Episode 06 | Dreameaters

Windshell activates.

INT. COTTAGE, RAKA’S ROOM – DAY

Raka is in Sæa’s room. Outside the window, people are casually chatting and some critters roam the streets, but they are barely audible.

Raka was taking notes before the windshell turned on. As soon as she hears the noise, she drops her writing utensil.

Sæa:… and another in the guestroom- Ah- It made that noise again.

Raka:(exasperated) Finally!

Sæa:Is there another spirit around?

Raka:No, this time that was me. I’ve been trying out various methods to activate it, seems like one of them worked.

Sæa:Ah… Anyway I think you should talk to the one in the… hmm, (trying to remember the layout of the building) longhouse, top floor, first room on the left next. I think she mentioned something that sounded like what you are looking for.

Raka:Top floor, first room left. Alright.

Sæa:Are these your notes? Fiyar’ta, your handwriting is terrible.

Raka:It’s readable. That’s all that matters.

Sæa:(amused) You’re too practical.

Raka:Sorry, could you excuse me for a moment? Now that I finally managed to turn this on I want to give Auril an update.

Sæa:More work? I’d have thought the journaling and questioning would be enough already.

Raka:(sighs) Akasars have a lot of responsibilities.

Sæa:I’m starting to second guess my desire to attend university now…

Raka:(laughs) Well, this is what it’s like.

Sæa:(sighs) It’s probably about time I go down and attend to my own responsibilities. Lot’s of work with all the refugees. Do you need anything?

Raka:Ah- No, I’m fine.

Sæa:(laughing) Alright, let our housekeeper know when you need something.

Raka:Great, thank you.

Sæa gets up and leaves the room, the door falling shut almost silently behind her.

Raka:(sighs) Auril, this thing needs a way to manually activate it. I’ve been trying to turn it on since morning!

She puts her pen aside and closes her journal.

Raka:I spoke to most people in the longhouse for any leads on the tangleweave situation all morning- well except for Lyn, who was still asleep. And a few other people I couldn’t get a hold on. I’ll question those later. Some of the interviews would’ve been great material for your records, but I couldn’t figure out how to activate this damned thing. See, this is why I like to keep journals; your little toy isn’t as reliable as a book you can just open whenever you need it! (sighs) I took notes on all interviews, but most experiences were of the usual sort.
Anyway, just so you know, I managed to turn on the Windshell using Malaki’s wind-tether. Figured since I have hold on his äthwar I might as well see what I can do with it. And as you see – it worked. But since its still connected to his soul, he probably felt the tug when I used it.
(sigh) Well more on him later.

Raka takes out a map and examines it.

Raka:I mapped out all possible spirit sightings on the map, as well as the rough estimate of the location of the ætherfrays. I’m going to try locating the ætherfrays first, then follow them to estimate what distance the hole covers. And pick up any lose threads on the way that I can mend myself. Where my skill won’t suffice I’ll summon Væron and ask for their help… standard patcher procedure, none of which I know will mean anything to you.

Raka gets up from her chair and walks towards the window. She opens it with much excretion.

Raka:The snow from last night has almost melted. I’m still not sure why that came down here, but I suspect the wind spirit must’ve brought it along when it came down from the peak. At least I suspect that’s the distance Malaki chased it.
As for the him, as I suspected he was out cold this morning when I wanted to speak to Lyn. Which is to be expected, given the amount of runes he threw around last night. Pretty sure he threw out far more before he caught up to us, too, the fourteen know how many. Judging from his behavior, he’s too dangerous to be left unsupervised. I don’t need that runt feeding the flames. I’ll…

Raka lets herself sink back on her chair.

Raka: (resigned sigh) as annoying as he is, I don’t think I have a choice but to drag him along, even if that’ll cost me my sanity… which it probably will.
I’ll leave a copy of my map and notes with the headchief. In case something happens and the magistrate needs to send someone to pick it up later. Like if that runt ends up backstabbing me despite what he said. In which case… Do me the favor and make sure he never get his äthwar back.

Outside of Raka’s door a loud thud can be heard, as Malaki and Lyn climbed up the side of the house and entered through a window. Arguing, they approach, the door, before Malaki goes in.

Lyn:Calm down, Mal!

