🌳 trahearne (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
pactmarshal) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
dreamcrystals2022-07-01 10:46 am
pactmarshal) wrote in dreamcrystals2022-07-01 10:46 am
Entry tags:
Open | Passive Dream
Sender: Trahearne (but it doesn't sound like him...?)
To: All
Subject: Midday Passive Dream Recording
Warnings: Slaughter, prejudice, zalgo text, Oriphi fucking dies, heart of thorns spoilers lmao
We are everywhere. We are the roots, the grass, the moss, the overgrown trees, the out-of-place and disfigured vines that hang in the air, that suffocate the wildlife, that grasp the crumbling airships.
So no matter where we are, you see. You see that your kin, your brothers and sisters, have been sequestered off and herded into their own little pen, separate from the rest of the troops in the Pact Encampent. They have been given their own targets for practice, their own bedrolls, their own rations. Perhaps it would be a nice situation to be in - to be among familiar faces, family - had the whole scene been ripped from the context in which it sat.
The sylvari are being quarantined. They can no longer be trusted. They are subjects of M̹͂ő̢̯͞rdř͉e̡̮͑͌m̜̮̗̽́͛ó̤̬̐t̮̅h̝̩̍̾. Though they claim they are trustworthy, that they still fight for the Pact's cause, is that still true? Can they distinguish their own thoughts from the d͍̠̐̀rà̫ğ͍͓̑ọ̜̈́̃n̯̂'s in their head?
They carry on as though everything is normal. Some train with the dummies, some sleep, some huddle in little groups as they partake in meals. A lot of them, if not all of them, look like your friends, dreamwalkers from Songerein. How interesting that you see them this way - as family. As your responsibility. It's too bad you doom them by doing so.
The herd of plant ghouls are watched over by norn - broad, 9-foot-tall humanoids - and charr - ferocious-looking felines with horns, tall if not taller than the norn. They wear Vigil uniforms. You know these officers. They are aggressive, merciless, Vigil for good reason. They are not suited for guard duty - in a sick, sinking feeling, you realize they have been ostensibly stationed to "keep watch." That is not their true job. They have been chosen for one specific reason.
There comes a scream from among the sylvari. This particular one - a petite sapling, her bark the gentle color of violets, offset in places by soft patches of pink lichen; her wide, curious eyes the color of midsummer sunflowers; yellow blossoms budding from the branches stemming from her head - has caved ̯̎ḁ̐nd͇͝ ̣͠ġ͟iven i̬͊n̞͐to̳͂ ̧̹͆̔tḩ̛e͇̕ ̛̼̂ͅd̻̲̉͘r̟͝ä̱̪͙́͛̄ġ̞̠͒̈ͅo̝̙̲͂̆̕n'̡̧̞͊̿̕s̡͍̦͂̄̎̉͜ ̡̻͍̜̀̓̈̕v̤̼̪͕̋̽̾͘ơ̫̱͍̜͊̒͠ì̢̲̃́͜͝ͅc̦̰̞̞̏̔̀͠è͙̠͙̬̅̔̕. The dragon's thoughts are her own now. She whirls around to the exit of the pen, eyes wide in madness, and draws her staff. It's only two steps into her charge that one of the norn standing watch cocks her rifle and sends flying a bullet that soars straight through the sylvari's head. With an unceremonious thud, the sylvari falls to the ground. She will move no more.
A hush falls over the pen. The norn reloads her rifle. "Remember," her deep, booming voice resonates over the dragon's for a brief second. "Any funny business, and you'll end up like her."
It is then that a group of other Pact soldiers on patrol pass by the pen, trying their best not to gawk at the spectacle. They whisper amongst themselves, trying not to be heard, but you can hear. You are e͔͡v̘̙͇͙̱̹͂̎̈́̓͛̚͜͞e̟̝̬͉͚̹͆̅͂̾̀̕r̨̫͋̂́ͅy̢͒w͢͝ḣ̪̜̞̝̟̊̎͛͒̑͜ë͙̥̞̙́̔̑̓ŗ̱̩͌̌̽̿͢ę͓̳̖̘̾̒̒̋͞͠ͅ, after all.
"How horrible..."
"Should have put all of them down..."
