Episode 25 | Primal Grudge

INT. AURILS STUDY – DAY

Yosha walks through the hallways leading up to the Akasar’s studies. She’s humming to herself.

When she reaches Auril’s study, she knocks, waits a moment, then opens the door open a bit.

Yosha: (timidly) Hello? Fæhu?

After amoment, she enters Auril’s study, closing the door behind her.

Eþiovar is already inside, sitting at the desk on heavy wooden chair.

Eþiovar:Ah, there you are.

Yosha:(flustered) A- Akasar!

Eþiovar straightens up in her chair and puts the book aside. Yosha approaches the desk.

Eþiovar:I was almost afraid you wouldn’t come.

Yosha:I… I had to help my mother out with some things.

Eþiovar:The head-priestess of the church of the twins, right?

Yosha:Yes, that’s her.

Yosha fumbles with the device around the windshell’s receptor.

Eþiovar:I see, I see.

Yosha:Was the windshell running while you were here?

Eþiovar:If you mean that thing we listened to last night, then no. I’ve been here since the last class ended and there was nothing.

Yosha:Ah… Okay. Maybe there aren’t any yet… What… have you been doing while you were waiting?

Eþiovar:I cleaned up the desk a little and found Auril’s notes on the Windshell. I was reading them.

Yosha:(uncertain) His notes?

Eþiovar:(unimpressed) Mhm. They are quite interesting.

Yosha:Oh. A recording?

Eþiovar:Is that a recording?

Yosha:It should be one, yes. Apparently that just came in… But that’s strange…

Eþiovar:What?

Yosha:Normally you can hear the voices while the recordings are being enchanted…

Yosha opens up her bag and takes out her scriber, then opens a drawer to take out a stack of parchments.

Eþiovar:What would you have done if there weren’t any?

Yosha:Oh, there’s still plenty of recordings that I haven’t transcribed yet, from before Auril got me involved. Some of them have no real value for the project, but I like listening to them and transcribing them anyway.

Eþiovar:Which ones would you- or Auril- deem of no value to the project?

Yosha:All those that aren’t directly related to Raka’s work as a Patcher. The Windshell sometimes activates on accident, not necessarily because there are spirits nearby.

Eþiovar:I thought the purpose of this was to develop the windshell,

Yosha:Yea, but…

Eþiovar:(cont) not document the line of work as a Patcher.

Yosha:(sheepish) O-Of course, but Auril wanted to keep the content relevant to something that could be useful to the university.

Eþiovar:Ah yes. Fair enough.

Yosha:For when he presents it to the magistrate for approval.

Eþiovar:Well, shall we listen to this one, then?

Yosha:(flustered) Oh- yes, yes of course!

Yosha picks up the little sphere and drops it into an apparatus meant to play it. Then she takes out her scriber.

Windshell activates.

EXT. FOREST – NIGHT

There is creaking in the trees, but no insects.

Lyn and Malaki are sleeping. Raka is keeping watch, writing in her journal, trying to decode the inscriptions on the monolith said. She flips through a book in frustration, then scratches off something from her book.

Raka:(muttering, keeping her voice low) No… That’s not it either… (scoffs, shaking her head) Mutt… Sebaltaea written in mutt. Unbelievable… Fiyar’ta…

She tosses her pen into it’s wooden case, then closes her book in frustration.

Raka:(whispering, groaning) I can’t work like this.

(pause)

Raka pushes her book aside and shuffles over to Malaki.

Malaki is snoozing, rolled up in his furcoat. The sudden closeness of Raka jerks him out of sleep in surprise.

Raka:Hey… Malaki? Malaki?

Malaki:(drowsy, surprised, outraged) Brute! Featherduster! Get off me!

Raka:(whispering) Shhh. Keep it down.

Malaki:(whisper-shout) Tell me what you want!

Raka:(whispering) I- Do you want to… go for a walk?

Malaki:(groggy) No, I want to sleep!

Raka:(whispering) Well, you can sleep later. After.

Malaki:(groggy, confused) After- I… you… I don’t understand.

Raka:(sighs) I’m feeling a bit restless.

(pause)

Raka:Well, do you want to go for a walk or not?

Malaki:I told you, I want to sleep!

Raka:(sighs) You’re not getting this at all, are you?

(pause)

Malaki:Oh.

Raka:Yes.

Malaki:(grumpy) I have no interest in that. Find someone else to do that with.

Raka:(scoffs) Like who, Lyn perhaps?

Malaki:You like her more anyway.

(pause)

Raka:(whispering, annoyed sigh) I’m not THAT desperate! And I like my partners with FUR! And… less smelly.

Malaki:(starts laughing)

Raka:(hushed whispering) Keep it down, you’ll wake her up!

Lyn:(groans) Can you two please keep it down?

Raka explosively releases a sigh, then sits up. Malaki rolls himself back into his fur-coat.