Malaki:She is MAD!

Lyn:Maybe, but then so are you! You can’t just break into random houses!

Malaki:She can’t be serious!!

Malaki furiously slams the door open. He plods in unbidden, his toenails clicking on the stone floor, followed by Lyn.

Malaki:Skaudr kulka aur koneŋi (Skundr’s horn would sooner break) before you do that, kyrjir! Try it, I will tear your monohorn off your forehead and stab you with it!

Raka:(confused) Mono… horn?

Lyn:(singing) It’s the last Monohoooorn~ She’s Rakaaaaa~ She’s Rakaaaaa~ Good morning by the way-

Raka stands up from her wooden chair so quickly it falls over and crashes on the stone floor. She stomps over to the door and slams it shut.

Raka:What the khorpan’bælaþaris is this about?! Don’t you know how to knock on doors?

Lyn:(despairing) Are you fighting again? It’s not even been a day…

Malaki:(outraged) Y-You you… YOU said you will summon VÆRON!

Lyn:What’s a Væron?

Raka:Of course I’m going to summon Væron, that’s part of my job-

Malaki:You will kill yourself!

Raka:I’m not- Hold on, how do you even know of this?

Malaki:You used my äthwar! I hear you, since you pulled it!

Lyn:Me too, if anyone cares.

Raka:You halfwit almost widened the hole in the aetherweb last night! With someone like YOU lose on the Skundr, I have no CHOICE but to summon Væron to help patching it!

Lyn:I guess you don’t care.

Malaki:(dismissive) The hole mends itself, it needs TIME! Væron are dangerous to anyone near it, the hole is not! You summon Væron, they tear your soul apart!

Raka:I’m sure you’d be more than happy if a Væron tore my soul to shreds, it’d mean you’d get your äthwar back! You, out of all people, should be looking forward to that-

Malaki:If Vaeron tear your soul apart, they cut ANY äthwar you hold, including mine!

(pause)

Lyn steps around Raka and picks up the chair she knocked over.

Lyn:Why don’t we all just sit down and work this out peacefully? Look, I’ll show you how it’s done. Here, see? This is how you sit. Sitting is nice.

Lyn sits down on the chair.

Raka:(underlaying growl) This is not common knowledge. How do you know this? Have you experienced it before?

Malaki:I read it.

Raka:(groans) Look, Væron aren’t a threat. I know how to keep them under control.

Malaki:You can’t! No one controls Væron! You THINK you’re in control, but they PLAY with you! Thinking you have control amuses them!

Raka:With a decent wall of protection they’re easily kept under control – but I wouldn’t expect an insensible Skur to craft a sturdy wall, let alone formulate an inoffensive pledge. Skur aren’t exactly known for their sensibility.

Malaki:(in realization, sly, suspicious) You have grey fur.

Raka:(growls)

Malaki:(sly) You despise my Rontar because of your grey fur.

Lyn:What’s her fur color got to do with anything?

Malaki:Skurka have grey fur.

Lyn:Oh, so now you’re noticing me? Wait, your fur is brown, though. Aren’t you a Skur…ka?

Malaki:(correcting) Skurki. I’m a Skurki.

Raka:(scoffs) I bet my tail he’s just a disgusting little mongrel no one wanted. Sensible races avoid contact with Skur. How DID you end up having another Rontar in your bloodline?

Malaki:Not your worry, kyrjir!

Lyn:You speak of sensible, Raka, yet you’re not very sensible yourself! I’m just gona assume that you got bullied for your grey fur because Skur are Uuuh- (waves hands in air dramatically) the bad guys and no one wanted to have anything to do with them, and you’re projecting your hate for Skur…ki on Malaki now.

Malaki:Skurka.

Lyn:Skurka, fine. Can we all just CALM down now?! Because this is obviously not about Væron anymore!

Raka:(growls) Fine. We let it rest.

Malaki:(snarls) Agreed.

Lyn:Great! See, you can agree on something. Now both of you SIT down and let’s talk quietly.

Raka:There’s only two chairs, feel free to sit on one of them-

As Lyn and Raka take a seat, Sæa storms up the stairs and slams the door open breathlessly.

Sæa:(breathless, worried) Raka, are you alright? Fiyar’ta, the Skur!