"...Commander told us to give them the benefit of the doubt..."
"...don't know how I'll trust a sylvari after this..."
"Isn't our marshal a sylvari...?"
"That's terrifying, what will happen to us...?"
They mention you, but you're at my mercy. We see everything, but you cannot respond.
They do not trust you. T͖̪͉̯͂̑͌͠h̯̠̩́͂͘ḙ̛̪̞͉̋̍͝y͍̌ ̡̬̗̣͓̑͂̿̚͡w̡̯̲̣͇̄́͋͐͠ị̎l͇͔̮͚͚̠̊̓̄͐̽̔͢͞ļ̛̬̑͢͞ ̨̃ne̺͖͉̹̺̓͋͛̽̒v̳͗ĕ̘̱͚̓͞r ̰͛ţ͎̙̲̙̫̆̍͛͊̋͟͞͡r̰̪͔̍̓͘ȗ̧͚̝͗̆ş͕͙͍̋̽̕͘͟͝t̢̩͉̜͕͈̑̿̽̑͞͡ ͍̽yọ̥̮̹͐́͂̈ù̟̺͉̖̈́̀͝.
They do not trust your family. T̢͇̘̠̘̞̐̑̅̔͗̊ḥ͙̭̲̎̊̊́̆̚ͅͅé̡͔̮̑̅ȳ̡͍͙͕̹̩̑̈̇̀͛͑ͅ ̡̲̤̬͗͐̅̐w͕̝̘͚͈̰̪̒̊̾̽̈́̀̅í͙͚̱̭̔͐̃́͢͢͝l͚̦͈͉͆̅̇͌͜͞l͉̠̯̠̯̠̑̑͂͑̆̀̚͜ ͉̦̦̻̹͐̈́̉̂͐͜͡ǹ̡̛͚̝͖̮̺͔́̈̾́̐ǒ̗ ̯̟͓̖̙̀̊̽̓̅͢͝ḽ̢̥̘̖̜͊͐̍̈͊͐̂̕͜͜o̭͌̈́͢ñ͉̭̺͆͑ǧ̫ě͙̫͉̠̜͓̩́͌̄̿̕͞r̭͎̱̦͌͗̿͡ ̧̧̺̈̋̄̽͢t̰͇̟̫̠͖̤̩̎̄̽̑̌̎̽͞ṙ̡̢̹̥̍̌͒us̭͎̱̘͑̇͘̚t̩̱͆͝ ̤͔̯̱̖̗̩̃̈́̆̋̈̕͞y͍̅o̝̜̹͕̒̌̃͘u̜̳̦̽͂̈r̰͛ ̯̂̍͟f̛̤̦͓̯͇͂̎́͐a̬̓ḿ̧̢̰̠̗͈̤̌͊̈́́͘͞i̢̩̲̯͑́̒̚l͙̝̦͆͂͑́̏͟͢y.
Your mistake will be a scar on Tyria, on the history of your people. Y͕̎o̤͒̅ͅu ̨̖́̕w̮̾i̢̤͋̿ll͍̭̒͠ ̪̙̹͐͊̃̊͢b̰̪̎̿e̥̱̍̀ ̨͇͕͖͌̀̋̉r̟̯̜̪̾̎̄̆͘͢e͈̾m͍̔e̢̩̳̋̈̀m͇̻̱̳̬̑̄̐͘͞b̭̫͓͙͂͋̀̕ḗ̘̖̺͈̻̻͌̅̈́̅r̠̃̀͢e͎̯͙͍̎̉̊͝d̡̨̹̪̮̄̊̔͑̌͘ͅ ͙͖̠̀̿͞f̭̌ö̢̮̟͉͔̥̗̳͆̽͗̀͒͘͞ȓ̻̘͙̟͇̗̖̜͑̒̐́͛̀̄ ̡̳̩̞͉̗̬͂͌̈͗́̉͘͟͡y̛̫̪̻̠̰͎̲̓͌͋̅̀́̚͜ỡ̢̡̨̭̞̤͕̎̒͛̄͜͠͝u͖͍͙͉͍̜͚͙̿̇̍͛̐̒͗̚r̼̖̤̻̩͓̟̄̽͂̂̐̒̍̒͜ ̙̰͎͔̣̠̈̓͋̃͛̿́͊͜ͅf͓̮͚͖͙͕̰̊̉͂͆͐͊̉͊͜a̙͚͔͙̞̳̖͇̓̿͒̄̌̅̾͝ì̡̠͓͓͚͚͇̖̐̋́̇͋͆͞ļ̰̖͔̦͙͕̣́̒̈̋̇̒́͝ů͔̲̰̳̭̙̟̰̃͐͂̔͒̀̐r̛̪̦̬̺͈͎͎̩̒̆͌̾̉͒̓e̡͖͎̩͉͕̺̯͗͛̔̉͘͘͞͞s̨̧̻̲̹͓̭̲̎̓̑̃̑̈́͞͠.̶͕̼̻̱̤̟̯̺̘̘͆͘
