Episode 04 | Wind Friction

Sæa:     I… suspect this means…

Raka:    Yes. There is something out of my hearing range. And it’s definitely a spirit.

Sæa:     Guess that means you did your friend wrong.

Raka:    Unless a spirit entered this things radius by coincidence just now. Afraid that means I won’t get to indulge in your company tonight.

Sæa:     A shame, really. You lost a feather. Can I keep it?

Raka:    Sure. If you have a use for that.

Sæa:     Hmm, it’ll keep me company while you’re gone. Feel free to come back here when you manage to take care of the matter before daybreak… I’ll wait.

Raka:    Don’t stay awake for me.

Sæa:     I’m sure after you’ve been out in that kind of weather, you will need somebody to warm up with.

Raka:    I sure will.

Sæa:     Wakas andaïl anïr, Raka.

Raka:    Oh, I didn’t expect you to- Wakas andaïl anïr to you as well.

Sæa:     Thank you, Raka.

Raka:    Ah Fiyar’ta… That probably woke everyone up. Fiyar’ta…
You heard that, Auril? THAT’s how you get with the girls. Don’t know what YOU’VE been doing, but it obviously didn’t work.
Well. They like education, so you’re not exactly hopeless. Act like you actually got some of that once in a while, might help you.
Anyway, I’m don’t quite know where to start looking for… whatever it was that activated the windshell. How do- Auril, how do I know whether this was a spirit or a rune? I’m just going to assume it’s a spirit, because the windshell activated right after I turned it off. If it was a Rune, then… I don’t think it would’ve turned right back on.
I don’t hear anything out of the ordinary yet, either. So it must be out of my range. I don’t know if you have this on your to-do list, but maybe an indicator or a Kun-Rune pointing in the direction it was activated from would help. Think you can figure out something like that from afar?
Well anyway, I’m heading uphill, there’s a forest there – I suspect if it was a spirit, then it probably came from the tangleweave, so I would start looking in the direction of the peak.
Not sure if the unnatural weather condition is a clue for what kind of spirit I’m looking for. There’s snow falling. That would indicate a spirit that feeds on warmth in raindrops, maybe. But that doesn’t go along with the heavy wind. The wind implies a spirit that feeds on… I don’t know, lull? Both kinds of spirits being in the vicinity would be a possibility, as well.
Fiyar’ta, the snow is ankle-deep already! At least it reflects enough moonlight. Luckily the moon is starting to wax…
I’m crossing a paddock by the cliff-side, there’s a forest behind it. Hope I’ll catch noises from it there, or I’ll be at a loss. If I can’t find it this way I might have to resort to a luring circle, or… Wait, hold on…
I hear something.
Oh that’s interesting. That might be it. Do you hear that, Auril? Is the windshell picking this up?
I’m not an ornithologist, but I don’t think Rygiel or Yag make these kinds of noises… Not that I could hear bird-calls over this wind.
It sounds… defensive, actually. Not mischievous. Pleading maybe? Also seems to be quite close. But if what I’m hearing is the spirit, then the winds… I don’t think the spirit’s causing them. The wind’s direction and that of the calls don’t match! Fiyar’ta, in moments like these I wish I could see the runes.
Well, can’t have it all.

Spirit:  Runemaster! Stay away!

Raka:    Wh- what? Spirit? I hear you, where are you-

Spirit:  No more wind, bring no more wind! Calm! Dead Calm! Speak it, runemaster, speak the calm!

Raka:    What are you talking about? I don’t have any wind runes with me!

Spirit:  We need the calm, the lull, the doldrums – no more friction, no more!

Raka:    Wait- Can you see my äthwar? They are of fire and water, do you see them? I don’t have a wind-äthwar.

Spirit:  Begone, ferocious runemaster, take your accursed friction and leave us be!

Raka:    I don’t have a friction rune. Come and speak with me peacefully, please. I can’t see you. You have nothing to fear from me!

Spirit:  Your friction will grind the weave atwain!

Raka:    Listen, I don’t have a connection to the wind-web, and I don’t have a wind rune! I just want to talk, maybe I can help you-

Spirit:  No! Stay away! No more friction, no more!

