Episode 18 | Tripeaks

It’s a rather chilly day. A gentle but cold breeze howls through the ridge.
Lyn is wearing the Windshell and Malaki’s coat. She is keeping a watch on Raka’s backpack and bow. She is singing to pass the time, listening to her voice echoing along the cliffsides. Down the slope, Malaki is rolling through a thornbush, laughing like a maniac.
Lyn:      (singing in german) Blumen im Garten, so zwanzig Arten, von Rosen, Nelken und Narzissen, leisten sich heute die kleinsten Leute. Das will ich alles garnicht wissen. Mein kleiner Grüner Kaktus steht draussen am Balkon, holleri, holleri, hollero. Was will ich rote Rosen, was will ich roten Mohn, holleri, holleri, hollero. Und wenn ein Bösewicht was ungezognes spricht, dann hol’ ich meinen Kaktus und der sticht, sticht, sticht! Mein kleiner Grüner Kaktus steht draussen am Balkon, holleri, holleri, hollero.

After a few seconds, Raka’s footsteps can be heard some ways off.

Raka: I’m back.

Lyn stands up from the backpack. Raka comes closer as they speak.

Lyn:      Are you done?

Raka:     Obviously.

Lyn:      Did you wash your hands?

Raka:     (confused) … No? Do you need to?

Lyn:      Nah, I’m good, just went while you were gone.

Raka:     Great… Say, what language that was you were singing in?

Lyn:      Um, just now? That was german.

Raka:     Is that another human language?

Lyn:      Uh, yea. We humans have a lot of languages.

Raka:     Hm. Is þæanæa a language humans speak?

Lyn:      I don’t think so. I thought we were speaking English.

Raka:     No, we’re speaking þæanæa.

Lyn:      Is that your native language, the one you think in? Because I’m sure I think in the same language I speak in.

Raka:     No, my native language is Azyri. But I speak both. Kærûn is very a very cosmopolitan place.

Lyn:      Maybe I somehow learned a new language? Back in Juropa the languages were a mess, I grew up learning three, maybe I learned a fourth and my brain doesn’t really register it as a new one anymore.

Raka:     Maybe. Anyway, we should get going again. Where’s…

Lyn:      (shouting down to Malaki) COME ON, MAL, POTTYBREAK’S OVER!

Malaki continues to laugh like a madman, rolling around in the thornbushes. It doesn’t seem like he heard her.

Raka:     (frowning) What is he doing?!

Lyn:      I don’t know. The moment he saw that thornbush he was already up and running down and dove right into it.

Raka:     Has he just been rolling around in it the whole time?

Lyn:      (shrugging) Well, if he enjoys it.

Raka:     I’ll never understand that guy…

Raka turns around to get her backpack and bow.

Lyn:      (shouting) MAL! GET UP HERE ALREADY!

Malaki rolls over onto his back, breathing exhausted with laughs and chuckles occasionally coming through. Then he lets lose a quavering howl of joy and excitement, interrupted by laughter.

Malaki:   (calling out, laughing) Join me, human, this is fun!

Lyn:      (calling out) Is this your idea of fun?!

Malaki:   (calling out) You said you are cold! The pricks will warm you up!

Lyn:      (calling out) No thanks, I’d rather be cold than perforated! And I just got these clothes, I don’t want to ruin them right away!
Raka: Tell him we’ll leave without him.

Lyn:      (calling out) Raka says we’re leaving without you!

Malaki:   (laughing with joy and a tad of malice) Tell her she can’t run from me, now that I have my äthwar!

Raka: Well that was clearly a mistake.

Lyn:      Oh come on. Look at him. He’s having fun. When was the last time you saw him this excited?

Raka: Never, and I haven’t known him long enough to make any long-term assessments like that. Come on, he’ll catch.

Raka starts walking up a rocky path, Lyn close behind her.

Lyn:      Looks like at least you now trust that he’ll follow us despite having his äthwar.

Raka:     I don’t know what else to do. I can’t just tether him again, not after we basically made a… an oath.

Lyn:      An Oath? But he’s not a spirit, any promise to him isn’t as binding as it is to those, right?

Raka:     It’s what happens when you deal with spirits. They’re all about oaths and not breaking them.

Ferryce:  (chuckles) Keeping one’s oath is a mindset, not dependent on the kind of person you’re making it with, Human.

Lyn:      Ferryce! You’re talking to us again!

Ferryce:  I’m a little busy today.

Lyn:      What are you up to?

Ferryce:  Væron business, little mortal. Væron business.

Lyn:      Oooh. Okay, I won’t pry. By the way, Raka, you want the Windshell back?

Raka:     (sighs) No… Why don’t you hold on to that for a while. I already have so much to carry.
Raka shifts to let the backpack fall onto her back, indicating the weight she carries.

