2023-11-09 Queen of Peace - Wik

"You know, I went to the Court of Sorcery once. It must have been years ago, now. Fantastic place. What did you think?"

Wik slowly finishes chewing, holding up a finger as though to say yes, one moment, why are you asking me questions while I am eating, can't you see tha- "It- erm-excuse me- it was nice. We didn't get to spend much time there, though. Zola led us to the Wellspring, we met with the Sovereign, and then it was back out into the Mystic Woods."

"Right, right. Too busy visiting the Wellspring of Magic and the Sovereign themselves to tour around. I understand." With a shit-eating grin on their face, Rux leans in to poke Wik with their elbow. "I kid. To think, my child would reach such heights. What happened next?"

From across the table, Yom smiles warmly. "Rux, dear, maybe let Wik finish dinner? It'll get cold."

Wik smiles over Rux's protestations, waving their parent off. "No, no, it's fine. Inside the forest, this elemental Glastor had created a wall of smoke. None of the fey from the Court could pass without being seriously injured. That led them to call in some help." A finger raised again to ward off the look of concern already rising on Yom's face. "No, don't worry, the Sovereign found a way to open a passage. Good thing, too, or I would have had to excuse myself.

"Inside, everything was just... dead. Whatever magic it was had killed everything it touched. The only thing left of note was a pillar of smoke ahead of us, and it was so huge that Archie mentioned that it looked like another Wellspring.

"We crept our way up towards it, and Calla got out ahead. She wanted to do something, it seemed. She said some things in Primordial that I didn't quite make out, and Glastor appeared to answer. They spoke for a while, and then Glastor said something about wanting to 'try something out.'"

Rux and Yom share a look, their eyes meeting for just a moment before returning to their child. "...And?" Yom pries.

"And we fought it out. I got too distracted with this elemental's minions, and I figured the others had the big one covered so I..." Wik takes a deep breath. "I didn't see when Zola went down. I didn't really see Calla speaking with Glastor, who had a clawed hand right above Zola's head. I didn't see her die, either."

As though anticipating the barrage of questions to follow, Wik holds a hand aloft, palm out. "Yes, yes, I know. But Glastor was defeated by Amble's owl shortly after, and we brought Zola back to the Sovereign. They used some of the magic of the Wellspring to bring her back."

Yom's shoulders lower, and they breathe a sigh of relief. "Well, at least it ended well enough. But why was this elemental in the Court of Sorcery anyway? That's neutral territory for the Fey, it must have known the courts would rise to defend it."

Wik shrugs. "Once Glastor was defeated, that pillar of smoke disappeared. There was another elemental hiding within it, someone that Calla called Phystal. They had been working on some sort of spell while we were fighting, and it looked like whatever it was, it was finished. Calla didn't look happy about it. Kept muttering something about a Staircase."

Zola's question was innocent. Expected, even, for one who'd learned the secret. That Cechec was Dulgrun was Wik was...

They don't have a good answer, when they're asked why they hide. Why it's any different than a mage casting Disguise Self.

But later, after dinner, after they are back in their room, they reflect.

"Yom?" A small, golden-scaled hand reaches up to tug at the pant leg of the tall, handsome half-elf that walks alongside. "Yommmm."

"Yes, child, what is it?"

"Yom, I'm tired of being Cechec. Can't I change into Dulgrun?"

"Not until we get home. You know the rules."

"But Yommmm I don't care if anyone sees. I'll just stand in that alleyway! I've gotten really fast, it should only take a minute!"

"I said no, Wik. You know why you can't let anyone see you change."

The rest of the walk home is quiet, the young one sullen and withdrawn. As the pair reaches the threshold of their home, Wik stomps forward, throwing open the door.

"It's not fair!" they exclaim, throwing their hands up. "Why are there so many rules!" With each shout, their scales fade to be replaced with smooth, near translucent grey skin. Long white hair appears where there was none before, and their eyes glow a soft milky white.

"Wik... Wik!" Yom rushes to shut the door as Wik changes, quickly turning themselves. Their short black hair turns to a long white braid, their face narrow, their mouth open in shock. "Wik, stop that, Wik..."

"What's going on?" Rux barrels into the room, eyes wide in fear at the shouting. "Is everyone okay? Is it-"

"No, Rux, darling, it's just Wik. They wanted to change while we were out at the market."

"Ah. I see." Rux's face is rounder, their already-smooth features smoother still compared to their family. Their hair is close cropped, the sides shorn down smooth to the sides of their face. "Wik, maybe we should let Yom unpack the shopping. Let's go have a chat."

Yom sighs, running a hand up to their short black hair until it falls down in waves of white. With a tired gesture, they wave their family off.

Rux places a hand on Wik's shoulder, and the two walk deeper into the house. It's not a big home; their latest in a long list of homes over the past few years. But even so, a quiet place is found in Wik's room, and parent and child sit on the bed.

"You know, Yom means well. We don't have these rules to frustrate you."

Wik sighs, exasperated. "I know. But it's not fair! Everyone else gets to walk around as themselves."

Rux nods, as though expecting the answer. "That is what we've been trying to teach you, child. When you wear Cechec, or you wear Ylana, that is you. You are them, and they are you. Through and through. I know it can feel like wearing a mask, but in time you'll be just as comfortable as them as you are now. I promise."

Wik rolls their eyes. "I know, you always say that. But why can't I be Wik too? Why can't I have four personas instead of three?"

Rux opens their mouth to speak, before closing it once more. "Wait one moment." They get up, and the sound of rummaging can be heard from the other room: books being moved, drawers being opened, until with a muffled sound of success Rux returns. "Right, close your eyes."

A moment passes. "Okay, open them again."

In Rux's palm is a rose. The petals are a deep, lush pink; the leaves a brilliant verdant green. Each thorn looks like it could pierce the very air.

"Go on. Take it."

Wik reaches out, a finger outstretched to gingerly prod at the flower. Just as they expect to meet it, their finger slips through, and the flower begins to fade.

"You see? It was just an illusion. But you saw it as real, didn't you?"

Wik looks at their finger, rubbing it with their thumb. "Well... yes. But I don't see what this-"

"The rose is Ylana. Or Cechec, or Dulgrun, but for now: it is Ylana. And until you learned the secret, until you saw beneath, you thought it was real, correct? You would have lived thinking it was a perfect rose." Rux snaps their fingers once more, and the rose appears again in front of Wik's eyes. "But now that you know the truth, it will never look real again. See how the edges, how they glow? How the shadows don't fall perfectly? You only see these things because you know now to look."

Rux closes their fingers over the flower, and it disappears for good. "We don't let anyone see beneath the mask because it forever ruins the illusion. Our power comes from our personas, from the faces that we live and breathe and pass on. As soon as someone sees you beneath it, that is all they will ever see. Do you understand?"

Wik looks from Rux's palm, up to meet their steady gaze. "Yes, Rux, I understand."