Raka:    Where are you, I can’t see-

Lyn:     On your left, get down!

Raka:    What?!
Fiyar’ta- how did you-

Lyn:     Should we go after it?

Raka:    You can SEE it?!

Lyn:     You can’t?

Raka:    No?! I just said that, didn’t I?

Lyn:     Oh yea… Well how were you planning to beat it if you can’t even see it?

Raka:    I wasn’t going to beat it!

Lyn:     Why were you looking for it then?

Raka:    I was going to make it stop the-

Lyn:     Hold on. You DO want to go after it, right?

Raka:    Yes, but-

Lyn:     Okay look, its glyphything is almost out of sight, let’s go!

Raka:    Wait- What are you talking about?!

Lyn:     That symbol inside of it!

Raka:    You can see its RUNE?!

Lyn:     If that’s what you wana call it, I call it a glyphithing!

Raka:    Did you read the rune?

Lyn:     What? What read- what does that even mean?

Raka:    The pattern of the rune – did you memorize it?

Lyn:     Wait is that some kind of number plate?

Raka:    What?!

Lyn:     I don’t know, it went by too quickly, I only saw a glowing blur!

Raka:    Fair enough! What’s your name?

Lyn:     Lyn! And you?

Raka:    Raka. You’re the human, aren’t you? From the longhouse?

Lyn:     Unless there was another they didn’t tell me about.

Raka:    What are you doing out here without a torch? I thought humans had bad eyes!

Lyn:     Well, I thought… the moon is almost full, it’s bright enough out here, right?

Raka:    What are you doing out here anyway?!

Lyn:     No- Look, I’m not terribly athletic so could we just focus on either chasing OR talking? I can’t do both!

Raka:    Fine. Can you still see the rune?

Lyn:     Yea, it’s down that hill in the woods… Hold on, it’s slowing down…

Raka:    Did it stop?

Lyn:     Yea, it’s flying in circles…

Raka:    Maybe it’s landing.

Lyn:     Yea, looks that way. It’s not moving anymore.

Raka:    Alright.

Lyn:     Let’s grab it while it rests-

Raka:    Hold on. “Grab it”? Why were you out here?

Lyn:     OW! Let me go! What the hell, woman!

Raka:    Sorry.

Lyn:     Geez, has anyone told you you’ve got a grip like a retainer-droid?!

Raka:    I don’t even know what that… Just answer my question!

Lyn:     Fine! I was out here looking for that thing!

Raka:    Looking for it?! Who would go out at night to look for spirits?

Lyn:     You, obviously!

Raka:    That’s different! Going after spirits is my JOB! How did you even know it was here?

Lyn:     Well I saw its glowing glyphithingy through the walls when it came down from the mountain. I wanted to find out if I can beat it up!

Raka:    Beat it?!

Lyn:     Yea! Things like that ate my friends where we lived! I’ve been looking for others like it to beat the living daylight out of them!

Raka:    … You know you can’t physically beat spirits, right?!

Lyn:     Well, now that you mention it…
I can still try, though!

Raka:    … Well sure, I won’t stop you. How did you know I was looking for it, though?

Lyn:     I heard you – when you were on the phone? That… That’s still on, by the way.

Raka:    My what?

Lyn:     You WERE phoning, weren’t you?

Raka:    I don’t even-

Lyn:     Look, what’s the point of all this questioning? We can just go over there and grab that spirit peacefully or beat it up or do whatever you want with it. While it still feels safe, y’know?

Raka:    I’m QUESTIONING you, because that spirit was frightened by something that hunted it. And the fact that you were right behind me when it lunged our way makes you suspicious! How do I know it wasn’t YOU that chased it?

Lyn:     Because I came out of the longhouse AFTER you had left that big building by the cliff!

Raka:    … You followed me?

Lyn:     Sorta. I heard you speaking. Since you left that other girl’s bedroom, y’know?

Raka:    You were… listening at the door?

Lyn:     No! I was in the longhouse, not the big house. I heard you the moment your phone turned on!

Raka:    What is this PHONE you keep mentioning?