Raka:Sorry. Didn’t mean to wake you-

Lyn:Well, technically it was the windshell that woke me up. (yawns)

Raka gets up and sits back down at her previous place near the heatsphere.

Raka:(concerned) The windshell?

Lyn:Yea. That fancy little snail shell jewelry you gave me? Are you back to forgetting things?

Raka:(concerned) No, I’m just-… I’m wondering why it turned on NOW. It didn’t react at all yesterday, despite us shooting arrows through the Aetherfrays AND using runes.

Lyn:Maybe Auril updated it? So it doesn’t turn on every time someone uses a Rune, you know.

Raka:Possibly…

Lyn:We do have quite a high consumption of those.

Raka:I just thought the Weaveless Town might’ve affected the windshells enchantments.

Lyn:Maybe Auril fixed it now.

Raka:Possibly.

Malaki:(yawning) Or there are Vær nearby.

Lyn:Yea.

Raka:Possibly. Well, I don’t think we will figure this out just guessing. I’ll turn the windshell off and you two can go back to sleep.

Lyn:(yawns) You don’t have to tell me twice… Good night…

Lyn curls back into her bedroll and dozes off almost instantly.

Windshell deactivates.

INT. AURIL’S STUDY – DAY

Eþiovar:Was… that it?

Yosha:Oh, er…

Yosha:Sometimes they contain more recordings… Akasar Auril made it so that recordings made within a certain time of each other get bundled together.

Eþiovar:Are you sure this is from today? Raka mentioned that the windshell didn’t turn on yesterday.

Yosha:(consternation) I… I’m not sure. Something seemed odd.

Eþiovar:Yes.

Yosha:The same thing happened on the recordings from Aisanuka as well…

Eþiovar:Were you listening to older recordings yesterday?

Yosha:No, those came in while we were here. The transmissions are usually instantaneous-

Windshell activates.

Yosha:(gasp) Another one!

EXT. FOREST – NIGHT

Raka:(yawns, mild confusion) Hmm… what? (sighs)

She rolls over and puts her hand on Lyns shoulder. Lyn snores.

Raka:(whispering) Hey. Lyn?

Lyn:(meekly) Go away.

Raka:(whispering) Hey Lyn?

Lyn:(groans) Five more minutes, mom…

Raka:(whispering) Lyn, wake up.

Lyn:(sleepily) Hm?

Raka:It’s your turn.

Lyn:(drowsy) Already? I swear I only just fell asleep…

Raka:You’ve been snoring for almost the entirety of my shift.

Lyn:(defiant) …I was… not. I was just pretending.

Raka:Come on, get up. I will go take a walk.

Lyn:You mean potty break?

Raka:That, too. But the windshell just turned on again. I will have a look around.

Lyn:Do you want to take it with you for confirmation?

Raka:No, I want to… look for Spirits my way.

Lyn:Sure. Keep the senses sharp.

Raka:Exactly. You keep the shell, I will turn it off. If it turns on while I’m gone then I’ll know I was looking in the wrong direction.

Lyn:(stretches) Yea, gotcha. Alright, My shift, let’s do this-

Windshell deactivates.

INT. AURILS STUDY – DAY

Eþiovar:Are you sure that this is supposed to happen?

Yosha:Raka sometimes uses the windshell this way. She turns it off and waits for it to turn back on again to confirm that it was turned on by a Spirit and not a rune or by accident.

Eþiovar:That’s smart. But also a flawed design by Auril.

Yosha:Yup. He’s aware. Fixing that is on his to-do list- (gasps) Another one!

Windshell activates.

EXT. FOREST – NIGHT

Some time has passed since the last scene. Raka and Malaki are asleep. Lyn is up, keeping watch.

A distant loud crash, like trees being knocked over, echoes through the forest.

Lyn:(drowsy) Wh- what? Oh shit- (urgent) Raka wake up!

Malaki jumps up and growls defensively, expecting aggressors.

Raka:(groans drowsily, slightly annoyed) What?

Lyn:There was a loud crash, and the windshell turned on!

Raka:Fiyar’ta-

Malaki:From there!

Malaki starts running.

Raka:(calling out) Wait!

Malaki:I will look!

Raka:A’sarkra naflaethis-

Lyn:What the hell is that?

Raka:We’ll find out. Come.

Lyn:Wait, what about our stuff-

Raka:No time, we’ll get it later!

Lyn:But what if that’s a distraction and someone will take my beef jerky-

Raka:(rudely cutting her off) Then stay here, watch the camp!

Raka runs off after Malaki.

Lyn:Wait what?!

(pause)

Lyn:Me?! Oh come on! Don’t leave me alone again! I might make a new deal with a Vær!

(pause)

Lyn:Gnarr, fine!

Lyn starts running after Raka. In the distance there is another loud crash.

There is a good 10-20 seconds of Lyn running.

Malaki:(calling out) Myr-Eshävær!