Raka:Ah… Sorry. We’re just talking, don’t worry.

Sæa:J-just talking? I heard shouting and furniture knocked over!

Raka:I… just got startled when they came in. I have him under control, don’t worry.

Sæa:(disbelief) The housekeeper told me he saw the Skur and the human climb up the side of the house. I didn’t think they could’ve, but…

Lyn:Don’t ask me how I did that. I really don’t know.

Sæa:You really do speak þæanæa! Seems our headchief was right…

Lyn:Speak what?

Raka:The… this language…

Lyn:We’re speaking English, aren’t we?

Sæa:Do all humans speak this language?

Lyn:English? Most of us do.

Sæa:I… haven’t heard of that language.

Raka:Neither have I. Strange… I thought there was a language barrier with humans.

Sæa:None of those I ever met were understandable to me.

Malaki:(shrugging) She’s the first human I understand as well.

Raka:You had contact with them before?

Malaki:I know 3 human villages. Hm no… only 2 are left now.

Raka:Let me guess, you destroyed one while hunting spirits?

Sæa:I believe that…

Lyn:(scolding) Raka…

Malaki:Not me, no no no! Other Skurka raided it. Humans have much food. Skurka helped themselves to it.

Lyn:Do you have a food shortage?

Malaki:We hunt for prey and gather edible plants. Not enough to live from. Not enough to plant and grow. Not much grows on Skaudr’s horn.

Lyn:Wow… No wonder you’re so skinny. Gee, I had no idea, we always had plenty where I lived! You should’ve come over, I’m sure we could’ve shared with you.

Malaki:(slightly annoyed) Skurka did. Humans were NOT happy. Didn’t even understand us.

Lyn:Maybe the ones you saw spoke another language? Humans have a lot of languages.

Sæa:(sighs in relief) Do you think you have this under control, Raka?

Raka:I think so, yes. Sorry for worrying you.

Sæa:I’ll leave you to it, then. I’ll check on you again later just in case. Don’t dare do anything nasty, Skur.

Malaki:(growls)

Sæa:Hey, None of that. Be nice, Skur.

Sæa leaves the room.

Raka:Quit standing around like that, Runt. You can sit on the bed.

Malaki:(growls) It’s MALAKI!

Malaki sits on the bed.

Lyn:Well, I said this last night already but it was kinda ignored – Why don’t YOU call RAKA by her proper name if you want her to call you by yours.

Malaki:You have not earned the name of an elder, Kyrjir!

Raka:I honestly don’t care WHAT you call me, Skur.

Lyn:Why is your proper name so important?

Malaki:I EARNED my Ki.

Lyn:Key? What key? The key to my heart?

Raka:The Ki in Malaki.

Malaki:My rite of passage. Those who know my name know that I’m an adult.

Lyn:Oh, okay.
(pause) Can I have a Ki? I’m an adult… I think. Can I be Lynki?

Malaki:Ku is for females.
(uncertain, almost like a question) You… are a human female.

Lyn:(shrugs) Last time I checked I was.

Malaki:Then your name would be Lynku.

Lyn:Linku? I’d rather be Zelda.

Malaki:Ka is for elder females.

Lyn:Like RaKA?

Raka:(sighs and shrugs) A southern tradition. My name isn’t from this region, so if that offends your dull sense of propriety, call me whatever you want.

Lyn:Well, see, we all calmed down. Now can anyone tell me what that deal with Væron is all about?

Raka:They are a kind of spirit… not like the one from yesterday. They don’t feed on the things that clutter the aetherweb, their purpose isn’t to keep the weave clean… They maintain the balance between the elements.

Lyn:So they’re Boss-monsters?

Raka:I don’t know what that is. They have a lot of authority over the flow of the web and other spirits.

Malaki:(excited) They are protective of the… (stuttering, groping for words) the-the-the web. Like a… a mother Rygiel of her chicks. Summon one for petty reason, it will tear your soul to shreds.

Raka:That’s why you have to build a sturdy wall of protection and formulate a thoughtful pledge. That convinces them you didn’t just summon them on a whim.

Lyn:Okay, see, you two can get along if you just focus on complementing each other rather than trying to point out the flaws in each other.

