04/07/21 - Bonds and Even More

[Eligor]

Eligor was standing off near the stairwell leading to the basement.

Standing was a poor descriptor. He was holding onto the door leading into the back rooms and corridors while a very tall and thin woman garbed head to toe in a skin-tight white robe pulled at his body, trying to unlatch him from the knob.

[Tretesta]

Tret pushed through the front door, smiling at the people nearby as he entered and nodding in greeting. They didn't seem super interested in him, and he would follow their gaze over to… Oh hey, there he is! “El! Hey, don't run off so quick!” As if completely unaware of the situation, he jogged across the room, speaking again as he drew close “Cmmon, at least take me with you! Got a story to tell you, real good one too!”

[Eligor]

He let’s go as he is addressed, rolling on the floor before catching himself like he planned it. He did not plan it.

“Story about what?”

[Tretesta]

Tret crouches down to get roughly on Eligor's level as he draws close, smiling like a man who wasn't recently accosted by voidsent “A story about something that really wanted me dead.”

[Eligor]

He stares for a while before standing up, looking to the robed woman.

“We should go to my lab then.”

[Tretesta]

Tret would stand as well when Eli got up, giving a wink to the woman in turn “You know how it is. Wait. Your lab? Ah hell… alright, alright… Or anywhere. I don't think I brought any part of it back with me to look at…”

[Eligor]

“That’s not really a problem.”

The tall woman opened the door while Eligor lead the way, taking the three of them down a winding corridor before ending up in a brightly lit room made almost entirely of metal save for some random furniture. Eligor situated himself on a nearby sofa and seemed to sink into it somewhat while the tall woman stood at the door.

“So what happened?”

[Tretesta]

As they walked, Tret breathed a sigh of relief in the fact they would not be teleporting anywhere. entering the room, he looked about, raised a brow and found a nice chair to sit on. He'd not answer immediately, regarding the woman at the door for a few.moments, but finally turned to Eli and smiled again “Got ah… Harassed. A ways eastish of Camp Drybone. Odd looking… Person. Not sure male or female. Body was made of… Some kind of plating. Not metal, but not flesh. And they shot a Goddamned laser at me with their hand… The one hand they had at least. Other was missing. Ah, and they're from our mutual friend. The one that talked to Yoake some time ago about pyre.”

[Eligor]

Eligor did not respond immediately. When he did, that familiar pressure began to permeate the room, a low-burning glow embering in his eyes.

“You do not appear to be injured or dead. I do not imagine you can outrun a laser.”

[Tretesta]

“Was a rather close call. Lost a perfectly good weapon in the process. Easy now. Like you said, Not seriously injured or dead. Lucky me, I was somewhat prepared for some of the stuff that happened. Take a breath, Eli.”

[Eligor]

“You came here to tell me to breathe?”

[Tretesta]

“I came to tell you I seem to now be a participant in your war. I am sitting here telling you to relax, because this room just got a little stuffy. Whatever it was that bothered me is dead. A pile of armor and blood in the sand.”

[Eligor]

“This is not a war. It has not been allowed to be a war…yet.”

The pressure fades.

“Do you like songs?”

[Tretesta]

Tret eases back in his seat as the threat of explosion subsides. He wasn't even wearing the proper gear for such a problem! “Sure… Yeah, I do enjoy music. Play a little when I have the time.”

[Eligor]

He looks to the tall woman by the door.

“Luz. Sing a song. Not any of the hymns.”

She did a slight bow in return, a smile visible even through her white headpiece. “What would you like to hear?”

He scratched his ear, seemingly lost in thought.

“I do not know many songs. Sing the one from my date with Onini. On the ship.”

She bowed again and her long sleeves began to unravel, turning into a makeshift instrument that began to play music.

“So, how do you want me to react?”

[Tretesta]

Tret watches with an almost horrified fascination as the woman reconfigures herself into a musical instrument. He relaxed again and turned back to Eli before closing his eyes “Calmly. Other than a suckerpunch, a startled bird, a lost sword, and a fair bit of bruising? I came out OK. I either have not forgotten as much as I thought, or your enemy is not judging you and your associates well. Good news for you, either way, neh?”

[Eligor]

“Not really. Frankly, this incident reinforces the idea that they are trying to restrict any movements I might make personally. If I must reallocate resources to protection that is less operations in the field that can happen at a time.”

“People do not simply go from abusing a drug trade to sudden silence without purpose.”

[Tretesta]

“I'd hardly call wanting a finger or more from me 'silence.' They certainly would love to have a chat with me over in Fallgourd. I tried to tell them I will visit when I'm good and ready… But yeah, They want a piece of me. Quite literally. Not asking for you to try and protect me again, though.”