Raka:(calling out) What?

Malaki:(calling out) Myr-Eshävær! Don’t let Lyn see!

Raka:(calling out) She stayed behind!

Malaki:(calling out) No! She’s behind you!

Raka:(confused) What?! Fiyar’ta- Lyn!

Lyn:(out of breath, calling out) What? What did he say? (huffing) Raka? Raka…?

Raka:Lyn! Come!

Lyn:(breathless, shocked) Shit- what?!

Raka:Come on.

Raka rapidly approaches Lyn and grabs her by the arm and drags her away.

Lyn:(breathless) Raka! What is that-

Raka:(breathless) Eshävær- Myr’Eshävær-

Lyn:What?

The sudden wall of fire causes Lyn to trip. Raka picks her up and drags her away.

Raka:(breathless) Fire! Fire Eshävær!

Lyn:(breathless) Shit- Those things look like Mal’s Golems, but made out of wind and (terrified) – Oh no…

Raka:(breathless) Fire, yes!

Lyn:Oh no…

Raka:You have to get you out of the way! Come!

Lyn:(terrified) I- I can’t-

Raka:Lyn!

Lyn:Raka…

Raka:(worried anger) Do I need to carry you?!

Lyn:(whispering in terror) Fire… Snoopy!

Raka:A’sarkra- Get up, I’ll carry you-

Malaki:Genturil, æria! Laþia! (Earth rune: Soil, rise! Smother!)

Raka:(calling out) Malaki!

Malaki:Help me, Raka!

Raka:What are you doing?

Malaki:(calling out) Foliage burns! Use water!

Raka:(growls) That little-

Lyn:(terrified whisper) He’s right!

Raka:I know! Tïavus! (Water Rune: Rain)

Rain starts pouring down. The fire sizzles. The wind-Eshävær bellows in triumph, as it accumulates the waterdrops around it to ward off the fire-Eshävær.

Lyn:(frightened) What… are those things?

Raka:Eshävær!

Lyn:Repeating the same word over and over doesn’t make it any more understandable-

Raka:It’s a…

Malaki:Genturil, laþia! (Earth rune: Soil, smother)

Raka:You’re making things worse, runt!

Malaki:(growls) You fuel it!

Raka:Me?! I’m extinguished it!

Malaki:No! You made it worse!

Raka:What?

Malaki:Tanhæ’wyn! (Wind Rune: Whirlwind)

Raka:(growls) What?! How did he…

Lyn:(terrified, meekly) A wind rune? I thought you-

Raka:I have his äthwar! He shouldn’t be able to-

Malaki:(angry) Come out and fight me, you pesky Kyrjir!

Raka:(growls) This is not the time to-

Lyn:(terrified fright, calling out) Raka, watch out!

Malaki:Yseïr (Wind Rune: ferocious wind)

A strong blast of air hits the fire-Vær.

Malaki:Lyn, get away!

Raka:(growls) You despicable Skur! Stop telling me what to do! Nondahia! (Fire Rune: Ignite)

Raka’s words ignite a blaze of fire that sets some foliage around her on fire.

Lyn:Raka, what are you doing?!

Raka:(snarling) Teaching that runt some manners!

Lyn:Do you think this is the time for that?!

Raka:Out of the way, Lyn!

Malaki:(sly) Bring it, Kyrjir! Cymast! (Storm) Tharan! (Thunder!)

Raka:(angry scream) RAAAAH!

Raka tries to tackle Malaki, but he dodges her.

Malaki:(sly laugh) You’re strong, but slow!

Raka:Xyria! (Fire Rune: Incinerate)

Malaki:Ṽodyia! (Wind Rune: Blow away)

Lyn:(panicking) Shit- Mal! Raka! Stop! What are you guys doing!

Raka:(snarls) You repugnant Skur scum!

Lyn:Calm down, Raka-

Malaki:Thrausar Kyrjir! You and your Rontar should go extinct, not us!

Lyn:What are you doing?!

Raka:You despicable grey demons are all the same!

Lyn:(desperate) Guys! You just got along so well, what- Why are you fighting?

We have a common enemy – the fire…

Raka lunges at Malaki and tackles him to the ground. Malaki kicks her and she snarls in pain, then tries to bite him, but he scratches her across the face. She clenches her fist and slams at his face, but he rolls to the side, out of harms way.

Lyn:Guys?!

Malaki:Vinelar! (Wind Rune: Air current)

Raka:Duhïa! (Fire Rune: Burn)

Raka’s fire rune lands above Lyn and sends burning and sizzling debris falling down beside her.

Lyn:Shit!

Lyn jumps out of the way.

Lyn:Raka! Malaki! Heel, both of you!

Raka growls, as Malaki lunges at her. She hisses in pain, as he rams his horns into her side, then grabs him by the horns and knocks him over.

Lyn:Malaki-

Raka:I will rip your horns off one by one you brown furred Mongrel!