Malaki:(sly) Fine. Summon one. But don’t drag me into it. I want my äthwar, before you-

Raka:You want your äthwar, you’ll have to earn it.

Malaki:(growls)

Raka:(annoyed sigh) This conversation isn’t going anywhere.

Raka leans back in her chair in annoyance.

Lyn:Yea… I don’t think you’ll reach a compromise on this anytime soon.

Malaki:(agreeing snort)

Raka opens up her journal and flips through to the point she left off at. She picks up her wrting utensil and scratches her forehead with it.

Raka:(sighs) Well Lyn, since you’re here now, I didn’t get to question you earlier.

Lyn:About what?

Raka:Yesterday you said a spirit “ate your friends”.

Lyn:Oh, that…

Raka:I’d like to know more, if that’s alright with you. Are you up for that right now?

Lyn:Sure. Do I get to speak into that microphone thing- what did you call it again?

Raka:The Windshell?

Lyn:Yea that.

Raka:That would be great. I’d like to record your account for Auril’s archive-

Malaki:Auril…

Raka:-since I didn’t get to do that with the other interviews this morning. Is that a problem?

Lyn:Nah, that’s fine, it’s just… distracting. The echo I mean.

Raka:You’re still hearing that?

Lyn:Yea? I said so earlier. Though there’s half a second delay between speaking and hearing now, not like yesterday. But I can deal with it, I’m an experienced Karaoke-singer, I got this.

Raka:What’s-… actually, nevermind. Anyway, about what happened at your village…

Lyn:Ah yea- can I take the Windshell? I feel more comfortable speaking right into the microphone-

Lyn takes the Windshell and holds it too close to her mouth as she speaks.

Lyn:Test test, is this thing on?

Malaki:KOKOL FRITH- STOP THAT!

Lyn groans and Malaki squirms on the bed, stomping his feet against the wall, his toe nails clacking on the wooden planks.

Raka:Okay, stop that. Just put it on the table and speak normally.

Lyn:Oh shit- I just hurt myself in confusion…

Malaki:Don’t do that again! Not with my äthwar attached to that!

Raka:YOU can hear how well it picks up through that echo you hear, there’s no need to hold it so close.

Lyn:Yea I got that…

Raka:Okay. (clears throat) Do you mind if I take notes?

Lyn:Only if I get to read your journal later.

Raka:I don’t think you’ll be able to read this. I write in Azyri, not þæanæa.

Lyn:Boooh!

Raka:So, what can you tell me about what happened at your village? Was there anything unusually?

Lyn:There certainly was… On the night I left, a horde of wild spirits suddenly appeared. I couldn’t sleep, so I saw them when- hold on, let me paddle back a bit. There was something else before that. A creepy and loud scratching sound a few hours before the spirits appeared. I asked around if anyone else heard it but no one else did.

Raka:Can you describe it?

Lyn:It was like… like metal scratching on metal, like those thick wire cable thingies pulling a heavy load… Like those giant machines used for lifting cargo- wait, do you have such machines here?

Raka:I don’t think so…

Lyn:Eh… of course not… No machinery, no technology, you basically live in the middle ages… Anyway, it sounded terrifying like something big was tearing apart. Then it snapped. It was incredibly loud and reverberated for at least half a minute. And a moment later the different colored smokes – or whatever they are – were all over the place.

Raka:Smokes? Like the fog you saw yesterday?

Lyn:Yea, those.

Raka:Interesting… that must’ve been the instance the Aetherweb tore apart and the Tangleweave formed.

Lyn:(shrugs) If it makes sense to you.

Raka:I haven’t heard of any witness accounts that could describe both the sound and the visuals in correlation. This might be a first. The fact that you can see and hear the aetherweb is remarkable.

Lyn:But you and Malaki can both either hear or see this stuff, right?

Raka:I hear, he sees, yes.

Lyn:So why is it so unusual to be able to do both?

Raka:Well first of all, I’ve never heard any accounts of humans gaining these abilities. And secondly even among other zäans it’s more common to just have one or the other, but not both.

Malaki:(sly grin) Even Raka wasn’t born with it.

Lyn:Really?

Raka:Neither were you.

Lyn:How do you know?