Lyn:      Ah, yea. I can do that. I’ll be around for a while, I guess.

Raka:     And… I kinda don’t feel like dealing with it for a now. Not after… what happened yesterday.

Lyn:      What do you mean?

Raka:     I never really… No one at the university knows. Or… no one knew.

Lyn:      Oh… Ooooh. About your… fear?

Raka:     Yea. Now Auril knows… (sighs) And I don’t know if he’s already started using the transmitted recordings for anything. He might already-

From far behind them, Malaki’s shout is heard.

Malaki:   AONTARïA BAL’NïAWYN! (Wind Rune: merge, breeze) YEN ṽODYïA! (Wind Rune: blow away)

A breeze picks up and turns into a strong blowing wind within seconds, as Malaki appears before them, the last part of his rune spell shouted directly before them.

Raka:     (shocked) FIYAR’TA!

Lyn:      (shocked) Holy shit!

Malaki:   (chuckles) Oh that was good. So good! I haven’t done that in too long!

Raka:     Don’t just appear right in front of us like that!

Malaki:   (with a sly smile) I told you I would find you.

Raka:     Can you PLEASE tell us what you were doing in that thorn bush?!

Lyn:      Yea, that must’ve hurt!

Malaki:   (excited) The pricks are… exhilarating!

Lyn:      Yes, and you brought half the bush along with you.

Lyn starts plucking at the little twigs stuck in Malaki’s hide.

Malaki:   Go back and try it. It’s (trails off into laughter)… refreshing.

Lyn:      Why do I even bother brushing all the debris out of your fur when you’re going to do THIS?!

Raka goes down a few paces to pluck one of the branches out of Malaki’s fur.

Raka:     Wait- (exhausted sigh) Is this Sparkthorn?

Malaki:   It’s pricks feel good, that’s all I know. Especially when it’s cold. Warms you up. (creepy chuckle)

Raka:     (too tired to deal with this shenanigans) Among other things.

Lyn:      Do you want your fur coat back now?

Malaki:   (laughs) Don’t need it now. I’m heated up. You keep it on for a while. (whispering ominously) Maybe it will finish merging with you and you’ll become a Koshoryce. (normal volume) Then you won’t freeze anymore. And you’ll make a delicious meal. (laughs again)

Lyn:      Merge with me?

Malaki:   (whispering ominously) It’s already become a part of you. It’s melting into your neck and has turned your hair white.

Raka:     (sighs) Her hair has always been like that, Malaki.

Lyn:      Are you hallucinating?

Raka:     (sighs) The pricks are slightly psychedelic.

Malaki:   (chuckles) Psy… Psychadelic! Yes!

Lyn:      Oh shyate. Is he on drugs?

Raka:     (exasperated, rubbing across her face with both palms) I don’t want to deal with this…

Lyn:      (sympathetic) You look like you could use a vacation.

Raka starts moving again. They are moving uphill, and their movement mirrors the exertion.

Raka:     Let’s just keep going. We should reach a vantage point soon. If we’re lucky you might be able to see something that will help us. Aetherfrays or something.

Lyn:      Would they lead us to that dome of woven water?

Raka:     (exhausted) I don’t know… I’m just grasping straws at this point. I have no idea where to look for this dome of water.

Lyn:      I wish that… Væhar guy had just given us better coordinates… what was their name? Thari… Thareeanis?

Raka:     Þorianþaris.

Lyn:      (sigh) How do you even remember that…

Raka:     Simple. Mnemonics. Their name is made of the runes Þorian and iþaris, meaning “devourer of knowledge”

Lyn:      Daaaymn! Is their name… (in a flourished tone) Þorianþaris, Væhar of the dome woven of water, devourer of knowledge, Raka knows them as “Stop, you Bastard, leave my knowledge alone!”, Malaki knows their as “Filthy Vær, I’m gona smack yo face!” and there are other secret names we do not know yet?

Raka:     What?

Malaki:   (sly chuckle) I will BANISH its face.

Raka:     No you won’t.

Malaki:   The Væhar can’t be far. It must be around here!

Raka:     What makes you think that we even went the right direction?

Malaki:   (omnious whisper) I can smell it. It left a trail reeking of the decaying filthy thoughts it took from you. (laughs)

Raka:     I don’t think we’ll get anything useful out of him today.

Lyn:      Nope.

Malaki:   I will see if I find prey.

Raka:     Sure, it would be your turn anyway-

Malaki:   YEN ṽODYïA! (Wind Rune: blow away)

A strong wind picks up and carries him away.

Raka:     (groans) Fiyar’ta-

Lyn:      Bye!

Raka:     Why does he always need to use runes?! Why can’t he just use his legs like a normal person?!