You resist. You refuse my help. From the h͖̒ę͚̼͍̪̤̂͆͆͐̀̿̈́̕͟͟͡ͅa̛̜̼̹̤͇͐̍́̐r̢̬͇͙̗̖̲̪̄͑̅̋͆̀̔͠t͔̳͛͐͢͝ ̧̠͔͇͈̯̬͎́̃̋͗̎̿̚͝ȍ̠f͈͚̬̿͘͘ ̝̣̫͍̭͗̀̋̅̀͗͟t̡̆h̡̜̦̼͖̳̭̀̂́̚͡͠͡ö̢̩̝̜̞́̎̐̾͡r͚͍͙͈͎͌̈́͛̑͡n̳͖̝̘͕̺͈͛̀͐̾̏̽͒̕͜͟͠s̢̝͓͍̱̹̜̐̎̐̊͌͒̅͆͜ you see all that I see, you hear all that I hear, you are everywhere as I am. You see how your people - our people - suffer, yet you choose to do ņ̖͚̦̮̗̱͇̗̘̙͚̣̹̆̒̓̌̃̋̆̂̄̀͑̎͐͟͝͠ǫ̔t̺́h̨̯͖̲̞̝̪̗̪̫̮̜͈̖̙̳̼̓͗͑̍̽͂̈̐̐̅̍̇̎̈́̈̓̅í̳̬͎͚̘̗͓̻̯͚̖̀̈́̒̇̉͊̉̃͑̔͢͠n͈͕̲͔̝̣̟̟̮͂̽̿͗̉̄̈̍̆̃͢͢͝ĝ̯̺͎̖̤̜̯͙̭̯̓̊̋̈́̀͐̀́̒͘͟͟͝.
You are path͇͊et͚͋i͕̾c̨̊.͔̔ ͕̻̀͡Y̘͛͜͝ou̞̯͐͡ ̙̟̟͑͋̾a̦̼̽͐̀͜rė͓̩̦́͊ ͍͙͒̔w̪͈̳͙͆͒̃̊è̱a͓̽̆͢k̢̢̭͖̝̎̽̂͌͒.̙͌ ̻͉͇̓̏̑Y̨̡̋̽ō͚̪͙̑̊u̠͇͇͖̣̓͑́̑͝ ͉̝̫̅̆̎ç͎̮̏̊̍à̢͉̺̗̾̓̋̚͟n̢̧͙̟̫̺̓̐̃͊̅̂ņ̢̡̖̯̀̄̀̅̒̓͜ơ͈̬͙̗͚̮̍͛́́̐t̝͚̩̬̹͒̿̍̕͝ ̱̩͠͡e̱͓̩̖̗̺̩͗̑̂͊̎̎̃v̡̝̪̝̥̙̮̝̋̓͑̈̏̃͒͠ę̣̯̭̘̺̏̐̀̈̾̚n̛͖̱̩̘̘̥̠̜̋̃́́̔̉͗͘͢ ̧̝̫̌̑̅s̝͇̮̻̜̦͋͛̐̄̇͗͒͢a͙͙͎̮̘͎͍̪͛̐͗̆͌́̂͛͐̅͢͢v̹̺͍̇͐͞e͚̟̓̀ ͍̭͇̳̖͊͂̄͂̋͝ͅy͖̞̺̆̔̓o̘͚̪͗̉͞ù̺̠͕̤͍͇̲̟̻̠̑̒̊̈͌̂̔͊̚r̳̼͇̒̀̏ ̡͈̖̮͋̍́̽̚͢ḱ̡̻̥̤̙̰̐̎̕̕͞i̘͊ṋ͔̹͈͉͔͔̙̣̾̂̄̀̏̌̒̆͘̚ͅ.̡̉ ͔͎͙̼̯̼̩̗̳̯̭͒̏́̓́̆̒̅̽̌͢͠͞N̎ͅo̙͎̞̯̓̂̌͝t̬͚͗̕ ̢̧̻̩̞̬̬̭͉̤̞̭̂̎̒͆̄͐͊͛̔̕̚͟͠͞w̡̯̭̮͔̩̠̻̙̦͎̤̝͌̂͑͐̓̀͂͌̽̊͌͑͛̔͜͠ͅį̧̥̤̹̪͓̞̫͇̬̻̏͛̈́͊͑̿̓́͑̏͛͑̿̚͜͟͠ͅt̡̡͓̠͖͙͍̗̬͖͖͔̙̺͕̀̊͂͛͆͗̐̋̎̅̈́̚͘͞͠h̡̧̟̻̣̩̺͖͙̩̠̗͍̋̈́̽̒̈́̋̌̂̋́̎͒͂́̈́͢ͅǫ̖̭̥͚͍͎͓̗͇͓̯̖̩̞̔͆͌́̊͗͒̀̓̋͘̚͞͡͞ų̠̘͙̘̙̪̫͕̱̗̘͎̫͎̄̔̃͐̔͐̈̽̽̾̒̃͘̕͝t̢̨̨͚͔͈͇̘͖̯̩̠̬̠͒͒̿̒̓̅͆͗͐̔̈͗̃̕͘ͅ ̧̙͇̟̟͇̟̤̫͇͖̪̝̮̬̂̈͗̄̆́̋͒͌̀͑͗̚͠͞M̢̨̦̲̟̹̖̠͓̬͉͚̺̺̍̐̄̌͑̾͊̓̐͛̚͟͞͝͡͡Ḛ̢̨̖̜̼̟̟̜͔̫̽̎̌͋͋̎̉̊̾͗̀͊̆̏͢͢͜͟͠.
To: All
Subject: Midday Passive Dream Recording
Warnings: Slaughter, prejudice, zalgo text, Oriphi fucking dies, heart of thorns spoilers lmao
We are everywhere. We are the roots, the grass, the moss, the overgrown trees, the out-of-place and disfigured vines that hang in the air, that suffocate the wildlife, that grasp the crumbling airships.