Malaki:(sly) I always saw RUNES. The carvings are to see Vær.

Lyn:What Carvings?

Raka:Those runes under his eye.

Lyn:Wait, those aren’t just decoration?

Malaki:(sly) They are carved runes.

Raka:(simultaneously) They’re augmentations.

Lyn:They’re CARVED? I thought they were just regular tattoos! Raka, you got some like that too, are they also-

Raka:Also augmentations.

Lyn:Are they really CARVED?

Raka:Burnt, actually.

Lyn:(shudders from pyrophobia) Urg.

Raka:I assume since he said his are carvings, that means…

Malaki:(grinning maliciously, slightly whispering ominously) Carved with my own claw.

Lyn:That’s not much better than burning…

Malaki:(sly, quoting) “Though high the stakes, the gains entice. Ungained without a sacrifice.”

Lyn:Um… Okay? Is that your version of “No pain, no gain?”

Raka:That’s… what it means, yes.

Lyn:What does yours do, Raka? You only hear stuff?

Raka:Allows me to hear the aetherweb and speak to the creatures that dwell within it.

Malaki:(quoting) “Hear the flow of knowledge, speak with tongues of flame”. (mocking, mocking) Poetic.

Lyn:Is that what the glyphithings say?

Raka:Loses a bit in the translation, but that’s about what it boils down to. Now can we go on with your-

Lyn:Oh yea, yea. Where were we?

Raka:What happened after you heard the weave tear apart?

Lyn:Okay, so shortly after that I noticed swirling Glyphithingies hanging around over the rooftops. Thought they were just some play of the light or something, but no one else noticed them and they thought I was playing pranks, so I tried to avoid looking at them too much.

Malaki:(struggling) There… was-were… many? Several- how?

Raka:Go take a nap or something, this is my line of work.

Malaki:Lick my scent-glands, kyrjir. Vær behave strange in my home. I want to know more.

Lyn:Pff, maybe 20 or 30? Not overly many.

Raka:How long after the tearing was this?

Lyn:I heard the crack at around 3 or 4 pm, I saw the spirits at around sunset… So maybe 4, 5 hours apart?

Raka:(thoughtful) They appeared too quickly. Spirits are usually in turmoil when a hole is torn. They need a day or two to realize the path is open. I haven’t seen them cluster right away.

Malaki:(interested) Speak more.

Lyn:Well since no one else could see them, no one was concerned. But even when everyone went to sleep I could still see them floating over the rooftops, with my eyes closed and through the roof. Kept me from sleeping. So I went outside to watch them. After a while a few of them came down to the streets and entered the houses. I thought they might be looking for a niche to stay the night, but then I heard screaming from a nearby house and Ashley – my neighbour – came running out, yelling that there was a creature in her bed that was… well, it was absorbing her boyfriend.

Raka:What do you mean ‘absorbing’ him?

Malaki:(thoughtful) Absorbing…

Lyn:Well I didn’t know what she meant either! And since I was the only one around I followed her in to see if I could help. But when we got to the bedroom, her boyfriend was… gone.
And there was this creature on the bed… it looked as if it was made of… clouds, smoke and fur? Like it was made out of the same stuff the weave was from… it’s hard to explain, I couldn’t see it clearly. Like, when I tried looking directly at it, it became blurry. As soon as it noticed us it jumped right out the window…
Ash looked everywhere for Darryl, but found nothing.
I looked out the window to see if maybe he jumped out in fear, the shutters were wide open, but I didn’t see any signs of him or the creature.
Then I heard more screams and ran outside – apparently Ash was looking for her guy outside. And… that’s when I got what Ash meant when she said it absorbed her guy. One of the creatures had pounced on Ash and… where it touched her, her body dissolved… turning into the same smoky clouds the creature was made of. She was melting together with that thing.

Malaki:(gaping and in disbelief) Kokol farue…

Raka:That sounds… terrifying.

Lyn:Ugh, tell me about it… just remembering that gives me the creeps…

Raka:I’ve never even heard of a spirit do anything like that. Have you?

Malaki:No. I would remember a Vær like that.

Raka:If such spirits are up there, do you still think that we should just leave the tangleweave alone?