Lyn:      Well, as far as we know he’s been living alone up here since he lost Azeri. Who was gona tell him not to do things his way? He’s been living the life.

Raka:     (sighs) Of course. But every rune he uses drains his energy. Have you noticed the rings under his eyes?

Lyn:      In fairness, though, you haven’t really let us sleep beyond dawn. Maybe he just needs more sleep.

Raka:     Sure he does, but that’s just because he keeps exhausting his energy. And we would never make any progress if I just let you sleep as long as you want.

Raka and Lyn reach a large, flat stone they climb on.

Raka:     Alright, just up this stone, then we should get a good view of the area.

Lyn:      (strained) I hope you’re right. (huffing) Would be a waste if we went all the way up here for nothing.

Raka:     There. Finally.

Lyn:      Daaaayumn! … We’re still not at the top of the Skundr!

Raka:     Of course not. At your pace it could take us another month to reach the peak.

Lyn:      Wait, which one is the Skundr? That mountain across the valley or… that… even larger mountain behind it?

Malaki:   (boisterous and sly) The large one. In the distance.

Lyn:      Oh shit, where did you come from!

Malaki:   The one staring at us with a frosty glare, baring its fangs at us in a large grin. That’s Skaudr’s horn. Or as the Kyrjir call it, the Skundr – my home.

Raka:     (sighs) It’s gona take us weeks to get up that thing…

Malaki:   (calling out) Not with my wind runes! I can get us up there in a breeze! (laughs)

Lyn:      (amused) He made a pun!

Raka:     (through gritted teeth) Don’t you dare…

Lyn:      Hey Raka.

Raka:     Hm?

Lyn:      I was wondering… what exactly is that thing there? It kinda looks like a small, white moon, but at a different fullness state than the big blue one.

Raka:     Oh. Seems like Deni is about to rise.

Lyn:      Deni?

Raka:     Yes… (uncertain) The… second moon?

Lyn:      There is a second moon?

Raka:     Yes. It comes out for a few days every month – have you never seen it?

Lyn:      Nope.

Raka:     Did you humans live in a place from where you couldn’t see the moons?

Lyn:      (shrugs) No, not really. We had a sky with a sun and moon.

Raka:     Odd…

Lyn:      Hm. You know, something about this valley seems… familiar.

Raka:     Have you been here?

Lyn:      (shrugging) I might’ve been. Maybe I came through here when I fled from our village?

Raka:     (confused) Fled? Why did you flee?

Lyn:      Um… We were attacked by… (calling out) What did you call them again, Malaki?

Malaki:   (calling out) Dreameaters!

Raka:     (focused and a bit strained, grasping the memories) Oh… Yes, I faintly remember… Spirits with the… Eyta rune.

Lyn:      (snaps her fingers and winks at Raka) You got it, girl. Well done. (calling out) Hey Mal?

Malaki:   (matter of fact rather than annoyed) Malaki!

Lyn:      Do you know if that mountain across the valley has a name?

Malaki:   (calling out) I heard the Kyrjir call it Tripeaks!

Raka:     I can see why.

Malaki:   (laughs, calling out) Skurki call it the three horned mutant.

Raka:     (sighs) Of course. Everything has horns for you, doesn’t it?

Malaki:   (smug, calling out) Creatures without horns make no sense!

Raka:     (sighs) Well, I guess that means I should feel honored when he calls me Monohorn. At least that means I’m making half sense to him.

Lyn:      You’re doing great. Stay positive! He basically said I make no sense to him. But that’s alright; I’m not here to make sense.

Malaki:   (sly, calling out) You’re a female. All females have two horns. (laughs) YEN ṽODYïA! (Wind Rune: blow away)

A breeze picks him up and he is gone again.

Lyn:      (amused) What a guy… Hey Raka?

Raka:     Hm?

Lyn:      That Tripeaks is… a pretty big landmark, isn’t it?

Raka:     Yes, it is.

(pause)

Lyn:      Well… If Malaki knows that the locals around here give it a name, is there any chance that it would be on your map?

Raka:     (confused) My… map?

Lyn:      (sighs)
Raka brings her backpack to the front to rummage around in it.

Lyn:      Not there- you wouldn’t it where the blankets and the pot are, would you? You always put it… here, in this side pocket. In with your journal, see?

Raka:     Oh. Oooh, of course, I have a map!

Lyn:      (sings the item-obtained tune) You obtained a Map!

Raka:     (flustered) I… sorry…

Lyn:      Hey, no sweat. That’s what I’m here for.

Raka:     (rubs face between her hands again) I really regret not accepting the oath… but… my work…

Lyn:      I get it, it’s important to you. But… you wrote journals, right? Even if the Væhar takes the memories from out of your head, you’ll still have the written journals won’t you?