So no matter where we are, you see. You see that your kin, your brothers and sisters, have been sequestered off and herded into their own little pen, separate from the rest of the troops in the Pact Encampent. They have been given their own targets for practice, their own bedrolls, their own rations. Perhaps it would be a nice situation to be in - to be among familiar faces, family - had the whole scene been ripped from the context in which it sat.
The sylvari are being quarantined. They can no longer be trusted. They are subjects of M̹͂ő̢̯͞rdř͉e̡̮͑͌m̜̮̗̽́͛ó̤̬̐t̮̅h̝̩̍̾. Though they claim they are trustworthy, that they still fight for the Pact's cause, is that still true? Can they distinguish their own thoughts from the d͍̠̐̀rà̫ğ͍͓̑ọ̜̈́̃n̯̂'s in their head?
They carry on as though everything is normal. Some train with the dummies, some sleep, some huddle in little groups as they partake in meals. A lot of them, if not all of them, look like your friends, dreamwalkers from Songerein. How interesting that you see them this way - as family. As your responsibility. It's too bad you doom them by doing so.
The herd of plant ghouls are watched over by norn - broad, 9-foot-tall humanoids - and charr - ferocious-looking felines with horns, tall if not taller than the norn. They wear Vigil uniforms. You know these officers. They are aggressive, merciless, Vigil for good reason. They are not suited for guard duty - in a sick, sinking feeling, you realize they have been ostensibly stationed to "keep watch." That is not their true job. They have been chosen for one specific reason.