Lyn:Stop, guys!

Malaki:I will gouge your heart and liver out of you before the night ends, Kyrjir! Xadïr! (Wind Rune: Swift)

Lyn:(at a loss) Snap out of it already! Those Golem creatures are gone, we should focus on figuring out where they went-

Raka:La’esïr! (Fire Rune: Searing)

Malaki:Hide, Lyn!

Lyn:(confused) Wh- what?

Malaki:Run! Hide! You fear the flame, I don’t!

Lyn:(at a loss) F*ck… oh f*ck…

Raka just wants to see the world burn… Malaki’s at least on my side…

Lyn sprints away hastily, trying to get far enough away so she wont get hit by any of the runes.

In the background, Raka and Malaki continue to fight, growl and throw runes at each other.

Lyn:(breathless) What the hell is happening-

Ferryce:Are you sure you want to run away from a situation like this again, little human?

Lyn slows down and huffs.

Lyn:(breathless, relieved) Ferryce! Oh thank stuff- Where are you?

Ferryce:(slightly reluctant to admit it) I’m in… (sighs) I’m IN the windshell.

Lyn:(breathless) How the heck did you manage that?

Ferryce:It was the closest thing to you that had a connection to the weave.

Lyn:(breathless) Ferryce?

Ferryce:Yes?

Lyn:Why are mom and dad fighting?

Ferryce:(sighs) I know you’re trying to make it sound like a joke, but you do realize I can read what is on your mind, and I see that this is a sore topic for you.

Lyn:Oh…

Ferryce:So for the fourteens sake, and yes, I do realize that their mention holds no credence to you, so let me rephrase that to “for your own sake”, please do refrain from calling them that.

Lyn:(breathless, panicked) F-fine! But what’s happening to them?!

Ferryce:Eshävær. They’re possessing them.

Lyn:(breathless) Yea, still don’t know what that is- Some kind of Vær?

Ferryce:Primal manifestations of the elements.

Lyn:Oh.

Ferryce:They feed directly on the excess energy exuded from the weave.

Lyn:Do they always do this?! Possess people?

Ferryce:(dismissive) Of course not. The Tangleweave affects them, the energies can’t flow off and clog up and they end up overfed and angry.

Lyn:(huffing, starting to catch her breath) Like that wind friction Vær?

Ferryce:Exactly.

Lyn:Okay.

Ferryce:And just like the wind-friction Vær they burst through the hole, manifesting.

Lyn:(huffing a bit less now) But why are Raka and Malaki fighting, then?

Ferryce:Can’t you guess?

Lyn:No…

Ferryce:Even manifested, fire and wind are intangible elements. They can fight all they want and no one will ever win against the other. They just don’t have a way of physically defeating each other. Apparently they decided to carry out their quarrel in mortal bodies for a change.

Lyn:But why Raka and Mal, I thought I was the one most susceptible to Spirits abusing my soul?

Ferryce:(smug scoff) It appears they were looking for bodies capable of fighting.

Lyn:Oh come on, I might not look like much but I know Capoeira!

Ferryce:I don’t know what that means, little human.

Lyn:Well, I just know it. Doesn’t mean I can use it.

Ferryce:I presume the fact that they have a fire and wind-äthwar have something to do with their choices.

Lyn:Right…

Ferryce:Raka and Malaki have harbored resentment for each other before, it stands to reason the Eshävær would use their emotional fuel.

Lyn:Why are fire and wind even fighting, shouldn’t fire be happy that wind feeds it?

Ferryce:Oh, it is. But the wind is not.

Lyn:Why not?

Ferryce:Have you never watched the way a fire behaves when it burns? Ah… of course not, since that incident…

Lyn:Yea…

Ferryce:Fire and wind have always fought, have always had the most quarrel with each other. Fire consumes air, and air is not happy about that. It tries to fight back, pushes fire, jabbs small pieces of it away. But the fire is relentless, gluttonous and abusive. It continues to devour the air, until it has completely consumed the air. Fire would rather perish, than change it’s ways.

Lyn:That’s… deep. And fitting, I suppose.

Ferryce:(laughs) So it is.

Lyn:Also it sounded nice…

Ferryce:(chuckles)

Lyn:Isn’t there something you can do about this?

Ferryce:Me? Oh no, little human. Eshävær are on par with Væron. I won’t interfere with them.

Lyn:But how do we return Raka and Mal back to normal?

Ferryce:Not “We”, little human.

Lyn:What?!

Ferryce:You.

Lyn:What am I supposed to do, sing them a lullaby?

Ferryce:(chuckles) While I would like to see how that would affect them, I would advice against that.

Lyn:Okay, well then what?

Ferryce:You’re a creative little human. You’ll figure something out.

Lyn:Why did you even bother getting into the windshell if you weren’t even gona help me?!

Ferryce:I’d rather see you have a fighting chance, than be completely clueless, little human.