Lyn:     Gaah, how do you have technology but don’t know what it’s called! Look, you have this thing that lets you speak to someone that isn’t here, right?

Raka:    … how do you know about that?

Lyn:     I can hear the echo of the transmission.

Raka:    The echo?

Lyn:     Yea, like… everything we say I hear double- it’s like an echo. It’s especially bad now that I’m next to you and hear what I say, too. It’s a bit distracting…

Raka:    You can hear the transmission… Interesting… Auril, make a note on that.

Lyn:     Is that the guy on the other end? Hello, Auril!

Raka:    Yea, that’s him. Did you also hear the Spirit speak?

Lyn:     Yea, I heard it.

Raka:    You hear and see the aetherweb… that’s rare.

Lyn:     All this talking, shouldn’t we hurry after the thing already? You can question me all you like after we threw a pokeball at it.

Raka:    A what?

Lyn:     Nevermind.

Raka:    Fine, let’s go.

Lyn:     Hey, is it just me or is the white fog getting thicker?

Raka:    Fog? What fog?

Lyn:     You don’t see it?

Raka:    No, except for the snow it’s fairly clear to me!

Lyn:     I can barely even see you! Still see the glyphithing clearly, though!

Raka:    Oh. That’s what’s been bothering me…

Lyn:     What? The fog?

Raka:    No, not that. It is too clear. With this strong wind, there should be more clouds. Or at least clouds should be passing by much faster.

Lyn:     Well, can’t help you with that. I still think it’s foggy.

Raka:    If the wind is generated by something closer to the ground then the wind might not stir the clouds!

Lyn:     Thanks, Wiki. So does this have anything to do with that spirit?

Raka:    I don’t know. I don’t think the spirit was the source of the wind, but it spoke of a runemaster that used wind.

Lyn:     So do we look for this “runemaster” or for the spirit?

Raka:    Can you see any other runes nearby?

Lyn:     Few small ones here and there, but none as big as that of our target! And, well… I can also see a ball of glyphithings inside of you. Did you eat them?

Raka:    That must be… the runic manifestation of my soul. I think Runeseers call it a Runecluster. Do you see any more like it nearby?

Lyn:     Nope. Should I look out for them?

Raka:    Keep an eye out, but we’ll focus on the spirit for now. Let’s keep moving.

Lyn:     Hold on! Wait!

Raka:    What?

Lyn:     The haze is so thick I don’t even see where you are! Can you take my hand?

Raka:    Fine, I’ll lead you! Just tell me which direction to go!

Lyn:     Straight ahead, that way!

Raka:    Keep pointing.

Lyn:     You know what? You should just carry me!

Lyn:     Ok fine then don’t! Was just hoping to get my feet out of the snow, my socks are soaked!

Raka:    Your what?

Lyn:     Why do none of you fur-guys know what socks are? You don’t know socks, you don’t know shoes, you don’t even know the benefits or use of long underwear! No one in the longhouse knew, everyone was just walking around barefoot! Don’t you people freeze?

Raka:    Watch your step.

Lyn:     How?- OUCH! Damnit!

Raka:    I TOLD you to watch-

Lyn:     How could I?! I can’t even see my own feet!

Raka:    (growls) You slow me down, human.

Lyn:     I’M slowing you down?! Would you even know where to search for that thing without me?!

Lyn:     Uh-huh! Yea, didn’t think so. Growl as much as you want, won’t change that you need me.

Lyn:     You could just carry me, you know. You looked strong enough when I saw you earlier. Then you can’t complain about me slowing you down.

Raka:    Can you tell how much further we have to go?

Lyn:     Um… Is that a no?

Lyn:     Fine. I can’t tell. No depth perception. Could be right in front of us, could be miles away. Hey, do you have any idea what’s up with this fog?

Raka:    You can see runes, its not unusual to see other things on the Aetherweb as well. What you see is probably the windlayer on the Aetherweb.

Lyn:     Windlayer? Whats that?

Raka:    One of the layers of the Aethwereb. There are seven layers. One for each of the four elements, and three for… things that are, things that aren’t, and things in between.

Lyn:     Okay, I got the first part, but not the last.

