horror, at Shiz’s admission and Yui’s forgiveness. Thankfully he is layering up enchantments on Prinrin though. Shiz nods towards Yui with a grim expression of grateful acceptance on his face. I find that I must admit, the twins here, these two Spellknights, are supremely powerful sorcerers, and amazingly adept swordfighters. To be able to have these two, no, these four, alive, safe, and what’s more, on our side, is a miracle.
Telepathically, to Prinrin alone, I whisper, “Prinny, sweet, beloved Prinny, my little deviant, I love you. You’re going to pull through okay? As much as I want to be able to share future orb time with you ag—,” Prinrin’s emotional waves that interrupt my admission are similar to waggling eyebrows, so I grump, “Hey now, it’s not about that.”
I grumble along our mental wavelength, “Keep your mind out of the gutter for a bit you little deviant. I’m trying to admit something. I’m going to cheat the rules of reality again, but the orb has limited uses. It’s cracking more every time it gets used. I’m going to try to use it in a way that hopefully doesn’t crack it to complete uselessness, but that still hopefully lets me master more runes of more spells more quickly. What I’m saying is, despite how much I loved our time in there, and wanted more of it, if the artifact does get destroyed, I don’t care. You’re too precious to me. I love you Prinrin. My deviant little old lass.”