There comes a scream from among the sylvari. This particular one - a petite sapling, her bark the gentle color of violets, offset in places by soft patches of pink lichen; her wide, curious eyes the color of midsummer sunflowers; yellow blossoms budding from the branches stemming from her head - has caved ̯̎ḁ̐nd͇͝ ̣͠ġ͟iven i̬͊n̞͐to̳͂ ̧̹͆̔tḩ̛e͇̕ ̛̼̂ͅd̻̲̉͘r̟͝ä̱̪͙́͛̄ġ̞̠͒̈ͅo̝̙̲͂̆̕n'̡̧̞͊̿̕s̡͍̦͂̄̎̉͜ ̡̻͍̜̀̓̈̕v̤̼̪͕̋̽̾͘ơ̫̱͍̜͊̒͠ì̢̲̃́͜͝ͅc̦̰̞̞̏̔̀͠è͙̠͙̬̅̔̕. The dragon's thoughts are her own now. She whirls around to the exit of the pen, eyes wide in madness, and draws her staff. It's only two steps into her charge that one of the norn standing watch cocks her rifle and sends flying a bullet that soars straight through the sylvari's head. With an unceremonious thud, the sylvari falls to the ground. She will move no more.
A hush falls over the pen. The norn reloads her rifle. "Remember," her deep, booming voice resonates over the dragon's for a brief second. "Any funny business, and you'll end up like her."
It is then that a group of other Pact soldiers on patrol pass by the pen, trying their best not to gawk at the spectacle. They whisper amongst themselves, trying not to be heard, but you can hear. You are e͔͡v̘̙͇͙̱̹͂̎̈́̓͛̚͜͞e̟̝̬͉͚̹͆̅͂̾̀̕r̨̫͋̂́ͅy̢͒w͢͝ḣ̪̜̞̝̟̊̎͛͒̑͜ë͙̥̞̙́̔̑̓ŗ̱̩͌̌̽̿͢ę͓̳̖̘̾̒̒̋͞͠ͅ, after all.
"How horrible..."
"Should have put all of them down..."
"...Commander told us to give them the benefit of the doubt..."
"...don't know how I'll trust a sylvari after this..."
"Isn't our marshal a sylvari...?"
"That's terrifying, what will happen to us...?"
They mention you, but you're at my mercy. We see everything, but you cannot respond.
They do not trust you. T͖̪͉̯͂̑͌͠h̯̠̩́͂͘ḙ̛̪̞͉̋̍͝y͍̌ ̡̬̗̣͓̑͂̿̚͡w̡̯̲̣͇̄́͋͐͠ị̎l͇͔̮͚͚̠̊̓̄͐̽̔͢͞ļ̛̬̑͢͞ ̨̃ne̺͖͉̹̺̓͋͛̽̒v̳͗ĕ̘̱͚̓͞r ̰͛ţ͎̙̲̙̫̆̍͛͊̋͟͞͡r̰̪͔̍̓͘ȗ̧͚̝͗̆ş͕͙͍̋̽̕͘͟͝t̢̩͉̜͕͈̑̿̽̑͞͡ ͍̽yọ̥̮̹͐́͂̈ù̟̺͉̖̈́̀͝.
They do not trust your family. T̢͇̘̠̘̞̐̑̅̔͗̊ḥ͙̭̲̎̊̊́̆̚ͅͅé̡͔̮̑̅ȳ̡͍͙͕̹̩̑̈̇̀͛͑ͅ ̡̲̤̬͗͐̅̐w͕̝̘͚͈̰̪̒̊̾̽̈́̀̅í͙͚̱̭̔͐̃́͢͢͝l͚̦͈͉͆̅̇͌͜͞l͉̠̯̠̯̠̑̑͂͑̆̀̚͜ ͉̦̦̻̹͐̈́̉̂͐͜͡ǹ̡̛͚̝͖̮̺͔́̈̾́̐ǒ̗ ̯̟͓̖̙̀̊̽̓̅͢͝ḽ̢̥̘̖̜͊͐̍̈͊͐̂̕͜͜o̭͌̈́͢ñ͉̭̺͆͑ǧ̫ě͙̫͉̠̜͓̩́͌̄̿̕͞r̭͎̱̦͌͗̿͡ ̧̧̺̈̋̄̽͢t̰͇̟̫̠͖̤̩̎̄̽̑̌̎̽͞ṙ̡̢̹̥̍̌͒us̭͎̱̘͑̇͘̚t̩̱͆͝ ̤͔̯̱̖̗̩̃̈́̆̋̈̕͞y͍̅o̝̜̹͕̒̌̃͘u̜̳̦̽͂̈r̰͛ ̯̂̍͟f̛̤̦͓̯͇͂̎́͐a̬̓ḿ̧̢̰̠̗͈̤̌͊̈́́͘͞i̢̩̲̯͑́̒̚l͙̝̦͆͂͑́̏͟͢y.