Raka:    I’ll… explain it another time.

Lyn:     Okay, but will my vision return to normal when the wind calms down?

Raka:    It should.

Lyn:     I’ll take your word for it!

Lyn:     You hear that? I think we’re close.

Raka:    Let’s approach it more carefully this time.

Lyn:     What’s the plan once we’re close?

Raka:    I’m going to draw a bonding circle around it.

Lyn:     Bonding? Wow. I mean, I listened to you while you were, you know. But bonding? You’re wild…

Raka:    Well we want to keep it from escaping again. A bonding circle is our best option.

Lyn:     Is that some kind of leash?

Raka:    Well it’s a runic circle that will keep it from leaving, soo yes.

Lyn:     You’ll write it on the ground? Will it even let you do that?

Raka:    That depends entirely on the spirit and its current state of mind.

Lyn:     I think its right in front of us now. Hey, can it hear us? Should we whisper?

Raka:    That’s a good precaution, yes. Where exactly is it?

Lyn:     That direction- I think I can see the silhouette of something around it- a tree maybe? It’s fairly wide but tilted to the side.

Raka:    There’s an uprooted tree there, could it be hiding between the roots?

Lyn:     Possibly, yea.

Raka:    Oh, that’s perfect. I can draw a circle around it and it won’t notice.

Lyn:     What a dumb spirit… how will you draw that on the ground?

Raka:    There’s enough lose soil and snow I can draw it on. Stand here.

Lyn:     Right here?

Raka:    Yea, don’t move. I don’t want you to stumble into my circle or smudge it. You will probably see the runes once I drew them. Don’t step over them.

Lyn:     Okay…

Raka:    Oh… Can you hold on to this? It can’t be in the circle.

Lyn:     Is this a snail shell?

Raka:    It’s called a Windshell…

Lyn:     I hear the echo from inside of this. This is your phone, right?

Raka:    Call it what you want.

Lyn:     Probably not a smartphone, though…

Raka:    Now shut up, I need to focus.

Lyn:     Okay…

Raka:    Lyn!

Lyn:     Oops, sorry!

Lyn:     Oh… Hey, the fog is clearing up!

Raka:    Great! Then we don’t need to shout anymore.

Lyn:     Oops, sorry! Hey, I can see the glyphythings in your circle glow. How many more?

Raka:    Until it forms a full circle. Almost done… Ĥwyþ… Wyv. There. Now I try to negotiate with it. If it’ll hear me.

Lyn:     Can we talk normal again?

Raka:    Yes, it won’t be able to get out of the circle now.

Lyn:     Great. Let’s get this over with so we can go back to bed soon, okay?

Raka:    Just stay where you are and wait till I’m done.

Lyn:     Okay… Hey, I thought you weren’t supposed to step into the circle-

Raka:    Shh!
Spirit… I mean you no harm. I offer you this, my feather in exchange for a peaceful communication. Will you accept?

Spirit:  Runemaster… You have calmed the wind.

Raka:    I did not call it.

Spirit:  No, no you did not. T’was another who called the wind, the friction, the gale and the storm. And by the word of another it receded. Where is that one?

Raka:    I was hoping you could tell me.

Spirit:  It was ferocious, and relentless and malicious. We would rather not meet it again.

Raka:    Where is that person now? Did they pursue you?

Spirit:  We do not know, runemaster…

Raka:    That’s… I’m not a runemaster. I’m a patcher.

Spirit:  Aah… A patcher – mender of the torn weave, one that fixes the broken balance. This is not our place, patcher, not our forest and not our current.
We wish to return, to our updrafts, to our mountain. Help us, patcher, guide us home.

Raka:    First I need your help. What did the runemaster do to you?

Spirit:  It meant to overfeed us, stuff us, fill us to the brink with friction until we took shape, sought to burst us into the otherworld. Your realm. To what avail – we do not know.

Raka:    They tried to force you to manifest?

Spirit:  Yes, uncaring whether our manifestation would grind the web atwain and rend the weave asunder! Yet WE did not wish it, and thus we fled the mountain to escape its delirium!

