"...we swore this oath, though it could yet cost us our..."

Fragments of memories kept playing through Edeline's mind. Bits and pieces of a time long past, carried from the mind of whoever that stone statue was directly into her, kept coming back without end as they moved up through the tunnels.

"...they attacked before the dawn. We were nearly all..."

More disturbingly, among the fragments were countless scenes of darkness, of being trapped, screaming and begging and pleading unheard by anyone. Just how long that woman had been down there was a mystery, but the images in her head indicated an eternity alone. Given that, it hardly mattered if she was this Stormsage Nela had mentioned, or not. She had needed to be set free.

"...promise to you that I will return, and restore you to..."

Edeline knew she needed time to sort through the shared memories. Somewhere among them there had to be a clue, information about why that place someone would become trapped as a statue. It was time she probably would not have, but Edeline was going to make the attempt regardless.

"..you going to climb up, or did you take root like a tree?"

Indeed, she would have to...Edeline blinked as she realized those last words were real. Nela stood at the entrance to the cellar, looking down on her. She had been so lost in her thoughts that she had not noticed they had made it back.

"My apologies," Edeline said, heading up and out. The sun had set some time ago, and the sky was rapidly darkening into night. It was strange, though, as it felt like they had spent a lot longer down there. It could be a result of her being fatigued, or just being unable to tell the passage of time while underground. No matter which it was, it had been quite the eventful day.

All she wanted to do now was get something to eat, followed by going straight to her room. But until they sorted out just what had happened down below, and what it meant, Edeline could not rest. Not yet.

"You wouldn't believe how tired I am," Myron commented, rubbing his arm idly. It was good to know she was not the only one, Edeline thought.

"Same here," Nela said, "But we've got one more thing to take care of." She fixed her gaze on Hamond.

Edeline let out a sigh. There was no denying that Hamond had been careless about hiding his own training as a thaumaturge. As for the matter of healing Myron, she was curious as to what explanation he had. Not knowing of a particular healing spell was one thing, but she doubted Hamond was completely ignorant. He would have thoroughly studied to master as many as he could...right?

"Care to tell us how you know a bunch of random spells, but don't know the full standard set of healing spells?" Nela crossed her arms. "All I've seen out of you was one of the most basic ones. It was the first one I learned."

"I won't hide that I haven't always been a healer." Hamond's voice was low and rough. "And that my healing knowledge is largely self-taught."

"It shows," Nela grumbled, "Really, my grandfather could have picked a hex of better men to work with than you. It should've been obvious there was shit you didn't know about after you met him."

"I've only worked with him three times," Hamond said, "And it was always helping with the First Ascension. I haven't seen him work outside of those instances, and those always used that one spell."

"Well...shit." Nela was at a loss for words. "I thought he'd been asking you for all sorts of help. Guess I was wrong."

"That doesn't address the main issue," Myron spoke up.

"Huh?" Nela blinked.

"Which is?" Hamond asked, locking gazes with Edeline's brother.

"Exactly how long were you going to wait before telling us this?" Myron thrust a finger towards Hamond. "It's blatantly clear you're a thaumaturge. Why should we trust you?"

Edeline draw back. Myron still didn't trust thaumaturges, but did that apply to her? Or did he still not really understand she was also walking down that same path? It cut deeply, far more than the sword slice that had set her on the course to meet Hamond to begin with.

"Because I set you free from that spell?" Hamond's gaze did not falter.

"Can't argue with that." Nela stepped around, facing Myron. "Ronny, let's just go in."

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Myron ignored her, moving past to come face to face with Hamond. "I don't know you. None of us did, before all of this. And this whole time, you've been deceptive to me, to my sister. Do you think that-"

"Enough!" Edeline was at her limit, finding herself shaking with rage. How could he.

"Edeline?" Myron turned, confused, "I was just-"

"What? Assuming I had not already figured out Hamond was a thaumaturge? Do you think I am that much of a fool?"

Myron looked like he'd just been struck by the gigant all over again.

Edeline was not finished. "I was bleeding out on the street, next to Lendra's dead body, while you were under that spell. I was having to fight off the city watch, who wanted to drag me off to who knows where, while you were under than spell. And you somehow think you know better than me about who I should trust to see me through this?"

"I didn't mean that," Myron said softly.

"Then what did you mean? That you do not trust thaumaturges? Then let me be clear. That is what I am now. If you choose to not trust me as well...so be it!"

Myron just stood there, staring at her, dismayed. Edeline was about to open her mouth again, demand he answer, when a hand fell on her shoulder.

"I think you made your point," Hamond said quietly.