Your mistake will be a scar on Tyria, on the history of your people. Y͕̎o̤͒̅ͅu ̨̖́̕w̮̾i̢̤͋̿ll͍̭̒͠ ̪̙̹͐͊̃̊͢b̰̪̎̿e̥̱̍̀ ̨͇͕͖͌̀̋̉r̟̯̜̪̾̎̄̆͘͢e͈̾m͍̔e̢̩̳̋̈̀m͇̻̱̳̬̑̄̐͘͞b̭̫͓͙͂͋̀̕ḗ̘̖̺͈̻̻͌̅̈́̅r̠̃̀͢e͎̯͙͍̎̉̊͝d̡̨̹̪̮̄̊̔͑̌͘ͅ ͙͖̠̀̿͞f̭̌ö̢̮̟͉͔̥̗̳͆̽͗̀͒͘͞ȓ̻̘͙̟͇̗̖̜͑̒̐́͛̀̄ ̡̳̩̞͉̗̬͂͌̈͗́̉͘͟͡y̛̫̪̻̠̰͎̲̓͌͋̅̀́̚͜ỡ̢̡̨̭̞̤͕̎̒͛̄͜͠͝u͖͍͙͉͍̜͚͙̿̇̍͛̐̒͗̚r̼̖̤̻̩͓̟̄̽͂̂̐̒̍̒͜ ̙̰͎͔̣̠̈̓͋̃͛̿́͊͜ͅf͓̮͚͖͙͕̰̊̉͂͆͐͊̉͊͜a̙͚͔͙̞̳̖͇̓̿͒̄̌̅̾͝ì̡̠͓͓͚͚͇̖̐̋́̇͋͆͞ļ̰̖͔̦͙͕̣́̒̈̋̇̒́͝ů͔̲̰̳̭̙̟̰̃͐͂̔͒̀̐r̛̪̦̬̺͈͎͎̩̒̆͌̾̉͒̓e̡͖͎̩͉͕̺̯͗͛̔̉͘͘͞͞s̨̧̻̲̹͓̭̲̎̓̑̃̑̈́͞͠.̶͕̼̻̱̤̟̯̺̘̘͆͘
You resist. You refuse my help. From the h͖̒ę͚̼͍̪̤̂͆͆͐̀̿̈́̕͟͟͡ͅa̛̜̼̹̤͇͐̍́̐r̢̬͇͙̗̖̲̪̄͑̅̋͆̀̔͠t͔̳͛͐͢͝ ̧̠͔͇͈̯̬͎́̃̋͗̎̿̚͝ȍ̠f͈͚̬̿͘͘ ̝̣̫͍̭͗̀̋̅̀͗͟t̡̆h̡̜̦̼͖̳̭̀̂́̚͡͠͡ö̢̩̝̜̞́̎̐̾͡r͚͍͙͈͎͌̈́͛̑͡n̳͖̝̘͕̺͈͛̀͐̾̏̽͒̕͜͟͠s̢̝͓͍̱̹̜̐̎̐̊͌͒̅͆͜ you see all that I see, you hear all that I hear, you are everywhere as I am. You see how your people - our people - suffer, yet you choose to do ņ̖͚̦̮̗̱͇̗̘̙͚̣̹̆̒̓̌̃̋̆̂̄̀͑̎͐͟͝͠ǫ̔t̺́h̨̯͖̲̞̝̪̗̪̫̮̜͈̖̙̳̼̓͗͑̍̽͂̈̐̐̅̍̇̎̈́̈̓̅í̳̬͎͚̘̗͓̻̯͚̖̀̈́̒̇̉͊̉̃͑̔͢͠n͈͕̲͔̝̣̟̟̮͂̽̿͗̉̄̈̍̆̃͢͢͝ĝ̯̺͎̖̤̜̯͙̭̯̓̊̋̈́̀͐̀́̒͘͟͟͝.
