“Sanora?! What’s wrong?” Mari screams as she rushed to Sanora who is on the floor, still coughing.

“I- I don’t know.” She presses out and shakes her head. “It just suddenly came over me.” She wipes the puke from her mouth and gets up on shaky legs.

“Hey don’t push yourself.” Mari says as she gently helps Sanora sit back onto the chair.

“I’ll be fine, just need a minute.” Sanora takes a deep breath, but Mari isn’t convinced.

“This isn’t something ‘a minute’ can cure. We don’t even know what we’re trying to cure here.” Mari sighs. “You take a rest and get changed, we’ll go see Virelia. Come on, I’ll help you.”

“But you just came home.” Sanora deflates, but Mari stands firm.

“And I will come home again tomorrow. But if something is wrong with you, we need to know now.”

Sanora gives in with a sigh.

“Alright, let’s go.”

============================================

“And you say it came out of nowhere? You haven’t been feeling sick at all before?” Virelia asks with furrowed eyebrows while tracing a finger over Sanora’s stomach.

“No. I was perfectly fine all day.” Sanora shrugs. “But for some reason as soon as I saw the tea, the nausea hit me like a boulder.”

“That sounds odd. As far as I can tell nothing is wrong with you. Throat is a little sore from the acid, but that’s all. No allergic reaction, your condition didn’t worsen either. You can lower your clothes, thank you.” She says as she takes her hand off Sanora.

“So, what happened? I mean, something must have caused this.” Mari asks with a worried voice.

Virelia holds her chin as she thinks.

“Please give us the room for a minute.” She tells Mari after a few moments. A bit reluctant the girl gets up before giving Sanora a pat on the shoulder and leaving them alone.

“I wouldn’t mind if she stays you know?” Sanora looks at the door.

“I know that, but I can think better this way.” Virelia’s finger taps on the desk in a slow pace. “But even then, I’m not sure what to think about. Your body seems as healthy as the conditions allow so…”

“We hit a dead end?” Sanora raises an eyebrow.

“Not necessarily. Just covering the aspect of flesh might not reveal every possibility. There are plenty of ailments that could be hiding in many parts of the body. Tell me again, what exactly happened?”

“Well, I was busy cooking- trying at least- when Mari came home early. I had managed to burn a pot of potatoes which caught fire. She put out the fire in the pot, I sat down. She told me she has something for me, so I sat and waited. She set down the cup and suddenly I felt sick.”

“When exactly did you start feeling sick? Did you maybe inhale too much smoke?”

“No, I was fine right until…” Sanora’s face distorts. “Until I saw the tea I guess.”

“Do you dislike tea?”

“No, not at all. I’ve always been rather fond of it.”

“Hmm.” Virelia grows quiet again for a moment. The tapping of her finger stops, and she looks at Sanora intently. “I have one last idea, but to find out we’d have to resort to a bit of an unorthodox method which might be a little… frowned upon. I’ll leave the decision to you. But be warned, it’s something that’ll have to stay in this room.”

“That sounds awfully reassuring.” Sanora scoffs. “What is it?”

“What caused you to feel sick from seeing tea might not be a physical issue. I’ve heard of people being haunted by memories. Usually, it originates from near death experiences or similar, so it’s a long shot. But the mind can be a tricky thing, so we shouldn’t rule out the possibility that what caused this is solely happening up there.”

“You’re saying that I’m traumatised by tea?” Sanora smirks.

“As odd as it sounds, it is a possibility. So, what I am suggesting is we take a look into your brain. It’s the only way of making sure. But it isn’t a pleasant procedure, so I’m leaving the decision to you.”

Sanora thinks about it. On one hand the idea of being traumatised from tea of all things sounds ridiculous. How in the world would something like that even traumatise someone? On the other hand, just thinking about it she can feel some odd kind of unease spreading through her as she thinks back to the steaming cup on the table. Virelia is already one of the people closest to her, though partly out of necessity. There really isn’t much to lose for her.

She sighs. “Alright then, let’s get this over with so we can rule that idea out.”

For a split second she can see Virelia’s lips twitch to a grin, but after blinking once she just sees her smiling with her professional demeanour like she always does, so Sanora puts it off to her imagination.

“Very well. Lean closer.” She says and holds out her hands towards Sanora’s face. Sanora does as told and leans forward. Virelia gently takes her face into her soft hands which are oddly cool.

“You’ll feel a bit of a tingle in your head when I enter. Don’t worry, I won’t touch anything in there, I’ll just ask some questions and we’ll go through your memories. Do you understand?”

“I do. Let’s just get this over with.”