Lyn:Thanks for the concern…

Ferryce:Oh, do not mistake my involvement with concern, little mortal. It is merely self-interest.

Lyn:Urg, fine. Be that way, then. Claim it for self-interest, but I know you’re actually nice.

Ferryce:(chuckles) Malaki is not strong enough to severely harm Raka, but he can do enough damage to incapacitate her for a bit.

Lyn:Yea…

Ferryce:I still need Raka to carry out her end of our oath. Consider my little interjection… my part of the oath, providing you with Væron knowledge as her proxy.

Lyn:Well it’s not like we’ve made much use of your knowledge anyway…

Ferryce:(chuckles) Oh, don’t be mistaken. Raka makes full use of me to gain answers to things she’s been carrying around in her for a while. Usually when she still has a… leftover “credit”. Not knowing bothers her enough to keep her from sleeping.

Lyn:You know, Ferryce, I think your wordy excuses are you trying to distract from the fact that you actually DO care.

Ferryce:(chuckles, amused) Perhaps.

Lyn:Alright, lets do this. (takes a deep breath) I’m Lynku. Or Zelda. I’m an adult, according to Malaki. I can handle this.

Ferryce:(amused) I’m sure you can.

Lyn:Yes, I can. Let’s do this!

Lyn rushes back to where Malaki and Raka are still throwing runes, insults and punches at each other.

Malaki:(sly) You forget that I AM the wind, thrausar Kyrjir- You have to catch prey before you kill it!

Raka:(angry, hysterical) I’m feeling more and more like wiping out your entire accursed race, once and for all!

Lyn:(with raised voice) Alright, down, boys and girls! Playtime’s over!

Malaki:Dorinaĥ (Wind Rune: Hurricane)

A strong wind picks up, as a storm rises around them.

Lyn:(scolding) Mal!

Raka:Out of the way, human!

Lyn:(rebellious) No!

Raka:Myr (Fire rune: Flame)

Lyn:(strained groan, as she takes control of the firerune) No more fire runes!

Raka:(infuriated) Stop that! Let go of my Rune!

Lyn:(strained) No!

Malaki:(laughs) Vinelar! (Wind Rune: Air current)

Lyn:(strained) Hey hey hey, same goes for you, Mal-pal! No more wind runes-

Malaki:My rune!

Lyn:-no more fire runes-

Raka:Stop that-

Lyn:-no more fighting! (she groans, as if heaving a large object to the side)

Lyn explosively releases pent up air in relief.

Raka:This is not your fight, human! Stop interfering!

Lyn:(huffing) You don’t give me a choice!

(singing) Guys, stop it with this fight already,

Malaki:This is not the time to sing, Lyn!

Lyn:(singing) You’ve been past this anger stage before!

Raka:Lyn! Stay out of this, Lyn!

Lyn:(singing) Seriously guys, just calm the fuck down now!

Raka:Stop singing!

Lyn:(singing) I won’t let your runes harm each other anymore!

Raka:(growling in anger) This fight is between the runt and me!

Lyn:Wait, let me sing!

Raka:Gontarïa! (Fire rune: scorch)

Malaki:Fuïn! (Wind Rune: Upwind)

Lyn groans, as she takes hold of the runes, then hurls them up in the air, where they swoosh off.

Lyn:(powering through, singing)
I already told you I won’t let you do that now,
Not until you gain your senses back!
Call me Lyndalf, for your Runes, they shall not pass!

Malaki:Lyn!

Lyn:No need to use all runes of flame and wind!

Raka:(growling, annoyed) Shut up, human! La’esïr (Fire Rune: searing)

Lyn:(strained, as she hurls the rune away) I will take your runes until,
You both calm your tits and chill
and stop with all those runes of flame and wiiiiind~

Malaki:(angry) Stop singing, Lyn!

Raka:No, YOU stop telling others what to do!

Raka swiftly stomps up to Malaki and attempts to lunge at him. Malaki growls at her and backs off.

Malaki:(sly) Careful, Kyrjir. You have lost many feathers already. Any more and people will think you are a Skurki.

Raka:(growls) When I’m done ripping your horns off, the rest of your ilk will think you’re a Kyrjir, how’d you like that?

Lyn:What’s with these childish insults, guys? Did my song not bring enough peace to your hearts?!

Malaki:(sly) You’re not fast enough to catch me-

Raka lunges at him with an angry scream, but misses her target as Malaki jumps out of the way.

Lyn:Err… well that didn’t seem to work out… (mumbling to self) Maybe if I direct their attention elsewhere… ? Screw it, let’s give it a shot- (calling out) Raka! You’re dumb!

Raka:(growls, through clenched teeth) What?!

Lyn:Yea! You heard me! You’re stupid!

Malaki:(laughing) Yes!

Raka:I’m not fighting with you, human-

Lyn:You don’t even realize that the hate and anger that fuels you is not your own!