Malaki:(sly) Vær must be banished. Before they leave the weave while it heals.

Raka:The hole has to be FIXED, otherwise there will be 5 pouring out for every one that’s pushed back.
(to Lyn) I know you probably had other thoughts at the time, but did you get a look that spirit’s rune?

Lyn:Is it that number-plate thing again? I mean, I saw it, but I couldn’t trace it on paper if I- Oh, wait! I just remembered that while it was absorbing Ash, the pattern of the glyphithing changed!

Malaki:(thoughtful) Changed…

Raka:How do you mean?

Lyn:Like, it shifted- transformed? I don’t know, it just looked like the shape was changing.

Raka:Interesting…

Malaki:Like æther runes that tip over.

Raka:I’ve heard they do that. Like a pendulum. Lyn, if I showed you a chart of Runes, do you think you could pick the shape out?

Lyn:Pff, I can try? Depends how much alike they look.

Raka:Let’s try.

Lyn:(shrugs) Sure.

Malaki:No, finish the story.

Raka:She just remembered that the shape changed, the memory is fresh right now, I don’t want her to lose the thought.

Raka stands up and walks over to the bed to grab her backpack. She throws it on the table and sits down again, then rummages through the contents until she finds a book. She flips though the old rustling pages.

Raka:Here. Let’s try these.

Malaki:Those are- (water runes)

Raka:Shh, let her look and focus.

Lyn:Hmm… None of these look familiar…

Raka:Are you sure? Take your time to look at each one for a moment.

(pause)

Lyn:Nope, don’t ring a bell.

Raka:Alright. How about these?

Raka flips the page.

Lyn:Damn, how many of them are there?

Raka:Doesn’t matter, focus.

Lyn:This one looks kinda familiar, but…

Raka:This one?

Lyn:No, this one. But it’s not the one the spirit in my village had. I’ve definitely seen it before, though.

Malaki:Th-that… THAT’s the rune the Vær last night had.

Lyn:(in realization) Aaah, that’s where I’ve seen it before!

Raka:Good. So you remember patterns.

Malaki:Showing her wind-runes is pointless, she said they had- (ather runes)

Raka flips the page again.

Raka:Okay, next batch. Any of these look familiar?

Lyn:O god, really, how many are there?

Malaki:A hundred or two of each element. Aether runes – several hundreds.

Lyn:Hundreds?!

Raka:These in the book are just the most common ones. If the one you saw isn’t here, we have a couple more pages to go through…

Lyn:Did you want me to go through all of them?!

Raka flips through the pages to demonstrate.

Lyn:Daymn… All of these are… Edgar-glyphithings?

Raka:Aether Runes? Yes.

Lyn:Can I flip around in this?

Raka:Sure…

Raka shoves the book across the table.

Lyn starts flipping through with much ‘hmm’ and ‘huh’ing.

Lyn:Are they all in… groups of three?

Raka:Yes. They can have either of these three forms. They shift, like you mentioned. Swing between the different forms. Recognize any?

Lyn:Hmm… That one.

Raka:The right one?

Lyn:That’s the shape they had while floating over the rooftops. The one on the middle is what it changed into when they started absorbing people.

Malaki:(exhilerated) That’s… (trying to remember its name) I know it, I’ve seen it before… Eyta! Eyta the sleep rune!

Raka:Yes. And the other is Deni, the dream rune.

Lyn:Is that what they mean?

Raka:Yes. The right one is the Sleep-Rune. A balance Rune. Spirits with a Sleep-Rune feed on the dreams of people.

Malaki:I heard them called… Dreameaters, I think.

Raka:Once they start absorbing dreams, their Rune changes to Deni. At that point, they devour people’s dreams and restore their waking energy.

Malaki:Dreameaters… devouring people whole… while they are awake…

Raka:That’s very strange. It bothers me.

Lyn:Could they be some kind of mutation?

Raka:Spirit’s don’t evolve. Unless the gods are playing pranks and added an alteration of the dreameaters, but that’s unlikely. This could be something that only happens when humans are exposed to spirits.

Malaki:You’re a Kyrjir… You… went to a school- university. They might have books about that.

Raka:Humans have kept to themselves since the 15th generation, and their settlements barely ever last more than two generations. There aren’t any studies on them whatsoever. None that I’m aware of anyway.