“Very well. Try not to resist too much.” Virelia nods. Slowly the magic forcefully snakes into Sanora’s head. She can feel it scratching at her skull, trying to get into her mind as her brain is fighting against it subconsciously. Virelia wasn’t lying, this really is unpleasant. Steadily the magic grows stronger, slowly overcoming the resistance Sanora’s brain is putting up. A shock travels through her body when Virelia finally breaks through. Her head grows hazy as her mind mixes with the weaver’s magic. It is like the time their magic connected, only tenfold in intensity. Thoughts and snippets of memories that aren’t her own wander through Sanora’s mind. They are unclear, as if visible through a fog but they must be Virelia’s. She is completely at her mercy right now, Virelia’s magic is caressing her brain all over, sending jolts through her body whenever it touches her. It would take the weaver but a thought right now to turn Sanora’s brain into liquid.

“Do you hear me?” Virelia’s voice sounds muffled as Sanora sinks more and more into the space of her mind.

“Yes.” Sanora answers barely present. It takes almost all of her willpower to still pick up something outside of her mindspace.

“Good. Alright then, I need you to think back to when you saw the tea. What was going through your mind when you saw it?”

Sanora doesn’t answer as her mind wanders back. A second later the both of them are standing in the kitchen in Mari’s house. A second Sanora is sitting at the table with Mari. It freaks Sanora out a bit to look at herself.

The tea is standing right in front of her. Just tea, as normal as it gets. The warm scent wanders into her nose like so many times before. Warmth fills her as the fond memories with Amni play in her mind. In a split second her thoughts wander away and they find themselves in a cozy cave-house. Most of the room is just a blurry mist, vaguely shaping furniture and walls. The only clear part is the table where Sanora sits with someone. A cup of tea in her hands as she talks with the horned, grey-haired woman.

“Where are we?” Virelia asks as they look at the scene.

“A friend’s house.” Sanora says, a sting coursing through her heart.

“So, why are we here? I can see the tea, something happened here?”

“Mhh yes, if I remember right…” Sanora says as she watches her old conversation with Amni. Or at least she tries as she can hardly tear her eyes away from Amni’s face. It has been so long since she last saw her. And looking at this memory is really tearing at old wounds.

“You alright?” Virelia asks her.

“Not really. But this isn’t what we’re here for. There.” Sanora says as she sees the old events replay. She tells Amni about her past, they talk about the house and the land and then Sanora asks about the painting of the wall.

“Seems like you asked about some difficult topic there.” Virelia remarks.

“I did.” Sanora sighs. “But I honestly don’t think this is what is causing all of this. I had tea with Amni after that day and nothing was ever wrong.”

“I guess we hit a dud with this one. Let’s move on.”

Sanora looks at Amni, a yearning gaze on fer face as she nods.

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“Right, let’s move on.” Sanora sighs and tears her eyes away from Amni. “Tea tea tea… right there was that as well.” The scene around them changes as Sanora searchers through her memories. They stand in a clearing in the woods next to a semi-finished log cabin.

“Your home?”

“It was. And it was beautiful.” Sanora looks at the almost finished house with distant eyes.

Two figures walk across the clearing as the memory plays. Again, it is Sanora and Amni, talking about tea on their way to Amni’s place. It was the day where Sanora asked for some of the tea Amni would always make for her.

“Right so we were down here talking, then next…” Sanora thinks, and the scene shift again, bringing them back into Amni’s house where they are promptly greeted by a loud moan as Amni massages Sanora’s stiff back.

“You really had me scared for a second.” Virelia sighs.

“You really think I’d show you something like that? You wish.” Sanora snorts. A small shard of emotion washes in from Virelia. It seems she might not be overly opposed to that. Once again Virelia doesn’t notice her slip of the mind, so Sanora just ignores it. “Alright there was this, then she was searching for the tea, and I fell asleep.” As she says the words the world around them fades to black as her brain stopped recording.

“So, what now? Nothing happened here.” Virelia asks Sanora as they stand in the unending black void.

“Not yet. There was a really embarrassing moment when I woke up the next day, but I don’t think that’s it either…” Sanora mumbles as she holds her chin and closes her eyes, trying to think of other occasions that have something with tea in them.

“Uh, Sanora?” Virelia says but Sanora ignores her.

“Yeah yeah I’m thinking.”

“Uh, you might want to take a look at this first.”

Sanora clicks her tongue as she opens her eyes. She is about to ask Virelia what is so important but stops when she sees where they are. This isn’t Amni’s place, nor is it Mari’s or Sanora’s house. Although that isn’t true because in a sense this is Sanora’s house, just not the right world.

“Where are we?” Virelia asks as she looks around the room astonished. “This place… I have never seen anything like it.”