Raka:    Do you know where-

Lyn:     Um… Raka?

Spirit:  Patcher! It is coming!

Raka:    Where-

Lyn:     Raka! Hey! Raka! There’s someone out there.

Raka:    What?!

Malaki:  Bramble. Spruce.

Lyn:     What?

Malaki:  A Humans Armpits…

Lyn:     Um…

Malaki:  I knew I recognized that stench. Meaty, sweaty human…

Lyn:     What do I do?!

Spirit:  Your circle has us trapped, patcher! Free us, untether us!

Raka:    No, you’re safe in here, it’s better if you stay in here.

Lyn:     What about me?!

Raka:    No one can enter or leave the circle under any circumstance!

Lyn:     So what should I do?!

Malaki:  … without light. Without sight. Alone in the gaze of Skaudr’s blue eye. Careless. Vulnerable. Helpless.

Lyn:     Um… Okay…

Malaki:  You don’t even know that there are Vær in this forest! I hunt a Vær. It must be here somewhere. Tell me, if you have seen it.

Lyn:     Um… what ‘Vær’? Where? Vær? Where? What?!

Malaki:  Vær! Spirits! The other things! You know them when you see them. IF you can see them. Tell me if you saw mine.

Raka:    Lyn, don’t!

Lyn:     How can he not see you?!

Raka:    The circle is masking us! Keep him talking, I will secure the circle!

Spirit:  You keep us confined, patcher, we have done nothing to deserve this!

Raka:    The circle is the only thing protecting you, spirit!

Malaki:  You know nothing of Vær. Of course. Stupid of me to ask a human, you don’t speak our language. Even if I told you what they look like. You don’t understand me. Stupid human.

Lyn:     Um… No, I understand you just fine.

Malaki:  You speak!

Lyn:     Um, yea. Hi. You didn’t really give me a chance to say anything.

Malaki:  Haven’t heard humans speak this language before. You… were raised by Ferol or Kselka.

Lyn:     I dunno what those are so I’m gonna say… No?

Malaki:  You spoke to someone, yet no one is here.

Lyn:     I was… talking… to myself?

Malaki:  Don’t talk to yourself.

Lyn:     Why not? Keeps me sane.

Malaki:  Words unheard linger and grow.

Lyn:     You’re not making any sense. Hey, could you stop that?

Malaki:  Elaborate.

Lyn:     Your circling, stop that! Just stand still, you’re making me nervous!

Malaki:  Not customary. But we can part without a fight, if YOU comply as well.

Lyn:     Um, okay? Yea, sure. What are you even doing out here?!

Malaki:  You ask- ask it yourself.

Lyn:     I… was just… sight-seeing!

Malaki:  Sight… seeing. There is no sight to see in the night.

Lyn:     You have no sense for humor.

Malaki:  Say who it was that wrote this circle.

Lyn:     The… Ah, oh this? I didn’t do this… Well you see, this is the sight I was seeing!

Spirit:  Unbind us, patcher! He saw your circle, he will not step away now!

Raka:    Lay low, spirit, I have this under control!

Malaki:  Say who wrote it!

Lyn:     Say who- You know, if you just asked nicely, maybe I would! But like this… I’m just gona say: Not me, bro, I don’t know how to make spirit traps.

Raka:    Lyn!

Lyn:     Oh…

Malaki:  Spirit… traps. So you know what these are used for.

Lyn:     No!

Malaki:  You know more than a human SHOULD know about these things.

Raka:    Fiyar’ta…

Lyn:     Oh… Uh… Well I haven’t seen any around here, so…

Malaki:  Step away. I will see it myself.

Raka:    No, don’t let him step in the circle!

Lyn:     Uhhh. N-no, don’t come closer! You’ll smudge it and I still wanted to take pictures before it melts!

Malaki:  Pictures… I understand your words, but not their meaning.

Lyn:     Well, likewise… I don’t understand what you’re saying, either.

Malaki:  I swore to comply, if you do. Yet you argue. This Vær is my prey. I hunted it several days. It is mine. Out of my way!

Lyn:     No! Furry bro! You shall not pass!