Malaki:Hm. You escaped alive. Speak more.

Lyn:Well, Ash was completely absorbed by that thing… I… I wanted to warn the others, but… it was already too late. When I looked to the sky there were no more glyph- I mean runes. They were all on the ground and I could see them through the walls. There were a more screams and people fleeing their houses, but most were probably asleep when they were absorbed and didn’t even notice it. At least I hope that’s what happened… It seems the spirits didn’t even care anymore if people were asleep or not, they just absorbed everyone. So I ran.

Raka:Fiyar’ta…

Malaki:Horrifying.

Raka:And after all that you still wanted to find other spirits and punch them?

Malaki:(mimicing Raka) Punch them?

Lyn:(slightly desperate) Well see… until I met you, I had no idea what those things were or how to deal with them. I still feel terrible for abandoning my friends, not even trying to help, just because I didn’t understand what was going on…

Raka:There wasn’t anything you could’ve done for them. Not with the lack of knowledge of the subject you seem to have.

Lyn:Well you say that now, but I didn’t know it at the time. I wanted to find a spirit and punch it to know if there was SOMETHING I could’ve done, or if I just let them die because I was a coward.

Malaki:You saw the things dreameaters did to humans! You would’ve gone through the same, if you had tried to punch them!

Lyn:It doesn’t matter! I left my friends when they needed me, I didn’t even TRY to help! And if it turns out that punching would’ve done something, then the spirit that takes my punch deserves to eat me! Because I SHOULD’VE stayed with my friends, I SHOULD’VE punched those spirits and not some random one that had nothing to do with it!

Malaki:(understanding) Ah…

Raka:(exasperated) You WANTED to be absorbed if it turns out you weren’t actually powerless?

Malaki:You miss her point…

Lyn:I didn’t WANT to be absorbed; I wanted to know if I COULD punch them. I needed to know if my cowardice just cost the lives of my friends. And if it did, then I absolutely deserve to be eaten by a spirit!

Raka:Well you were out of luck. The spirit from last night didn’t seem interested in eating you, just use you as a gateway. (sigh) But… What you do with your life is none of my business.

Lyn:Exactly, it’s not.

Malaki:You want to know what happened to your Rontar.

Lyn:Well, they’re dead, absorbed. Gone.
Or where do your people go when they melt into spirits? I don’t have any leads!

Malaki:Your Vær behaved unnatural; something caused them to absorb your Rontar. I want to know what it is.

Raka:Me too. I want to go to that village and see those spirits for myself, see if they’re still there. Do you remember how you got here?

Lyn:Well, I would very much LIKE to figure out what exactly happened. I didn’t really see how I COULD, until now. You two seem versed with this kinda stuff. With either of you at my side, we might just be able to clear this matter up.

Raka:“We”?

Lyn:Yea, I’m coming with you, right?

Raka:No! I thought you could retrace the path you took on my map.

Lyn:(dismissive) Nah, I pretty much fled in panic and had no clue where the hell I was going. So I’ll have to come with you- when I see familiar landscape, I’ll let you know.

Raka:I’m NOT taking you with me. You have a Broken Soul, you’re a Spirit Magnet.

Lyn:Can’t you do something about that?

Malaki:Don’t take her. It’s not safe…

Raka:For once, we agree.

Lyn:Well that just sucks for both of you, because I’m not staying here. And you won’t find out where my village was without me.

Raka:You’re not indispensable just because you know where one human village is. Malaki said he knows of 2 human villages, we can check on both when we pass them by-

Malaki:Don’t speak as if I will travel with you!

Raka:I’ve got your äthwar tethered, my threat from last night still stands.

Malaki:(growls)

Raka:Growl all you want, I’m not stepping back from it.

Malaki:I have proven that I’m-

Raka:That you can stay in Lyn’s room like you were told to? Because that’s not what you did, or else you wouldn’t be here now.

Malaki:I only came out here because you mentioned Væron-

Lyn:He slept curled up in his furcloak, it was really cute.

(pause)

Malaki:I just want my äthwar back.