Raka:Of course it is!

Lyn:No, it’s the Eshävær’s!

Raka:Skur are the sole reason grey furs like me are-

Lyn:Yea, yea, we’ve been over this before! Look, that whole issue with your grey fur is a sore topic, I get that. But honestly, one of these days you have to (singing) Let it go!

Raka:Stop with the singing already!

Lyn:(singing) Don’t you throw
runes and punches around anymoooore!
Let hate go! Let winds blow!

Raka:Fiyar’ta…

Lyn:(singing) We’re a team and not at war!

Raka:Nondahia! (Fire Rune: Burn)

A flame sizzles in the underbrush near Raka. Lyn quickly grabs hold of it and extinguishes it.

Lyn:(sharp) No! (singing) I don’t care!
If you’re Eshävær!
Can’t fight on your own?
Just leave us alone and go anywhere!

Raka:(growls, then falls to her knee, groaning) What-

Lyn:Hey, what’s happening?!

Malaki:(growls) Eshävær!

Lyn:Oh shit! It’s coming out!

Raka:(reluctant) No! Myr! (Fire Rune: Flame)

Lyn:No! (strained, throwing the rune)

Lyn:Raka, you have to fight it!

Raka:(strained) I’m… trying…

Raka screams in anger and tries to tackle Lyn in her anger.

Malaki:NO!

Lyn:Mal!

Malaki jumps at Raka in an effort to shield Lyn. He knocks her off her feet. They roll on the floor until they come to a halt, with Raka on top.

Lyn:She used bodysmash!

Malaki:(growling) Your fight is with me, not Lyn!

Raka:(smiling hysterical) NOW I have you!

Lyn:Raka, you’re still stupid!

Malaki:(in shocked realization that he made a mistake) Vodyi- (interrupted Rune)

Raka puts a hand covering over his mouth.

Malaki:(panicing, muffled screams)

Raka:(chuckles) Try speaking Runes now, black-lip.

Lyn:Let him go, Raka! You have to fight against the Eshävær, not against each other-

Raka:(grinning, smiling maniacally) I will burn that white eye right out of your socket, mongrel!

Lyn:No!

Raka:(spoken closer to Malaki’s face, almost puring) Nondahia (Fire Rune: burn)

A fire sizzles before Malaki’s eye. He squirms and tries to free himself in a panic. The fire is extinguished as Lyn takes hold of it.

Lyn:NO! (singing) I’ll stop your fire!
Your peace is my only desire!
I’ll stop your fire!
Cuz’ I neeeed some sleep.

Raka:(growls, then her growl turns to groans) Get out… Leave me alone!

Lyn:Fight it, Raka! Fight the Eshävær! You can do it, Gambatte!

Raka’s groan turns into an angry scream, as she fights the Eshävær for control. In her effort, she lets go of Malaki. He scrambles out of the way.

Malaki:I already know you hate me!

Raka:(growling) Hate… I don’t… I don’t hate you!

Lyn:Then WHY are you fighting?

Raka:(angry, exasperated) I hate his Rontar, not him! He- HE is… just frustrating!

Malaki:I don’t hate you, either!

Lyn:Please don’t kiss now…

Malaki:I-I-I despise the Kyrjir that will kill Skurki just because we’re hungry! (suddenly makes strangled and strained noises, as the Eshävær fights for control)

Lyn:See? You two are projecting hate onto each other for stuff neither of you was responsible for! You don’t NEED to do that! You’re just fueling the fighting spirits that way!

Raka:(growls, strained) Fiyar’ta- We have to make a ward against the Eshävær- (growls)

Lyn:How?

Raka:(strained, fighting for control) A four-way counterbalance- a simple one… (huffing, then calling out) Malaki, do you have your senses?

Malaki:(fighting for control) Tell me what to do-

Raka:(strained) Carve an earth rune on that tree-

Malaki:(strained) What rune-

Raka:(angry, snapping) Any, you despicable mongrel!

Lyn:Rude!

Malaki:(strained growls)

Raka:(strained, frustrated) Just do it!

Lyn:Fight it, Raka! Gambatte, you can do it!

Raka:(strained, apologetic) Any rune that can restrain energies!

Malaki:(strained) Raewyn.

Raka:(strained) Raewyn is good, yes.

Malaki starts carving a rune on a nearby tree.

Raka drags herself over to a nearby tree, strained from fighting the Eshävær. She takes her dagger out, then starts carving a rune on her end.

Lyn:Carving seems far more effective than writing on the ground where someone can just smudge it on accident-

Raka:(strained) Permanent- disrupt the flow-

Lyn:What do you carve-

Raka:(strained, exasperated, with explosive energy, then trying to calm herself) NO- no talking, human! Focus-

Lyn:Okay, sorry.

Malaki:(strained) Done.

Raka:(strained) Now a wind rune on that tree- opposing that one.