Raka:     … I… don’t know.

Lyn:      You can just read from your notes. Remind yourself. Maybe you’ll remember some things when you read about them. I know it’s not the same as having experienced them, but it’s still a backup plan.

Raka:     (sighs defeated) You’re right.

Lyn:      You know, Raka, I once heard something… on a stream or maybe on a podcast, I can’t remember… That when you forget things, it makes you… appreciate the present more. Cherish new memories, embrace new experiences. Helps you stay positive. Live in the moment and that stuff, you know?

Raka:     (weak smile) Is that why you never remember what Malaki cooked for dinner the day before?

Lyn:      (laughs) I format my hard drive every day, man. No need to let excess memory clutter my already little processing power. I need that for hikes like these.

Raka:     I’m… not sure I understood that, but I’ll keep it in mind.
Raka unfolds the map.

Raka:     Ah… It seems we are over here. The Tripeaks isn’t named, but it’s painted in.

Lyn:      Anything that could look like a dome made of water?

Raka:     I’m not sure if a cartographer would’ve come across that. “Dome woven of water” sounds like something made by Væhar or Væron.

Lyn:      I was wondering what that might be.

Raka:     I don’t think we’ll find it on the map. Do you see anything out of the ordinary nearby?

Lyn:      I see some of the glowing threads going through the mountain… the Tripeaks, not the Skundr. Actually, there’s one point where it seems like they’re bundled together.

The ambient wind intensifies, as Malaki manifests before them again.

Malaki:   (excited) Like woven sky!

Raka:     Fiyar’ta- I asked you not to-

Malaki:   (excited) I can see it!

Lyn:      See what?

Malaki:   (excited)The woven sky, the woven water!

Lyn:      You saw the dome?

Raka:     Didn’t you say you can’t see the weave?!

Malaki:   I SAW it!

Raka:     (sighs) Did you hallucinate?

Lyn:      Could the thorn pricks make him see it?

Raka:     Let’s find out. Where do you see these things, Malaki?

Malaki:   Between the second and third peak. On a cliff. There!

Malaki points in the general direction. Lyn gets behind him to see where he is pointing.

Lyn:      That’s where I see the threads bundle.

Malaki:   You can’t see it from here- behind the peak is a… a large… den. A building! The strings bundle together to look like a mushroom’s cap.

Raka:     Like a dome.

Malaki:   (excited) A dome, yes! The dome is held up by a ring of stalks… or trunks. Stone trunks. Very large. Like the large trees in the kyrja, and then still bigger. That village we came from fits inside the- the dome at least five times- No, I can’t explain. I will show you.

Raka:     (urgent) No, stop, don’t-

Lyn:      (taken off-guard) Woa!

Malaki:   YEN BODYïA! (Wind Rune: blow away)

A strong wind picks up and carries the trio away. Lyn and Raka scream at the unfamiliar experience.

Credits

Yosha:    (giggling) They are starting to get really used to each other, it seems.

Auril:    (groans, then sighs) That’s no good…

Yosha:    Them becoming used to each other?

Auril:    Not that- Well, maybe that too. But Malaki’s behavior is becoming increasingly more concerning. And the fact that Raka doesn’t tether him anymore is… irresponsible, to say the very least.

Yosha:    She’s keeping her word. Even if its hard for her. That’s a first sign that she’s trying to earn trust, rather than force it.

Auril:    That doesn’t change the fact that this isn’t going to be good for her reputation if these recordings should ever be used as a resource for rising patchers.

In the background, the Windshell activates and Ep19 can be heard.

Yosha:    I disagree. Raka mentioned herself that keeping to your word is a mindset you grow into when dealing with spirits.

Auril:    Hm… this one turned out not as useful for the documentation of a patchers work as I had hoped. I might consider putting this one to the useless recordings.

Yosha:    I disagree. But perhaps let’s first see what happens next. It might still be useful.

Auril:    Depending how the next one goes, yes.

Yosha:    The next one is already in session. Should we listen?

Auril:    We might as well.

Yosha:    References?

Auril:    References. Right.
Yosha turns over the last sheet of her transcript and readies her pen.

Auril:    Alright, date of recording is… Errrr…

Yosha:    Rïanuka (REE-ah-nook-ah)

Auril:    Ah yes, Rïanuka (REE-ah-nook-ah) on the 104th day of Bäkkos (BEK-kos), 5th year of the Vær (Veyr) in the 101st generation.
Vocal enchantments were woven by Kessir Riliniki, Eyþór Viðarsson, Carollyn Monterola, Ester Ellis, Hem Cleveland and Travis Vengroff.
Music-Shells provided by Fuimadane.
Audio-Enhancements by Sarah Buchynski.
Written and Produced by Kessir Riliniki.