“It’s nothing. Just a weird dream.” Sanora says, vaguely remembering waking up that day in Amni’s bed after a sad dream. So, she dreamt about this place. No wonder she was so sad back then. This was probably the first time she dreamt about it. Just seeing her old room makes her sad and reminds her of how little progress she has made in finding the moon. She focuses on the actual reason they are here for, ere Virelia sees too much. Tea, tea, the next time something with tea happened. She goes through her memories until something that Sanora tried her best never to think about again surfaces. The starry sky is above them, the crackling fire warms the chilly air of the night. They stand next to a campfire and a makeshift tent. Sanora sits next to Vadia who passes her a pot of tea. Nausea and heat fill her mind as the memory repeats itself in front of them. The unyielding hunger for the girl she didn’t even know, the gnawing lust induced by the poison. The lie of love that Vadia told her for so long only to cast Sanora away once she fulfilled her purpose. If this wasn’t a place made of thoughts and memories Sanora’s body would have thrown up by now.

“Yep, I think we found it.” She presses out.

“We did? I mean I can certainly feel that you aren’t well, but I don’t get why. You seem rather…” Virelia glances at the construct of Sanora and Vadia making out by the fire.

“We seem what? Happy? Horny? Drugged!?” Sanora hisses at the weaver.

“Drugged?” She raises an eyebrow. “Wait, don’t tell me Vadia-“

“Put something in the tea? Well, she sure fucking did. And I didn’t notice even though it felt exactly like…” Before Sanora can finish her sentence the scene changes, bringing them into a small bedroom with Sanora lying on the bed. Her head is red, and her clothes drenched in sweat. Amni is kneeling next to the bed with a worried expression.

“Like that time.” Sanora sighs as she watches what must be her most embarrassing memory. She watches as she closes in on Amni, and cringes when she hears herself say those dammed words.

“Please, stop being my big sister just for this night…”

“Oh my…” Virelia quietly mutters.

“Oh, shut up. Why am I even showing you this?” Sanora says, already thinking about where to go next before they enter the dream she had that day. But before they leave, she notices Amni standing in the door just a bit longer. She can’t remember this. She must have somehow picked it up in her half-asleep state. Her heart stops when she hears the words Amni whispers in the doorframe, before leaving the room.

“Well, I don’t know why you do what you do. But I still don’t really understand what happened back there with Vadia.” Virelia says, interrupting Sanora who slowly turns her head to glare at the weaver.

“Can’t you read the fucking room? I was having a moment here!”

“Uh… sorry.” Virelia averts her gaze. “But we still need to know what’s causing you trouble, that’s what we’re here for.”

“Haah, right.” Sanora sighs. “Well, you want to know what happened?” Sanora says and a second later they stand in Vadia’s room in the castle. “There, have a look.” She flicks her hand dismissively and turns away from the memory of herself picking up a pile of clothes to wash them. Virelia watches as the scene of Sanora finding a dead insect plays. Virelia can feel the dread of the memory send a chill down her spine.

“So… that’s what happened? Vadia, she…”

“She lied to me.” Sanora spits. “After all I did for her. No, not after, while. She was using me from the start. She didn’t love me, she needed me.” Sanora sits down onto the bed.

“I am sorry. I had no idea Vadia could even do something like that.” Virelia says quietly as she takes a seat next to Sanora.

“Yeah, no shit.” Sanora laughs. “Me neither. She was playing me like a damn lute all along and I was too blinded by emotions to see.” She grits her teeth, and a tear rolls down her face. The emotions are spilling into Virelia’s mind too. The sadness and wrath overwhelm her like a tidal wave as Sanora’s mind slowly starts to take the reins of the spell. Until now Virelia was sure that no matter what, she would keep the upper hand. She was certain that a young mind like Sanora’s would have no chance to overwhelm her own which has several decades of experience on the girl. But how wrong she was. There is something in that girl, something dark, dangerous. Hidden away in the depths of Sanora. And Virelia can’t help but feel as awed as she is afraid.

Virelia doesn’t want this to end yet. She isn’t just enjoying this, she is thrilled, euphoric even to be this close to Sanora. But with every passing second, she is growing more scared as well.

“You know I’ve noticed.” Sanora suddenly says.

“N-noticed what?” Virelia asks as Sanora slowly turns to look at her.

“I know how you feel about me.”

Sanora’s gaze bores into Virelia’s eyes, her very soul.

“I don’t know what you mean. But we’ve been here long enough, we have what we want.” She says, trying to end the spell. But she can’t pull back. Sanora keeps an iron grip on the spell.

“You may have what you want, but I don’t. Tell me, Virelia. What is that feeling of obsession you have for me? What do you need me for?”

“I don’t know what you mean.” Virelia gulps, but she knows Sanora is onto her.

“You don’t need to tell me. I understand how this works now. All I have to do is make you think about it, and I will see.”

Virelia tries to fight it, but it’s no use as the scene around them changes, bringing them to Virelia’s office where a construct of her is sitting at the desk, the strip of flesh Sanora gave her lying in front of her as she is working on her research.

“Sanora, stop this, now.” Virelia commands.