[Eligor]

“But you want me aware.”

[Tretesta]

“Would you like me to not share the movement of a common problem? If the stress is more of a problem than the knowledge, I can certainly keep this kind of thing to myself and deal with it in my own way.”

“I might be a little more careful, but I'm not about to… Restrict myself, as you put it.”

[Eligor]

“I was entertaining the idea of an ulterior motive.”

He leans back, looking to the tall singing woman.

“But your account adds up. I was attacked by the same individual I think. They also went after Luna. Adding you to the list….that’s entirely too many people for me to react calmly. Luna made me promise not to react in the extreme, and now you also want me to be calm.”

“Meanwhile my youngest is outside learning things I cannot provide for her from an annoyingly terrified cousin who would rather drink herself to death than help protect the family. I’m tired of being calm.”

He takes a deep breath.

“Tell me how you fight. If you will deny the aid of a guardian you should at least let me provide you with something to supplement whatever methods you employ. I doubt you are flinging spells about.”

[Tretesta]

“You can't be everything and everywhere, and you'll go insane trying. There are some things you just have to let go of. Novine might learn something from her cousin there, sure. That's a good thing, you idiot. I'd wager I'm a better cook than you. Are you going to get mad if she came to me to learn to bake a cake, too?”

Tret waves a hand dismissively at the thought, then shakes his head “I'm well supplemented. Need to replace a sword, but I'm not so worried about that. I won't add yet another thing to pile onto your shit heap. I'm not here to ask for help, El. I'm offering it.”

[Eligor]

“You do not tell stories to my family about horrors I do not even remember.”

He sighs and looks to the woman, who promptly stops singing.

“If you want to help then remain friendly with my children. They like you and that can be a calming factor if I go missing.”

[Tretesta]

“Eh, we all have our dark secrets. Better Novine know it than not, Eli. She's still going to love you, after. And your kids are fine. They scare me in some ways, but so do you. Nice girls, though. Just do what you can to not go missing. They're not my daughters, they're yours. Vendetta or not, you have to keep it together for them. If you're going to insist that you carry the weight of the world alone, you have to be strong enough to not drop it when you get tired.”

[Eligor]

“I’m not asking you to raise anyone.”

He points to the woman in white.

“This is Luz. Raziel’s caretaker and the strongest of her….sisters. So why is she here, with me? My brat deemed it necessary to order her to prevent me from working—a task she is disturbingly happy to carry out.”

He leans forward and sighs again, a small cloud of blackened smoke rising from his lips.

“I’ve been patient, passive, and cautious not because the current problem is beyond me, but because I was already dealing with another issue far worse. Direct acting will accelerate the other problem, but waiting any longer is putting people I care about in danger. I do not need to inform you which is my priority.”

“I’m only saying that having you around is beneficial to those I care about, and that benefit becomes a detriment if you are hurt. Neither my apprentice nor my children need further stress. Especially if we take into account the currently unpreventable stress that will be accumulated because of me.”

“With that said….”

The pressure returns.

“You seem to think my children are scary. Why exactly is that?”

[Tretesta]

“See, that sounds like a problem is beyond you. Because you're stretched as far as you can be. Because you have to carry the entire damn world yourself. You either have to find a way to manage it all by yourself with a clear head, or learn to trust people to handle their share of the trouble.” Tret would sit forward, staring pointedly at the smaller man “Or it all just burns around you, and you start losing.”

As the threat of rain returned to the room, Tret's expression softened and he sat back again “Ah ah, I said scare me in some ways. I think its understandable, neh? At least two of them could likely explode me from the inside out. One of them has this… ahhh… what's the word… intensity, yes, about her. Intense about the most common things. Common to me at least. Power can be scary. Less so when you feel you are not on the wrong end.”

[Eligor]

“Are you not married to an embodiment of power?”

The pressure fades and Luz looms nearby, patting Eligor’s head like a child, which he allowed for some reason.

[Tretesta]

“Blue can be scary as well. Twice I've nearly died because of her power. I respect her as much as I love her.”

[Eligor]

“And if I told you I feared her?”

[Tretesta]

“Slight surprise, but sure. Like i said before though… Power is less scary when you're not on the wrong end.”

[Eligor]

“I disagree. But that is an entirely different conversation.”

[Tretesta]

“I'd much rather be afraid and behind the gun, than afraid and being aimed at.”

[Eligor]

“If you say so.”

He rubbed his cheek.

“You seem quite sure you are a better cook than me.”

[Tretesta]

“Oh, Eligor. That was just an example.”

“I know I'm a better cook. I did earn a blessing from Raziel. Maybe. And I guess I've got a letter from the Commander in Ishgard.”