Edeline paused, trying to think of a rebuttal, some way to continue the argument. But, she realized, it would serve no purpose. Getting herself more and more frustrated did nothing to solve the problems they faced. Even if her brother deserved it...no, let it go. For now.

"I'm just going to go find some food," she said. Without bothering to wait for Hamond, or the other two, she pushed past them and went towards the house. Swinging the door wide open, she did not bother pulling it closed. Let them follow if they wanted, or not, she was headed for the kitchens.

"...the greatest wielders of primal sorcery the land has ever..."

And now the fragments from before returned, insistent. Attempting to shut them out, Edeline walked down the hall, passing under the gaze of the portraits of her family. Forget them, they would not be her family much longer. Hallowscroft was not a name for her to bear, but a shackle holding her back. She saw that now, clearer than ever.

"...my dear daughter. Don't cry. Your father will return, once..."

Shaking off the childhood memory that was not hers, Edeline entered the kitchen in a huff. First step, find some ingredients. Finding a sack, she looked into it only to discover it was empty. Right, Hamond had likely already cleaned out some things for the earlier meal. That raised a key question: was there actually enough food left for them at this point?

Checking more sacks, Edeline began to develop a sinking feeling. Everywhere she checked, there was not a single bit of food left. There had to be more than that, somewhere...but it was not here.

The door creaked open. "What are you even doing?"

Edeline spun to see Nela standing there. She had half been expecting Hamond to come offer his aid, so this was a bit of a surprise. "Looking for food."

Nela slapped a hand to her face. "We sorted all the remaining fresh things. They're in the storeroom. You know, the place they usually go?"

Of course. Edeline sighed and closed her eyes, her exhaustion growing. "I'm sorry." What else could she say?

"Aether's blood, you're really feeling bad, aren't you?" Nela's footsteps drew closer. "Guess that's why you exploded at Ronny then."

Turning to look at Nela, Edeline saw she looked concerned. "I just thought...you'd be angry at me." Nela had taken Myron's side before, and her approaching this from a more neutral stance was unusual.

"I'm not happy about it, no," Nela said, "You weren't thinking about what it meant, and he wasn't thinking about it either." She let out a bitter chuckle. "You two are definitely brother and sister, you know that?"

"I suppose we are," Edeline admitted. Even so, that alone was not enough to forgive Myron for what he had said.

"That's the thing." Nela looked down at the floor. "When I first decided that I was going to try to join up with the other recruits under your brother, become a healer for the army, my family...was beyond angry. What you said earlier to Ronny, what he said to you...that was nothing compared to what happened to me."

Edeline was stunned, realizing that the exchange between her and Myron had hurt Nela as well. Nela had briefly mentioned being estranged before, but Edeline had forgotten that with everything that had happened.

"After the threats, the insults, I knew they weren't my family. Not any more." Nela looked up, expression forlorn. "For a while, didn't really think I would have one..."

"Then you met my brother," Edeline finished.

"You see why we didn't exactly want to tell you about us," Nela said, "I didn't want him to lose the rest his family too. And this whole shit with Hamond lying definitely isn't worth it, either. Especially since, well..." She gestured around with her hands.

Edeline winced, unable to deny it. Their mother was dead. Their father was likely in the hands of their enemy. The rest of the family had been scattered in the wake of the Spellking's war, with her having no idea where they might have ended up. As far as anyone could tell, she and Myron were likely the last two.

"I suppose I owe him an apology," Edeline admitted.

"I suppose you need to rest first," Nela told her, "Knowing you two, you'd probably end up saying some other shit and making each other raging mad all over again, the way you both are now. Think of it as a healer's command...an actual healer, that is."

Of course, she couldn't resist taking another shot at Hamond, Edeline noted resignedly. Still, as tired as she was, it probably would be better to put it aside for tomorrow. It did raise one other question though.

"Where is he?" Edeline asked.

"Which one?" Nela teased, "Fine. Ronny went to his room, and Hamond said something about trying to find a bed of his own and wandered off."

They did have a handful of rooms for the servants who lived here, so that was probably where Hamond had ended up. It was unlikely that he could have become lost. The layout of the house was not all that complicated.

"Anyway, suppose I'll help you make food then," Nela said, "How much do you know about cooking?"

Edeline swallowed, hating to admit it. "Very little."

"I guess you'd better follow instructions from me," Nela said with a wicked grin. Edeline could only shake her head, wondering if this was the price she had paid for being able to call forth such powerful magic. "Let's go see what we've still got."

Nela turned and marched to the door, Edeline silently following, still hungry, still tired. But hopefully not for long.