Post by Harry on Feb 17, 2024 10:46:46 GMT
Written alongside the one and only Tom M
The scene that Keros walks in on, in the room he shares with Rae at The Hung Rabbit, is one of chaos. Rae has transformed the four walls of their room into a canvas on which they have decorated their research. There are sheets of paper stuck to the wall and linked together with red thread strings along one of the walls. Another has ink written directly onto the wood, as well as on the curtains hanging in front of the window. The notes include complex arcane formulae, intricately annotated diagrams and elaborate tunes and glyphs.
The floor is covered with scattered books, all with paper tabs sticking out of them noting page numbers, some left open on important double spread pages. Above all of this, floating horizontally in the air under the benefit of a Fly spell, hair tied up in the messiest bun, holding the now bulging diary of Kyra Stuurm in one hand, and using a bloodied finger to write directly onto the ceiling with the other, is Rae.
Keros pauses, taking in yet further deterioration of both his partner’s mental state and their shared living space, and puts down the bag of tomatoes, onions, and eggs he was carrying with a sigh. “Rae, we need to talk.”
Rae jolts, only becoming aware that Keros is in the room when he speaks. They keep writing. “I’m listening, darling. Big breakthrough, need to get this down..”
Keros reaches up to gently grasp Rae’s ankle. A warm feeling flows through their body as Lay on Hands closes the wound on their finger. He speaks in a calm, but firm tone, “No, this is exactly what we need to talk about. It was unhealthy enough when you were using ink but…”
Rae sharply looks down at Keros with immediate annoyance on their face at being denied their means to write with. They then become a bit more aware of the situation and rotate themselves in the air to be upright, facing Keros. “We need to step outside.”
Keros looks around at the room that has gone far beyond the realms of a security deposit. “Yes, fresh air might help.”
Rae looks desperately at their works. “..Just the hallway will do.”
“And you leave the book in here?”
Rae looks at Keros as if he’s made the most ridiculous suggestion for the situation. “I am not leaving the most important work of my life just lying around for anyone to get their hands on.”
Keros recognises a familiar look in Rae’s eye and grits his teeth in irritation, “Rae, can you put the book down? Or do I need to go and find Calla?”
Rae frowns deeply as if personally offended. “I’m sorry that I feel defensive over the work that will potentially save your life, Keros. This groundbreaking, theoretically world altering work that would be cataclysmic in the wrong hands. Which we know is a fact because it was in the wrong hands before it came to me. Yes I’ll just leave that on the side unattended and unsafe.”
Keros feels the frustration and rage building up inside of him and has to look away and calm himself down. “Rae. I appreciate everything that you are doing for me. It means more than… it means so much to me. If you are worried about hands this book could fall into, would you trust it in mine? Just for this conversation?” He holds out an open hand.
Rae tucks the book close to their chest. “It’s incredibly delicate. It’s not just natural ink there are enchantments laden throughout it and it is incredibly sensitive. This book is incredibly powerful, Keros. I do not want it to hurt you. Or to lose what is inside it.”
“And I don’t want it to hurt you!” Keros loses his temper and bellows, “It already is hurting you! Can’t you see that?”
“What, this?” Rae raises the finger, now healed by Keros. “This is nothing! You’ve already patched it up anyway! I’m sorry that my research and methods are not pretty, and nice, and one hundred percent safe. This is levels of magic on a scale that you cannot comprehend. And nothing that can happen along the way will hurt worse than if I do not complete this and I have to lose you!”
“Rae, I am not worried about your gods damned finger!” He closes his eyes and tries to speak as calmly as possible. “I know you have been through a lot lately. With what happened in Vorsthold, and trying to connect with your heritage, and now all this… you haven’t given yourself a break in so long. I really wish I could help you and you know I would do anything, but you’re right. I don’t understand the first thing about this stuff and all I can see is… this!” He gestures broadly to the room they’re standing in.
“Anything you have discovered… how can it possibly be worth what you are doing to yourself?”