“I won’t be used again, Virelia.”

“I am not using you!”

“So, you are just helping me from the goodness of you heart? Right.” Sanora scoffs. “You either tell me or I will see for myself.”

A shiver runs down the weaver’s spine as Sanora stares her down. She feels like a helpless child under that burning gaze of hers, too scared to even move. But she knows what is about to come if she doesn’t do anything. The memory of the cold and slick feeling in her throat already at the edge of her consciousness.

Sanora wants to know. What’s going through Virelia’s mind? She starts to pry into her thoughts. Virelia tries to resist. The spell already turned up the results they wanted, and they can stop now. But Sanora is persistent, tearing away at the weaver’s mind, keeping her in her grasp.

A screaming resounds through the back of Sanora’s mind. This isn’t right, she is going way too far. But she must know if there is someone taking advantage of her again. She will not repeat her past mistakes

“Sanora, stop, please.” Virelia pleads.

“Then tell me, Virelia. What is it you want from me?” Sanora steps closer to the weaver who is starting to crack under the pressure of Sanora’s stare. How did they end up like this? How did Sanora manage to overwhelm her? The memory is still playing out next to them and it is only a matter of time before Sanora will see the sin the weaver committed that day. If she doesn’t do something now, it will be too late.

“Tell me, Virelia.” Sanora presses again. Virelia gulps. No matter how hard she thinks there is no way for her out of this. Sanora has her trapped, and the truth would come out one way of another. She steels herself, taking a deep breath.

“I-i… I just like you.” She says quietly. Sanora raises an eyebrow at her.

“You just like me? Enough to do a treatment worth a house for free on me? If that’s all you could have just told me sooner.”

“No, I could not. You don’t know what it means for me to have feelings like this for a patient. I would lose my standing, my job. I should never have allowed myself to have such feelings for you.”

If Sanora wasn’t partially in the woman’s mind right now, she might still not believe her, but she can feel it. Virelia is telling the truth.

“That’s the reason?” She takes a step back as her anger dies down. “You just… like me?”

Virelia nods. “Ever since I first met you in Vadia’s room.”

“I… shit.” Sanora curses. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have pried.”

“You shouldn’t have.” Virelia says and finally manages to take over the spell again, ending the connection and finally bringing them both back to reality.

They fall back into their chairs as exhaustion kicks each of them in the gut. They spent what felt like hours in the spell.

“That was…” Sanora says, holding her head.

“Awful.” Virelia finishes for her.

“Yeah… sorry again. That was a bit…” Sanora scratches her head, the words failing her.

“Rude? Pushy? Scary? Inhumane?” Virelia says with a scowl.

“Again, I’m really sorry. If I can make this up to you in any way, please tell me.”

Virelia looks at Sanora for a moment and thinks.

“Just give me some time to sort out my thoughts for now.” She says with a sigh.

“Of course, no problem.” Sanora nods and gets up hastily.

“Come see me if something with your condition comes up.” Virelia says as Sanora is on her way out.

“I will.” She says as she leaves the room.

“You’re done.” Mari gets up the moment Sanora comes out of the door. “That was quick.”

“Yeah, we just…” Sanora stops. She doesn’t want to lie to Mari about what happened in there, but if she tells anyone Virelia’s whole life could be jeopardy.

“-just had an exhausting talk.” Sanora sighs after a moment’s hesitation and starts to walk homewards.

“I’m sorry. Did you come to conclusion at least?”

“We did yeah. It’s honestly pretty stupid... Do you mind if we talk about this another day? I’m really spent.” Sanora yawns.

“Of course not, you don’t have to push yourself.” Mari nods with a smile and they leave the hospital of the flesh sect. Not even the food stalls manage to grab Sanora’s attention as they walk back. She seems to be pulling herself over the road with her last bit of strength left, her unfocused eyes fixed straight ahead.

“Are you ok?” Mari asks her after a while.

“Mhhhh.” Sanora just grumbles before yawning. “Carry me home?” She looks at Mari with big eyes.

“That tired huh?” The girl chuckles as she turns around and gets low. “Hop on.”

“Yaay~” Sanora climbs onto Mari’s back and she lifts her up.

“You’ve gotten really light.” Mari says as she starts walking again.

“Thanks?” Sanora mumbles.

“That wasn’t a compliment. You lost more weight than you should have from just sitting around.”

“I’m sure it’ll come back.”

“I sure hope so.” Mari sighs. She walks down the street, gathering a few funny looks from the people around her as she does but she ignores them.

“Hey, are you sure you don’t want any dinner?” Mari asks as they near the end of the market. But she gets no response. Sanora is soundly sleeping on her back.

“Alright sleepyhead, but don’t complain when you wake up hungry at night.” Mari chuckles, adjusts her grip on Sanora and heads on home.