[Eligor]

“Hmmm…I’ll never live to the ideal at this rate.”

[Tretesta]

“We all have our talents. You are certainly a finer blacksmith than I'd ever be. I deal more with smaller pieces of metal.”

[Eligor]

“That was not our way. Besides, it is not as if forging metal is particularly difficult.”

[Tretesta]

“Neither is cooking meat. Cooking it well, or forging it well. That is where the skill comes in.”

[Eligor]

He was silent for a while.

“Is it dangerous to learn where you are from?”

[Tretesta]

“Dangerous how?”

[Eligor]

“I would not know.”

“But it’s not as if anyone like Blue is running around. Not any that are not voidsent anyway.”

[Tretesta]

“….AH! Hah! Hahahaha… Sorry, sorry. I thought we were talking about learning… like… dangerous to read and such. I was a little lost… Ahem…” Wearing a small smile, he sighs and shrugs “I mean…you asked about me. You're not familiar with the place, and that is fine. I honestly don't know where Blue is from, originally.”

[Eligor]

“You’re worse from an observational perspective.”

“But I heard what I needed to.”

[Tretesta]

“I have no idea what that means.”

“You likely don't intend to explain either, yes?”

[Eligor]

“Distance.”

[Tretesta]

“Is the measurement, in ilms or fulms, between the two of us.”

“Im glad we're testing my word knowledge, but that seems off topic.”

[Eligor]

“Hmmm….are you staying here?”

[Tretesta]

“Also off topic, but not all day. Was expecting to have to spend a fair bit of it on an airship back from the island, but I was lucky enough to catch you here. Observational Perspective, Eli.”

[Eligor]

“You want me to take you somewhere?”

[Tretesta]

“I was expecting to be teleported to your house. Observational Perspective, Eligor.”

[Eligor]

“You really like that phrase now.”

[Tretesta]

“I'm trying to keep you on topic. were you going to explain what that meant?”

[Eligor]

“You are more noticeable than she is.”

[Tretesta]

“That…. Surprises me as well.”

[Eligor]

“She’s an oddity. You’re an anomaly.”

[Tretesta]

“Hm. Don't know how to take that, but sure. Not going to be a problem between us, yeah?”

[Eligor]

“Not that I can tell. You know the conditions for us to have a problem.”

[Tretesta]

“….No… No I don't think I do. I can guess, but I think a lot between us has been kinda… Up for interpretation?”

[Eligor]

“If you say so. Well in that case you should be on your way. After I sleep, Luz should have no reason to bother me with her nagging presence.”

[Tretesta]

With a shrug, Tret would stand and stretch, wincing a bit as he did, then checked around to make sure he hadn't left anything “I'm certain there will be plenty of reason to nag you in due time. Would you like me to keep you updated on anything else that might happen related to our common issue? Or is it best I just deal with it and you assume everything is OK if I'm not dead?”

[Eligor]

“I would like to know. Helps with organization.”

[Tretesta]

“Alrighty. While we're back on the topic… Anything I should know about these new friends? Lasers were not expected at all.”

[Eligor] “Honestly if anything else comes after you it is likely to be worse. Hence why I want to give you something.”

“The creatures we have faced so far seem to be…prototypes, is the feeling I'm getting. Heavily based off of traits of Alkaid’s innate abilities.”

“If the drug is no longer necessary, then we can assume that something likely around that level of annoying is coming. But that’s simply based on my expectations. It could be something unrelated to battle at all.”

[Tretesta]

“….I should maybe sit down with you sometime after your nap to understand Alkaid, then. I do better when I know what to expect. My preferred method of fighting is not to fight. I would rather skip straight to the part where I win.” He reaches up and rubs a tender spot near his stomach, then heads for the door “Making me something will just take your time and effort, which you don't have much of. I'd rather have a chance to just cripple them before they come after me.”

[Eligor]

Eligor does not answer, instead leaning back into the sofa and closing his eyes while Luz offered a subtle bow.

[Tretesta]

Tret pauses at the door, hand on the handle, to watch the two. He would sigh and smile at the woman, offering a nods “Take care of him. And feel free to find me if you need anything, just like your sisters. I'm only down the road, now.” Not waiting for a reply, he went through the door, retracing his steps through he halls without escort, without curiously poking his head into doors. Back up to the main hall, and back out the front door….

[Eligor]

Eligor opens his eyes as Tret leaves, smoke once again rising from his lips.

“You have seen me rest for long enough now. I’m certain my brat did not specify a time minimum, so it is not a violation of your loyalty to return to her with a task completed. I’ve no more time for little games. Go and protect the Sanctuary.”

Luz seemed reluctant, but ultimately bowed again. She gave herself some distance before disappearing into a pillar of light.


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