Timbrelle laid in bed, listening to Davian drone on and on about the Tryptus. Any other day she might have felt annoyed at the constant chatter but today she was grateful. Adna’s boyfriend had showed up right after Exantir left, giving her very little time to dwell on the aspiring lich’s farewell.
Ping!
“Hey Davian, help me take these bandages off.” She pestered him. “I can’t find the end of the gauze on my own.”
He obediently unraveled her before thinking to ask, “Wait, are you allowed to take them off? Shouldn’t the doctor be the one to do this?”
“Just let me know if he comes.” She said.
“You want to use me as a lookout? No way! You’re Fede’s granddaughter and I’m already a little responsible for you going sorta blind.” He huffed.
“Oh, real sensitive.” She gestured to her closed eyes. “Am I gonna be my own lookout? How incredibly rude.”
He gave no response.
Timbrelle touched her eyes softly with her fingers before trying to open them. They felt normal. No tenderness. Nothing.
She opened her eyes expecting to see the room around her. Instead, she saw something wonderful.
“Woah, is that you, Davian? I can see all your rubies.”
The man’s silhouette shone a vibrant crimson with points of ruby starlight that she recognized to be his gems located all around his body.
He covered his groin with his hands. “Well I don’t have any on the surface! How much can you see exactly?”
“Your silhouette. It’s red with points of brighter light that I can tell are your rubies. There’s a nasty blood orange color coming from me and flowing through the tube to Adna. I can see it spread through her body and get duller near the edges.” She blinked. Her eyes felt completely healed but there was no visual input from the inanimate objects around the room. Only Adna, Davian and herself.
And an interface window.
Ping!
You have unlocked the level 1 ability ‘Soul Sight’. At level 1 its effects are exclusionary. While under the effects of Soul Sight, you will only be able to perceive spectral energy.
This may be toggled on and off without use of the interface
Ping!
You have undelivered system messages. Deliver them now?
Yes/No
She chose yes and found herself beneath a pile of windows that crowded her vision.
Ping!
You have suffered second degree aurora burns to your soul. Due to excessive trauma, soul output has diminished to 608%.
Ping!
Due to excessive trauma, Soul Communion has been automatically slowed to 75%.
*This percent may be manually overridden in the settings tab.
Ping!
Tunari Rigel is experiencing bloodlust.
-Someone within your influence is experiencing intense emotion. Use title ability to affect these emotions?
Yes/No
*decision timed out
Ping!
Due to ‘Deafening Soul’ and unstable soul output, the effects of the translation feature are limited. What you say and hear may not be translated correctly.
When the final window blinked away, two new figures stood at the end of her bed. Having come in while she was buried under windows, she didn’t notice them until they were face to face. The silhouettes were spotted with every hue of purple. A galaxy of violet and lavender. One’s soul was noticeably more vivid purple in the negative space between stars. The two amethyst aurors regarded her briefly before the lighter toned figure spoke with Fax’s voice, displeased.
“Are you experiencing any complications from removing your bandages sixteen hours early? Pain? Discomfort?” He asked.
“I can see your soul through your skin. Is that normal?” She asked. “I know exactly where all your amethysts are.”
Fede jumped in. “I’m sure she didn’t mean it as a threat, Doctor Fax. Timbrelle simply doesn’t understand auror customs. She’s… new.”
“I understand, Duke Rigel. I’ve worked with Unmade extensively. It’s not offensive when they’re still learning. It would be another matter entirely if she wrote that in a note slipped under my door in the dead of night. Don’t fret.” He said to Fede and turned back to Timbrelle. “If you know where a person’s gems are, they become exceptionally killable. This type of etiquette is a learned aspect of being an auror. You’ll get the hang of it. What do you see in Adna?”
“I’m dumping my soul into her. She’s not as vivid as you guys or Davian, but close in the head and torso.” She inspected the woman. “Where is Davian, anyway? He was supposed to be my lookout.”
”Best you choose someone who was not so easily affected by my amethysts next time. Ruby aurors are like puppets.” Fede shrugged. “He’s waiting in the hallway.”
“Duke Rigel, it’s fortuitous that you’re here. Would you please attempt to wake our friend? I believe she has enough soul to command at the moment.” Fax requested politely.