Malaki:  Yseïr! (Wind Rune: ferocious wind)

Lyn:     Urg… What the hell was that?!

Raka:    A wind-rune! Are you alright?

Lyn:     I’m… I’m fine! I could really use some help, Raka!

Malaki:  Ra… ka. An Elder. You call to an elder for aid. Pathetic. Demeaning!

Lyn:     Leave me alone! Go away!

Raka:    Lyn, stop, you’re smudging the circle-

Lyn:     Oh shit-

Spirit:  Yes! A passage, a gateway, a broken soul!

Raka:    No!

Malaki:  There it is, the Vær!

Lyn:     AAAAAAHHHH! It’s in my ear!

Malaki:  And… another… Greyfur.

Raka:    What is your deal with the spirit?!

Malaki:  Not your worry.

Lyn:     Get it out, get it out!

Raka:    Don’t cover up your ears, it has to have an exit-

Lyn:     I CAN’T HEAR YOU OVER ITS SCREAM!

Raka:    For Lyura’s sake… TAKE YOUR HANDS OFF YOUR EARS!

Lyn:     AAAAAH- Oh.

Lyn:     Oh shit, that was terrible… let’s not repeat that.

Malaki:  It manifests! Finally!

Lyn:     What- Wow! Holy- what the hell is that giant owl thingy?!

Raka:    That’s the spirit manifested!

Lyn:     THAT’s how it looks like when it manifests?

Malaki:  That! Was not very smart, Vær!

Spirit:  Runemaster!

Malaki:  Now I hear you! Now we talk.

Spirit:  You! You have pursued me for days, Runemaster! Surely you didn’t do it just for talk?!

Malaki:  I look for someone.

Spirit:  You.. You chased me from my habitat, purposefully overfed me with friction at the risk of widening the hole, made me use a broken soul to protect myself, all because you seek the whereabouts of another mortal?!

Malaki:  Azeri! I look for Azeri! Surely you heard the name before. Tell me where-

Spirit:  Insolence! You DARE command me?!

Raka:    Don’t you know how to speak to a spirit, mongrel?!

Malaki:  This is not your worry, Kyrjir!

Spirit:  Ah. I have heard of you… You are Malaki, the Skur Runemaster, aren’t you? The one who banished countless of my brethren with your misguided runes!

Raka:    You what?! Banished?! You BANISHED spirits?!

Malaki:  Vær… pesky vermin. They did not help me find Azeri.

Spirit:  Not a single more of your misguided runes shall be uttered before my brethren, Skur Malaki. I will make sure of that…

Malaki:  Try, vermin.

Malaki:  Yseïr! (Wind Rune: ferocious wind)

Spirit:  No!

Lyn:     The fog is back!

Malaki:  Ṽodyïa! (Wind Rune: Blow away)

Raka:    Of course… He’s the one that caused the wind earlier!

Malaki:  Tharan! (Wind Rune: thunder)

Lyn:     I can’t see anything anymore! I’m blind!

Spirit:  No! No more friction!

Raka:    He HAS to stop!

Lyn:     What’s even happening?!

Raka:    That is a wind-friction spirit – it can’t help but absorb the windfriction he generates!

Lyn:     So what, will it explode if it eats too much?!

Raka:    It might! Hey! HEY! Stop feeding it, you’ll make it burst!

Malaki:  Let it burst! Vær descent into gluttony once manifested, if it bursts now or later makes no difference!

Raka:    (growls) You IMPUDENT pile of waste will expand the tear in the aetherweb if you keep this up!

Malaki:  Let it tear, I don’t care! It is already broken! Let more Vær enter this world, I’ll destroy every single one of them!

Spirit:  I will rip you apart before that can happen!

Malaki:  You can’t even control how much wind you devour! Pathetic!
Wyvuro! (Wind Rune: storm)

Raka:    That’s it, that does it!

Lyn:     You sure you wana mess with him? I wouldn’t, if I were you…

Raka:    You get behind cover, I’ll handle this.

Raka:    That’s ENOUGH, runt!

Malaki:  Say that again.

Raka:    I said ENOUGH, RUNT!

Raka:    Oh, does that hit a nerve, yes? Good! That means I have your attention, Runt!