Raka finishes her first rune, then staggers to a tree opposite of the one she carved on to carve the next.

Malaki:(strained, focusing) Hwyth- (shouts, as the Eshävær takes over) TANHAE’W- (regains control, growls)

Lyn:Fight it! Fight the Eshävær!

Raka:(strained) Hwyth. Use Hwyth.

Malaki:Done!

Raka:Almost… Done!

As she finishes, the Eshävær begin to resurface. The wind spirit howls, as it leaves Malaki’s body. Malaki also writhes on the floor, in subdued pain, as he fights the Eshävær.

Raka falls to her knees and growls, as the Eshävær leaves her.

Lyn:You did it! They’re out of your heads!

As it leaves, the Fire-Eshävær lunges straight at the Wind one in an attempt to harm it. It crackles and swooshes and sizzles. The wind-Eshävær howls in frustration.

Lyn:Oh Shit!

Raka:Fiyar’ta- They went straight to attack each other!

Lyn:Is there anything you can do to stop them?

Brief pause, as Raka catches her breath.

Raka:Værïe, äïrnia!
(Spirits, listen!)
Skadïa tenahrïe ketsäa fai hen’ṽuron!
(Cease your fight and make peace with each other!)
Niṽra kautoĥ ker ketsæ ra’tenahrïe!
(Hate is the cause for your fight!)
Cerïa tenahrïe ṽæla’ṽræar!
(Disperse your accumulated energy!)
Destïa garïe,
(return to the weave)
fai aĥainia:
(and remember)
tehnari æsar itar’ker!
(that it was your home before!)

Lyn starts singing some angelic notes to underlay Raka’s epic speech.

The Eshävær grow in size, as they release energy in repsonse to Rakas incantation. Then they slowly disperse, until they are completely gone.

Raka:(panting)

Lyn:Raka? Mal? Are you two alright?

Raka:(confused, holding her head like she has a headache) What?

Lyn:I asked if you’re back to normal.

Raka:I don’t know…

Malaki:(groaning) My eye hurts…

Raka:My tongue burns…

Malaki:(weak, sly) You speak with tongues of flame, after all.

Raka:(weak laugh) True… Come on, get up.

Raka gives him a hand. He just looks at it.

Raka:Hm? What?

Malaki:I don’t understand.

Raka:(sighs) I’m giving you a hand.

Malaki:I… don’t need your hand.

Lyn:She’s offering to help you get up.

Raka:(impatient) Just give me your hand already, before I regret it.

Malaki takes her hand and she pulls him up.

Malaki:Ah- (makes a noise, as he is suddenly jerked onto his feet with unexpected force)

Raka:See? That’s how it works.

Malaki:(slightly pained in his hand) You… have a tight grasp.

Lyn:I know, right? That’s what I was saying!

Ferryce:Ah. Finally I can inhabit your gem again.

Lyn:Woooh, Ferry-Boi is back!

Ferryce:This is… much more comfortable than the windshell.

Raka:(concerned) You were in the windshell?

Ferryce:Not by choice. I know when to step aside to give way to stronger forces. And I’m not interfering with Eshävær.

Lyn:Where did they go?

Ferryce:They left.

Lyn:Nice! I’m sure they fled in terror from my singing!

Malaki:And your smell.

Lyn:(with overacted arrogance) I am indifferent to your false accusation. For I have deodorant. Smell. Malaki!

Malaki:No, you’re-

Lyn:Smell me!

Raka:I told them to get rid of their excess energy and go back to the weave.

Lyn:And they just listen to you like that?

Raka:To be honest, I didn’t know if they would. I’ve done this on Fyr’Vær and Væhar before, never on Eshävær. Ferryce? Any ideas?

Ferryce:(chuckles) Oh no, Raka. I already gave away today’s free piece of Væron knowledge to your human-

Raka:What?!

Ferryce:-to help her understand what you failed to properly explain to her. My involvement with your group is done for today.

Lyn:I’m not like you asking for answers for like “Why is it raining” questions.

Raka:(sighs) Alright. Let’s go back to the camp.

Lyn:Yea. (yawns)

The Trio starts tiredly walking through the thicket.

Malaki:I am exhausted…

Raka:Whatever those Eshävær did, it wore me out. (yawns)

Lyn:No wonder, both of you were throwing around runes like confetti again. Here a rune, there a rune, everybody rune rune!

Raka:(sighs) Who hasn’t had a shift yet tonight?

Malaki:I haven’t.

Raka:Are you fit enough to take one?

Malaki:(sly) I’m always ready.

Lyn:Raka? Raka?

Raka:Hm?

Lyn:The windshell?

Raka:Oh right.

Windshell deactiavtes.

Credits

INT. AURILS STUDY – NIGHT

Yosha:Aaaand… Done!

Yosha:(reliefed release of held in breath) Pew… seems like this was it. The pacing in this one was a bit hard to keep up with.

Eþiovar:Excuse me, what?