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
The figure of Fede stepped forward. The amethyst currently located in his forehead was actually a jewel the size of her fist that peeked out from inside his brain. The monstrously large gem shown with shafts of transcendent purple light in the perfect outline of Adna’s body. She saw the bright light bleed into the blood orange of her own transfused energy. It formed slow motion streaks through Adna’s body to the mark on her back like it was being consumed by a black hole.
Her outline sputtered with light before she spoke. Adna’s voice grumbled from the bed, “What the hell happened? What is this tube? Why is it hooked to— Timbrelle?” her orangey silhouette started at Timbrelle. “You need blood or something? I guess old Morty got you back safe. Well, take what you need. Though I will say the hose feels excessive.”
“Miss Adna, I’m Doctor Fax. How are you feeling?” He asked.
“I feel great. There’s not much to report. This tube kinda stings but other than that it feels like I exercised too hard.” She turned to Timbrelle and said conspiratorially, “If you can even imagine that. Me? Hold on. What… what happened to your eyes, Timbrelle?”
“I looked at an aurora gem too hard and burnt my soul. Went blind for a day. How do they look?” She blinked repeatedly rolling them around for Adna to see every angle. “They feel fine, do they look all nasty?”
“Were your eyes always completely white with no iris and pupil? I’m no genius but it feels like I would remember that.”
“Huh? Just white?” She turned to the purple shape of Fax. “Is that right? I’ve got zombie eyes?”
“No… that’s not accurate.” He answered, obviously uncomfortable to refute Adna. “Unless… Duke Rigel, can you sense any force on your soul? Even the smallest tickle? This may be a projection.”
Fede walked forward and held her face in his hands. He cocked it to the side, looking it over carefully. “These aren’t her eyes. They’re not the right color— a couple shades too light. Knowing that, I can pick up on the soul projection. But no, I can’t feel the effect on my soul.”
”Then the projection must be extremely advanced… Timbrelle, I must say, the speed and manner with which your body and soul adapt to trauma is fascinating. I might expect to see this level of subconscious projection from a swordmaster who lost their arm. To the extent that an amethystic master cannot detect it on their soul… I will take more tests and try to figure this out. May I consult the Tellcentran High Priest on the topic? Her emeralds may prove useful.”
“Oh, hell yeah. Can you ask her about Adna too?” She checked the orange outline of Adna who replied with a thumbs-up. “That would be great.”
Adna gestured for Timbrelle to lean in. “Why does Fede know your eyes that well? That’s super weird.”
“He’s my grandpa now. We can’t talk rude about him anymore.” She explained. “I’m glad you’re safe though. Three days was way too long.”
Adna bolted up in bed, jerking the tube that connected them and making Timbrelle wheeze. “Three days? Oh no. Oh no. I stole a book I meant to unsteal. This! This is why I don’t rent books, I don’t like deadlines! Shorna is gonna be big angry.”
“Enough.” Fede commanded. With a flash of amethyst her mouth snapped shut and the aura forced her to lay back down. “The doctor has profoundly important news to give you. And I have a request that we keep you hooked up to this tube. You obey much better under its effects.”
Adna pulsed faintly with purple light, silent.
Doctor Fax continued. “Your friend, Timbrelle here has got a very large soul. The only way for her to survive is by siphoning off energy. A function you can and have been performing naturally.”
“I can? I do? As long as that’s a good thing, I don’t mind. Ask anyone, I’m great at suck—“ A javelin of purple aura struck her in the chest. Adna promptly cut off the sentence, shut her mouth, pulled up the sheets and laced her hands together over her chest.
“Fede, knock it off. Adna, gross. Doctor Fax, please continue.” Timbrelle organized the group. “Adna, I know you want to go to the Tryptus, so let’s get this dealt with.”
Doctor Fax soldiered on. “We are unable to detect any spectral energy originating from you. The only reasons for that happening would be, first, you are an inanimate object—”
“And the second is if I have no soul, right?”
“You dirtbag. Did you already know?” Timbrelle accused.
“Oh shit, was I right? I don’t have a soul?” She looked to Fax for confirmation.
“That is accurate. You are siphoning spectral energy from Timbrelle who has an overabundance.”
”So… am I just Timbrelle in another shell? Is that why I don’t have any memories?” She asked.