Malaki:  It’s MALAKI!

Raka:    I don’t care, Runt!

Malaki:  This is not your worry!

Raka:    Oh it IS, if you’re the one that ripped a HOLE into the aetherweb! If you don’t STOP with the Runes RIGHT now, I’ll RIP your tongue out!

Malaki:  TRY it, kyrjir. You have sharp claws! Sharp claws are rarely used! YOU can’t grasp me- I AM the wind!
Tanhæ’wyn! (Wind Rune: whirlwind)

Malaki:  Kokol-

Raka:    RAAAAAH!
“I am the wind”, huh?

Malaki:  Let go, vicious brute!

Raka:    Tell me, was it YOU who caused the tangleweave!?

Malaki:  I don’t know what that is!

Raka:    The hole in the weave! Did you cause it?!

Malaki:  NO! Let go!

Raka:    I swear by Aþæona, I’ll rip out both your horns with my own hands if I find out it WAS you!

Malaki:  Keep your claws sheathed, I had nothing to do with the hole!

Raka:    And I’ll make sure that stays that way. Fenet Ronturi.

Malaki:  Hah! You’ve only got a single horn on your forehead! One-Horn!

Raka:    It’s a Gem, not a horn!

Malaki:  Stupid- so stupid- You set fire to your own horn! Can’t even weave a proper spell, Kyrjir! Watch me! I show how you how to weave runes properly!
KUNEþ-

Raka:    Hmp. You know what the great thing about Skur is?

Malaki attempts to mumble and grunt through the hand covering his mouth.

Raka:    A green and a white eye- Your eyecolors make it easy to guess your äthwars- earth and wind, hm?
Pafyrinrir! Lynar!
Þamrïa Malakiri wyv!

Lyn:     Holy- Raka! Did you rip his tongue out?

Raka:    Not quite. I took his äthwar. He can’t use wind-runes anymore.

Lyn:     Haha! Watch the wind, wuuuh!
Oh finally, the fog is gone!

Malaki:  You took my tie, my knot, my-

Raka:    Your äthwar, yes! Didn’t think I could craft a Counterbalance just for your elements, did you?

Malaki:  No no no, give it back, I need it!

Raka:    So you can craft more runes to feed to the spirit? Don’t be stupid.

Malaki:  I NEED my äthwar! They are MY Runes, what I do with them is not of your worry!

Raka:    It is, when you use them to widen the hole while I’m trying to FIX it!

Malaki:  The… The hole! The hole doesn’t need FIXING! It fixes itself!

Raka:    And how IS it supposed to fix itself if you keep poking new holes into it?!

Lyn:     Um… Raka? I think the spirit flew away.

Raka:    What?

Lyn:     Was it supposed to do that?

Raka:    What? Fiyar’ta- why is nothing working smoothly today?

Lyn:     Now what? What should we do?

Malaki:  It is my prey! I hunt it!

Raka:    We have to catch up to it before it gets out of control. Spirit’s lose their sanity when they are in this world for too long!

Lyn:     They’re not the only ones…

Malaki:  Give my äthwar back. I show you where it went. I can still see it.

Raka:    I don’t need your help, runt.

Malaki growls, and the earth beneath him rumbles in response.

Raka:    DON’T overdo it, Runt. I cut off your wind äthwar, but if you turn out to be just as annoying with your earth-äthwar, I will-

Malaki:  You CAN’T. A Counterbalance can only cut off ONE äthwar, never both!

Raka:    So you’ve made his experience before, eh? No surprise.

Lyn:     No kidding.

Raka:    Lyn, how’s your vision?

Lyn:     Clear. Should we follow it?

Raka:    No, we’re not going to follow it anymore.

Lyn:     You have another plan?

Raka:    Yes. We’ll make it come to us this time. We need a spacious area, so… let’s head back to the paddock.

Lyn:     Aye aye, captain!

Malaki:  No no no, you’re not going anywhere before you give back my wind knot!

Raka:    Or else what?

Malaki:  I’ll rip each feather off your head and tail one by one, you…

Lyn:     Feather-duster?