You are path͇͊et͚͋i͕̾c̨̊.͔̔ ͕̻̀͡Y̘͛͜͝ou̞̯͐͡ ̙̟̟͑͋̾a̦̼̽͐̀͜rė͓̩̦́͊ ͍͙͒̔w̪͈̳͙͆͒̃̊è̱a͓̽̆͢k̢̢̭͖̝̎̽̂͌͒.̙͌ ̻͉͇̓̏̑Y̨̡̋̽ō͚̪͙̑̊u̠͇͇͖̣̓͑́̑͝ ͉̝̫̅̆̎ç͎̮̏̊̍à̢͉̺̗̾̓̋̚͟n̢̧͙̟̫̺̓̐̃͊̅̂ņ̢̡̖̯̀̄̀̅̒̓͜ơ͈̬͙̗͚̮̍͛́́̐t̝͚̩̬̹͒̿̍̕͝ ̱̩͠͡e̱͓̩̖̗̺̩͗̑̂͊̎̎̃v̡̝̪̝̥̙̮̝̋̓͑̈̏̃͒͠ę̣̯̭̘̺̏̐̀̈̾̚n̛͖̱̩̘̘̥̠̜̋̃́́̔̉͗͘͢ ̧̝̫̌̑̅s̝͇̮̻̜̦͋͛̐̄̇͗͒͢a͙͙͎̮̘͎͍̪͛̐͗̆͌́̂͛͐̅͢͢v̹̺͍̇͐͞e͚̟̓̀ ͍̭͇̳̖͊͂̄͂̋͝ͅy͖̞̺̆̔̓o̘͚̪͗̉͞ù̺̠͕̤͍͇̲̟̻̠̑̒̊̈͌̂̔͊̚r̳̼͇̒̀̏ ̡͈̖̮͋̍́̽̚͢ḱ̡̻̥̤̙̰̐̎̕̕͞i̘͊ṋ͔̹͈͉͔͔̙̣̾̂̄̀̏̌̒̆͘̚ͅ.̡̉ ͔͎͙̼̯̼̩̗̳̯̭͒̏́̓́̆̒̅̽̌͢͠͞N̎ͅo̙͎̞̯̓̂̌͝t̬͚͗̕ ̢̧̻̩̞̬̬̭͉̤̞̭̂̎̒͆̄͐͊͛̔̕̚͟͠͞w̡̯̭̮͔̩̠̻̙̦͎̤̝͌̂͑͐̓̀͂͌̽̊͌͑͛̔͜͠ͅį̧̥̤̹̪͓̞̫͇̬̻̏͛̈́͊͑̿̓́͑̏͛͑̿̚͜͟͠ͅt̡̡͓̠͖͙͍̗̬͖͖͔̙̺͕̀̊͂͛͆͗̐̋̎̅̈́̚͘͞͠h̡̧̟̻̣̩̺͖͙̩̠̗͍̋̈́̽̒̈́̋̌̂̋́̎͒͂́̈́͢ͅǫ̖̭̥͚͍͎͓̗͇͓̯̖̩̞̔͆͌́̊͗͒̀̓̋͘̚͞͡͞ų̠̘͙̘̙̪̫͕̱̗̘͎̫͎̄̔̃͐̔͐̈̽̽̾̒̃͘̕͝t̢̨̨͚͔͈͇̘͖̯̩̠̬̠͒͒̿̒̓̅͆͗͐̔̈͗̃̕͘ͅ ̧̙͇̟̟͇̟̤̫͇͖̪̝̮̬̂̈͗̄̆́̋͒͌̀͑͗̚͠͞M̢̨̦̲̟̹̖̠͓̬͉͚̺̺̍̐̄̌͑̾͊̓̐͛̚͟͞͝͡͡Ḛ̢̨̖̜̼̟̟̜͔̫̽̎̌͋͋̎̉̊̾͗̀͊̆̏͢͢͜͟͠.
no subject
But still, sometimes she can’t help but feel selfish. Was Sian’s sacrifice to give up their own soul to purge that of Gran Karrefour’s from the gemstones and thusly the world really the only way? If they all had resolved to pledge the rest of their lives to guarding Gran Karrefour’s gemstones instead… Wouldn’t that have been better?