“I don’t know the finer details of your condition, only the basics. I’ve gathered what I could about your situation and intend to research it moving forward. What I have heard from Duke Rigel, however, leads me to believe you are two distinct individuals merely subsisting on the same energy source. Timbrelle is not your original, she is your life support. It is important that you understand: you will die and she will become disabled if you break your soul communion. For your own edification, I advise that you test your bond. Distance, trauma and certain activities could strain or sever the connection. You’ll need to know these limitations if you intend to live a normal life.” Doctor Fax handed something to Timbrelle that felt like a business card. “You have another appointment set. I’ve written the next date and my address on the card. Should you encounter any Crystalurgical complications in the interim, I can be found there after hours. At your next appointment we’ll study your inability to attune gems.”
Adna sat up and yanked the tube off her chest, the force also disconnecting Timbrelle with a yelp.
“Oops, my bad.” She apologized. “But if my math is correct, the Tryptus is today and I’ve got places to be.”
Timbrelle groaned and rubbed her sternum around the hole. “Watch me take my big-ass soul on vacation and leave you to starve. That hurt so bad. Exantir told me to visit Florenta and I might just take a solo trip.”
“Who the hell is Exantir?” Adna asked. “You have a boyfriend now?”
”Blegh, no. Jir sent him to give me a message—a really rude one, by the way. But he was cool. He’s going to Florenta soon to become a full lich on the battlefield.”
The room went silent but Timbrelle couldn’t see anyone’s expression to determine why. “Toggle off. To—oh! There we go. I can see again.” She frowned at their familiar, baffled expression when her sight returned to normal. “I’ve said something ridiculous, I gather.”
Fede slowly placed his face in both hands, shaking it softly.
Doctor Fax was less restrained. “You mean a follower of Jir was in this hospital?” He demanded. “How long ago was this? Do you know if they did anything? No bodies have been found so far.”
”Yikes, hold on. He said he hadn’t been sealed yet; He’s gonna do that and head over to Florenta for their war. No killing, just delivering a message today.” She assured. “He was a chill dude.”
Fede looked up from his hands with a tired expression. “My dear girl. There is no war going on in Florenta.”
”…he lied?” Timbrelle asked.
“No… I fear it’s quite the opposite. Florenta may be headed into a war that even they don’t realize is coming.” Fede’s voice was quiet, his face blank as if trying to process the implications.
Doctor Fax grew pale. “Miasma bless us… Florenta? Who on Kitos would dare challenge them?” After a long moment he cleared his throat and adjusted his posture. He turned to the Duke and said, “I will inform my congregation. I would ask that you relay the news to the kings of Tellcentra and Yost. I suspect it will be easier to accept if the news comes from you.”
The Duke wore a face of grim amusement. “If Florenta is truly going to war on a scale that could produce a High Priest for Jir… nothing will make it easier to accept.”
Timbrelle felt the mood change around her and leaned in to Adna as Fax and Fede kept conversing. She whispered, “Would you be interested in training under the lich? …I maybe, sorta set that up.”
Adna’s eyes went wide.
“He said we could come visit him during the war.”
She stared at Timbrelle.
“What? He was a really nice guy and we ate fruit together.”
Adna choked, her very breath rebelling at the absurdity of the news.
“It’s not crazy!” She insisted, now raising her voice. “Don’t give me that face. Jir is a big fanboy for Nerrus and wanted to help me out to score points with my god. He sent Exantir to give me some clues to the divine mediums—six of them, by the way. Don’t even get me started. We ate fruit and chatted for a while about his church and how if I put in a good word to Nerrus for Jir then Exantir will get promoted to High Lich Priest and be able to piggy-back off the upcoming war instead of killing people himself. I thought he’d be a good tutor for your spectral suckage and he now owes me a favor.
“It’s all very straightforward and not crazy. I didn’t realize it was some portent of destruction.” She assured the now silent room.
Adna nodded thoughtfully and said, “I’ve been noticing something during our time together. Whenever you speak, I can actually feel my tolerance for bullshit rising. It’s the weirdest sensa—“
Timbrelle launched herself out of bed at the woman only to fall directly into a headlock that released when she stuck her finger in Adna’s ear. Adna tried to pin Timbrelle’s arm behind her back but was horrified and delighted to discover the woman's unnatural flexibility. They struggled for a minute before the two heard Fede address Fax.
“Why don’t you lead me through the discharge paperwork. They’ll be at it for a while.” His heavy sigh was the last thing the girls heard before the door clicked shut behind him.