Malaki:  Yes, feather-duster!

Lyn:     Yea, hold him down!

Raka:    You are weak, skinny and are too easily knocked off your feet, Runt!

Lyn:     You should be happy she’s holding ME back!

Raka:    Do you really think you can stand a chance against me?!

Malaki:  Let me go you filthy brute!

Raka:    Shut up, I’m talking now! You’ve caused me a LOT of trouble tonight, and I’m not going to give your äthwar back until I’m done patching the hole! Do you hear me?!

Lyn:     Yea! What she said!

Raka:    Even if that means dragging you all the way to the other side of the mountain by your disheveled TAIL!

Lyn:     Yes! Hold me back, hold me back!

Raka:    Even if that means losing all my nerves in the process, anything’s better than letting YOU run lose with TWO äthwar!

Lyn:     Wow, such commitment.

Raka:    And if you TRY to deceive me, I will reach so deep into the weave you’ll feel my grasp up in the tip of your crooked horns!

Lyn:     Yea, you’re not getting it back!

Raka:    I’ll yank both your äthwar off of your soul so violently you’ll never be able to have an äthwar again. Do you understand?!

Lyn:     Daaaayumn!

Raka:    And I swear by Lyura, if you do anything to me, the University of Kaerûn has a way to find you… and then, by the gods, be prepared to answer to the Lord himself…
Earlier you told Lyn to comply, then you will comply too. This can all go down without a fight. I can operate on that basis. Can you?

Malaki:  That is the way of Skurka.

Raka:    Great! Then tell me one thing: Were you the one that caused the hole?

Malaki:  I will trade you the answer for my-

Raka:    Your unharmed hide, yes? Deal.

Malaki:  Fine! I didn’t make the hole. I’m not mad. But it is fun to play with, the way it is now.

Raka:    Pray to your Skur-gods that you had nothing to do with it.

Malaki:  Tsk, Skurka-gods! Skurka are their own gods! You might not understand it, Kyrjir, but Skaudr’s horn is my home, the only home I have! I would never do anything to harm it any more than it harms me.

Raka:    Then prove it. Prove t­hat you didn’t cause the hole. I MIGHT consider to give you back your äthwar earlier. Understand?!

Malaki:  Yes!

Raka:    Good. Lyn, come with me.

Lyn:     What about him?

Raka:    Let’s see if he really means it.

Lyn:     Well it’s your life at stake, not mine. So what’s the plan?

Raka:    First, I need to make sure if it’s still within our range.

Lyn:     How do you-… Oh, just the way you did when you were with the girl in the bedroom, right? Turn it off and if it turns back on it means its still around, right?

Raka:    You catch on quickly.

Auril:   I Guess I didn’t think this through enough… The warning signal and the recording should be separate functions – I should’ve thought of that! If she continues abusing the windshell that way, I’ll end up with a lot of useless recordings… I’ll have to see if I can change those enchantments from here…
I just hope the proximity to that human or the Skur won’t activate the windshell so easily. At least Raka tethered his äthwar off, so hopefully that’s one less thing to worry about. His wind-runes caused a lot of interference, even before he was close to the windshell. Luckily, I managed to fix that while the enchantment was coming in.
Oh also – first time the windshell got near spirits AND runes, and both came through flawlessly! Even the voice of the spirit before it manifested was on there! That’s a milestone in my book.
Alright, let’s see, things for my to-do list:
– Work on enchantments that indicate direction of activation.
– Try to separate Warning Signal and the record- no it’s record- functionality… e. Oh it’s a Y.
At any rate, date of recording was the same as the last one- 3 recordings in one day, fascinating! And it seems there’s a 4^th one being enchanted right now.
Anyway, vocal enchantments were woven by Kessi Riliniki, Tanja Milojevic, Carollyn Monterola, Eyþór Viðarsson, Cole Burkhardt and Travis Vengroff.
Music-Shells provided by Fuimadane.
Audio-Enhancements by Sarah Buchynski.
Written and Produced by Kessi Riliniki.
I’m sure you all know how to get in touch with me at this point if you’re listening to this from the archives, so… Onto the next recording!