Yosha:(flustered) Oh, I said-

Eþiovar:(stern infuriation) No, no, I heard you. But that on the recording – is Raka really travelling with a Skur?!

Yosha:Ah- you mean Malaki?

Eþiovar:Yes.

Yosha:Yes, he’s a Skur-

Eþiovar:(infuriated) She travels with a Skur that can use Runes?!

Yosha:He’s a runemaster, apparently.

Eþiovar:What?!

Yosha:Even the Vær of the Skundr seem to know of him-

Eþiovar:How can a Skur use runes?!

Yosha:I… I’m not sure. Is that unusual?

Eþiovar:Of course!

Yosha:Malaki has two äthwar.

Eþiovar:Two?!

Yosha:… Yea?

Eþiovar:How did a Skur obtain TWO äthwar (ETH-woar)?! Skur are an arrogant Rontar that lack the obsequiousness to summon a Shenta and ask for Oathbonds humbly! Not only that, but they also lack the capacity to fathom the effects their use of Runes could have on their environment!

Yosha:Err…

Eþiovar:And here you are telling me this Skur has TWO äthwar?

Yosha:I-

Eþiovar:How has Raka not tethered off one of his äthwar’s yet and dragged him back to Kærûn?!

Yosha:Um… Well…

Eþiovar:What?

Yosha:She does still have that Tangleweave to take care of…

Eþiovar:This seems much more pressing. If this is truly a Skur with two äthwar, as you say, then he is potentially the one that caused that tangleweave in the first place!

Yosha:That’s what Raka suspected, too.

Eþiovar:Then WHY didn’t she bring him into custody to Kærûn or even to Aureolyn right away?

Yosha:She-

Eþiovar:What use is a half-fixed tangleweave if there is a Skur potentially causing it to tear right back up again?

Yosha:That… IS why she travels with him…

Eþiovar:What?

Yosha:She did have his wind-äthwar tethered, but I think that Eshävær were powerful enough to undo her tether.

Eþiovar:This is absurd. I will have to inform the magistrate about this-

Yosha:(slight panic) B- But Akasar, I’m sure Raka knows what she’s doing! She’s been traveling with him for- 12 days now, I think. She-

Eþiovar:Are you not hearing what I’m saying? Skur are unpredictable and care little for the repercussions of their actions, for all we know, this Skur could’ve been the sole reason for the tangleweave in the first place!

Yosha:Raka has suspected him and asked him about that before, but he swears that he had nothing to do with it-

Eþiovar:Have you ever met this Skur?

Yosha:(flustered, intimidated) N- No?

Eþiovar:Have you ever met any other of his Rontar?

Yosha:No…

Eþiovar:Then don’t think for a second that you know Skur just because you have listened to these recordings for a few days.

Yosha:B… But I… Malaki doesn’t seem to be anything like the descriptions I’ve heard of Skur-

Eþiovar:Now excuse me, I will have to bring this to the magistrate so we can consider if we need to take action.

Eþiovar:If your work here is done, I must ask you to leave Auril’s Study.

Yosha:(slightly shaken) I… I’ll see myself out in a minute, I still have to note down the references…

Eþiovar:Very well. I will be taking this recording and Aurils notes with me.

Yosha:What?

Eþiovar:If you see Auril before I do, please do let him know of this.

Yosha:Alright…

Eþiovar:Oh, and make sure you leave the room tidy.

Yosha:Yes, Akasar…

Eþiovar wordlessly leaves the room with heavy steps, her foot-claws angrily scratching across the wooden floor.

Yosha remains in the study in silence for a moment, distraught, shaken and with this deep-rooted feeling that she’s made a grave mistake. After a moment, she bends over the transcripted papers on the desk, folding her arms across her head with guilt gnawing at her consciousness.

Yosha:(reflecting all the emotions mentioned above) Oh Kælyn help me… What have I done? … Twin Gods… if only she had listened to these recordings from the very beginning, she would now know that Malaki is not a- she would know that Malaki is not a bad person…

Yosha slaps herself on the cheeks to focus.

Yosha:Okay, okay, I have to focus. Like my brother would say- if it’s something you can’t change, don’t overthink it! I’m sure it’ll all work out somehow… Alright.

She picks up her scriber and turns over the last page of the transcript.

Yosha:Date of recording was… Aþæanuka (ah-THEY-ah-nook-ah) on the 3rd day of Kukolon’kos (ku-KOLON-kos), 5th year of the Vær (Veyr) in the 101st generation.
Vocal enchantments were woven by Kessir Riliniki, Eyþór Viðarsson, Carollyn Monterola, Ester Ellis, Lani Minella and Hem Brewster.
Music-Shells were provided by Fuimadane. Audio-Enhancements were by Sarah Buchynski. Written and Produced by Kessir Riliniki.
(wistful sigh that attests to how distraught the situation has left her) I really hope it will all work out…