Raka:And I’m not letting you loose with both your äthwar! The kinds of disruptions YOU can cause- I won’t let that happen. I’m keeping you tethered until the tangleweave is fixed, even if I have to beat you senseless and drag you all the way to the peak in a sack.

Malaki:(growls)

Lyn:Cut it out, you two. Seriously! Look, I WANT to know what happened to my friends. I can’t do that on my own, I don’t have that kind of knowledge! I need either of you to help me figure this out! And the way you two just growl and snarl at each other I think you WILL need me as well! As peacekeeper, if nothing else. I’m afraid if you two went out there on your own you’d be at each other’s throat in less than an hour. Can’t we make this work somehow?

Raka:(with a low growl) You’re right, I’ll need someone sensible to keep me from losing my sanity with this runt around.

Malaki:I’d like someone other than the feather-duster to talk to.

Raka:I can craft a charm for you, to mask your broken soul to spirits.

Lyn:A charm? I hope it’s not carved like that disfiguring graffiti you have all over your face.

Raka:It’d be written on your throat and chest, not your face.

Lyn:Nu-uh! I’m not getting a weird glyphithingy tattoo! Especially not on my throat! My mom would be so mad at me, do you know how hard it’ll be to find a job with stuff like that? Don’t you have something less permanent?

Raka:(groans) Sure, there are wooden charms you can wear around your neck…

Lyn:Now you’re talking.

Raka:I’ll… craft one for you later. They aren’t perfect protections like carvings, but in case a spirit does manage to get through, You’ll have me around to force it back. Or… well… he will be.

Malaki:(creepy chuckle) I enjoy taking care of Vær.

Raka:(sighs) What exactly is wrong with this guy… Well, that’s settled. We’ll leave tomorrow morning, as early as possible. I won’t let you sleep as long as you did today, Lyn, so be prepared to leave before the sun rises.

Lyn:Before the sun rises, are you nuts?! Ain’t nobody gona be awake at that godless hour!

Raka:You will be, and if I have to tip over your bed to get you out. I’ll ask the Headchief for more provisions later, all I have is enough to last one person a few days… I fear we might have to sustain ourselves on hunting and foraging for a while.

Malaki:I can hunt my own game.

Raka:Good for you. Well, take only what you need. Lyn, you got any belongings?

Lyn:I came here only with the clothes I’m wearing.

Malaki:And haven’t washed them since you got here, by the smell.

Lyn:I washed them 4 days ago! Besides, who are you to talk? You look like you haven’t ever washed yourself!

Raka:Well, be sure to pack some new clothes and blankets, if the village can spare any.
And… hmm what else…

Lyn:You could turn the Windshell off now?

Raka:Is that still on? Oh.

Windshell deactivates.

Credit

INT. – AURILS STUDY – DAY

Auril:Interesting! That human… Lyn, she might very well be the first documented whiteness who can attest to having both heard and seen the tangleweave’s tearing. I tried to do some quick research to see if I could find any other accounts like it, but turned up with nothing. I’ll need to dig into this deeper.
At any rate, Date of recording was Lyranuka (LIR-ah-nook-ah) on the 97th day of Bäkkos (BEK-kos), 5th year of the Vær (Veyr) in the 101st generation.
Vocal enchantments were woven by Kessir Riliniki, Tanja Milojevic, Eyþór Viðarsson, Carollyn Monterola and Travis Vengroff.
Music-Shells provided by Fuimadane.
Audio-Enhancements by Sarah Buchynski.
Written and Produced by Kessir Riliniki.
Aaand last but not least… Things for my to do list…

He takes out his notebook and flips to the most recent pages.

Auril:(reading what he writes)– implement a manual activation for the windshell.
– Make transcripts of the past few recordings.
(regular voice) You know, I tried to find a specific moment from yesterdays recordings, but it was quite tedious just to look for the one instance something was mentioned. I remember what was being said, but not how it was said or in what order things happened. This is precisely why the windshell might be a handy invention. But unless I manage to make skipping to a specific time or going back a few moment possible, they will not be particularly useful as research material. So until I figure that out, I’ll try to make transcripts of the recordings. I’ll… make sure to include them in the windshells portfolio, which you can find on trilunis dot com. Feel free to look into it, and… if you’re interested in helping me out with transcripts, you can find a way to get in touch with me there as well.