In the end, though, there’s no way for her to truly know. All she can do is to ensure that her friend’s sacrifice was not in vein. She hopes she can live up to that.
At his question, the ghost of a smile tugs at a corner of her mouth. She’s thought about this question, too, in all the months that have passed. ]
With how things turned out, it would be impossible, but… That doesn’t stop me from thinking about them, sometimes. Like if I saw something that reminded me of them and thought, “Hey, Sian, things are going well,” even if I know it won’t reach them.
no subject
He only realizes he's crying when he blinks, and his vision blurs. Something clenches in his chest, in his throat. He wonders if his second-in-command is doing the same--is he thinking of him? Does he suddenly come across things that remind him of Trahearne and pause to think similarly as Ori does, much in the way Trahearne has done since awakening here?
There's no way to know--Trahearne could never tell what was going on in his head. He could have forgotten about his former marshal by now, for all he knew. But...out of total selfishness, he will take Ori's words as his.
He swallows, easing the lump in his throat. ]
And...I'm certain your friend would want to reassure you that this is what they wanted. And that everyone they left behind should keep forging onward, to live their lives well and fully.
[ He is, selfishly, only speaking for himself. He doesn't know the details of Ori's friend's circumstances, of course. But that doesn't make the situation any less painful.
It wasn't like there had been any other way for him, either. ]
no subject
On her worst days, Ori thinks herself the most selfish person, to feel grateful that it wasn’t her. Perhaps it should have been her. But as she and her friends all stood there, arguing amongst each other about whether a sacrifice should be made in the first place, if there was any other way, and who should be made to give up everything as they raced against time, she remembers the feeling clearly to this day: she was scared. She didn’t want to die. She knew as much because she had been so very close to losing her life - and she didn’t want to die.
She frowns when she notices him tear up, taking in a deep breath. ]
…I think Sian would have felt similarly.
[ But perhaps she is being selfish again, fooling herself into believing such a sentiment to make herself feel less guilty. ]
And sometimes I hope… They find their way here, somehow. [ After fall, Trahearne was able to. ] I think they would like this place a lot. You two might even get along.
no subject
And, she is right. Trahearne is here. The possibility that her Sian might find their way here is not out of the question. ]
For your sake, I hope they do. [ He directs his roaming gaze back to Ori, his eyes kind. ] And I would be delighted to meet them, if that should ever happen.
[ For a moment, his gaze drops to his vial before he looks back up at her. He seems much calmer now, having talked through the affair. His smile takes on a rueful hue. ] Thank you, Ori. I feel much better. I am...always grateful that you are here to talk things through with me.
[ This is the second time this has happened. ]
no subject
Maybe, the Sian that could find their way here would remember how much fuller their life became when they let themself care about other people.
But, ah, those are thoughts for another idle daydream, at another time. At the moment, the friend that is here in front of her takes precedence. She smiles at Traheare, giving him an understanding nod of her head. ]
I’m happy to help. I’m always here for you, and I’m grateful that you shared these feelings with me, too. I know it couldn’t have been easy.
[ All of that being said, she gets back up to her feet, straightening out her clothes. ]
Now… I’m sure there’s so much that you want to catch up on, now that you’re awake again! A few of us tried to make sure your home and the archives stayed in good condition, but what do you think about taking a walk through the woods with me again sometime soon?
no subject
He opens his mouth to say something else when Ori beats him to the punch. At mention of the archives, he immediately lights up. ]
I was about to ask how the archives are doing! It heartens me to hear that.
[ That will probably be the first thing he does once he leaves the house, once he's recovered emotionally. Ever the workaholic.
He strides over to his nightstand to gently place his vial back in its spot. The sole zinna in the bottle next to it seems to perk up again as he does. ]
And I would like that. A walk outside would do me good after sleeping for so long.
[ He turns back to smile at her. ]