Rae takes a deep breath, and answers with complete sincerity, honesty and without hesitation. “You are the kind of person who will sacrifice himself so that the people you care about can survive. Why am I not allowed to do the same?”
Keros opens his mouth to spit back an angry reply, but closes it again and instead sighs deeply. “I really am being a hypocrite aren’t I?”
His shoulders relax and the volume of his voice lowers, “But you know how upset you get when I do stupid shit and get myself hurt when I’m trying to do that? Think about how you feel. That is how this stuff makes me feel and I don’t get to know that a trip to the healing pool will make you better.”
Rae loses tension when Keros’ voice lowers and they nod, taking time to process what he is saying. “I am sorry if I’m scaring you. That was never my intention. Everything I’m doing is to help you, and us. And it is what I have to do. If it makes you uncomfortable to see then I think you should stay in a different room.”
“Rae, and I tell you this as someone who loves you: I think you being alone with this stuff is the worst possible idea.”
“I will work better at this on my own. And the better I work the quicker the work will be done. You don’t want to sleep in there, or eat. It will be better somewhere else. That is not a room to live in; that is a room for my work.”
“Look, this is your place so if you want me to leave I’m gone, but as much as you want to look after me I want to look after you too and I can’t do that back at the barracks in Fort Ettin.” He squints at the bloody scrawl on the ceiling, “I know I just leave this stuff to you, but maybe if I understood just a little bit of what you are doing I could see you holding that book and think of something other than what happened to its last owner. You said you had a breakthrough? What was it?”
“It’s better if I explain than you try and understand what’s up there.” Rae tries to catch Keros’ eyes and draw his gaze away from the ceiling. “What Jaezred said to you. About how we should focus on you accepting the deal and then getting you out, instead of preventing you from ever going. My current working theory is that through my study of The Weave, and how it connects minds, that I could essentially create a backup memory of you in mine, and possibly some other peoples minds. Then if you are.. Erased. As they claim you will be, you will not truly be gone. And if I know that you existed, there’s a chance I’ll be able to contribute to bringing you back.”
Keros sits down, taking a while to process this, “So, would that actually be me or just… your memory of me walking around?”
“One stage at a time, we need more information. What we do know, is the previous Devotion got out. That means it’s possible. That’s got to be much more likely if I can store my memory of you rather than letting you fade. And if I still remember you, then you can’t truly be erased.”
Keros gestures for Rae to come closer and takes one of their hands in his, “You know, a year ago I would already have taken their offer. I would have walked into oblivion knowing that I finally had a purpose. I think I would have found some peace in that.” He smiles, “But even with all the shit we have been through, there are memories we have made together that I will not let be destroyed.”
“Rae I am begging you, and you can bring the book with you if you have to, but please can we leave this room, put all this aside, and make some more of those memories? If we can’t do that then what are we even fighting to save?”
Rae looks into Keros’ eyes, they manage a small smile. They drift towards their notes, then take a deep breath and look back at Keros. “You are the reason I’ve done any of this. Let’s take a walk. Refresh my head.”
Keros breathes a heavy sigh of relief at even a small victory, "Thank you."
As he gets up he smiles, "Oh and you're not the only one with a magical breakthrough."
Rae raises an eyebrow. “What did you figure out?”
As the pair make it outside Keros focuses inwards on his oath and a spectral form appears, gradually forming into the shape of a young, but still pretty imposing, woolly rhinoceros with a shaggy bay coat and huge soulful brown eyes.
"He's no Cor'Vandor just yet I know." he chuckles to himself, "But I hope you like him."
Rae cracks a genuine wide smile and runs up and throws their arms around the rhino’s big woolly neck. “Oh my gods, well done! He’s brilliant! Does he have a name?”
"Not yet, no." He says as the rhino nuzzles Rae gently. "Any ideas?"
“Come on now, that's a lot of pressure! I’ll add it to the list to brainstorm, it has to be perfect!” Rae smiles at Keros. They look notably tired, and thinner in the face. But they keep smiling.