Path of the Deathless

257 (I) Extraction [IV]

-, Aviary257 (I)

Extraction [IV]

Sage of the Enkindled Heart:

Shiv replied,

Sage of the Enkindled Heart:

Shiv answered. And that was what he believed. Yet, part of him still doubted, part of him still worried.

Uva did, in fact, request to speak to Tulveg, and so he and Adam briefly departed from his mindscape to give them a bit of room. This was a deeply personal matter.

With that, Shiv found himself faced with his assortment of companions and potential allies or enemies once more. The eldritch chasm that had allowed them to peer into the Outside was gone. The fireplace crackled with its deep-black flames again, returned without any hint of damage.

Above, the Dragon Brokers peered down at him thoughtfully, their eyes glinting with intelligence and questionable intentions. Shiv tried to read them using his social skills but found them impenetrable. It wasn't even because they weren't human or any race he was familiar with. Instead, there seemed to be an impenetrable barrier surrounding them. He gained glimpses of emotion, but beyond that, they were exceptionally well-guarded. More importantly, they felt like the sources of great disturbances, things that caused waves to shift and crash. In summation, he suspected that their social skills far outstripped his own.

"Was that really necessary?" Adam asked, staring at Shiv. It seemed that the Gate Lord had the same apprehensions as Shiv's skill. He couldn't even blame him.

"I didn't like doing it, but I think so, yeah."

"It's a lot for her to take in right now."

"It is. But I saw what the truth did to Roland after all those years. And I think there is no ‘good time.’ I think there is no moment when you want to find out the darkness of your past. It's just always going to rip you open. Now, if it rips you open quickly, it might do some more damage, and it might feel like a lot. But after a long period of time, it might just fester inside of you. I guess I just didn't want her to turn out like your dad. And also..."

Shiv didn't finish the last part of his statement. He didn't need to. Adam looked away, and the Deathless knew his friend understood.

"Do you think he's going to be alright?" Adam asked.

"Your dad?"

Adam gave him a slight nod. “And my mom—all of them, really.”

"Absolutely fucking not. The only reason you're asking me is that you're looking for a bit of hope. We both know Roland Arrow—you know him better than I do. But Roland is a man of honor. Roland tries to do his best for most people. Especially you. And, my guess, he tried to do the best things for my family too, before everything went to shit. What he suffered at their hands was… It was more than betrayal—more than what anyone could describe. Now it seems that the woman he regarded as a sister had been taken without him ever noticing by an enemy he thought he'd already killed. So yeah, I don't think he's gonna be alright about this for a while."

The Gate Lord's expression darkened. "I forgot to thank you."

And now Shiv was confused. "For what?"

"For not dropping the truth on them before I ever had a chance to speak with them."

"Yeah, you're welcome—, I still need to talk to Georges. With all this bullshit happening, I didn't even get a chance to ask if he was alright. Shit…”

A loud inhale drew both Shiv and Adam's attention. All heads in the room turned to Tulveg, and the vampire shuddered, blinking. He managed to master himself, and after a long sigh, he looked back to Shiv. "She wants to speak with you. Alone. I do not think she trusts me. And… I do not think she likes me."

Shiv grunted. "Yeah, I don't know what to tell you about that, man. You're a vampire. Even if you're exiled, she’s spent most of her life fighting your kind."

"No, that, I understand," Tulveg said. "Her mother was the same way. The same way, in fact. It is not just like speaking to an echo. It is almost like speaking to a copy at some points."

"It is, huh?" Shiv said. He narrowed his eyes at the vampire. "Hey, Tulveg, no offense, but if you make any moves on my girl because of leftover emotions about her mom, I'm going to have a problem with that. We’re not doing this shit.”

Tulveg stared blankly at Shiv.

"We're just diving into the most uncomfortable emotional matters over and over again, aren't we?" Adam commented with a sigh.

Shiv rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I'm just making things known. I don't want any confusion about this. We clear on that, Tulveg?"

The vampire let out a grunt but didn't say anything otherwise. Shiv hoped that they didn't need to revisit this topic. But something about Tulveg hinted at a character that was desperately and emotionally unstable. And that reminded Shiv of Sullain.

Shiv really didn’t like being reminded of Sullain.

He sighed. "Hey Tulveg, this is not a threat. I’m not saying we’re going to get violent over this, but I'm laying it out there so we don't get confused about this in the future. You understand?" Once more, the vampire grunted at Shiv's words, but there was less emotional agitation written upon his face.

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That was as much as Shiv could expect right now.

"Ready to go back in?" Hymn asked. Shiv gave the Headmaster a near-reluctant nod, and the man projected a cone of Psychomancy over him. Once more, the world turned into translucent whirls of mist, and before him, Uva manifested. She looked troubled, but more composed than he'd expected. Her arms were folded, and her face was creased in a deepening frown.

Shiv rubbed the back of his head.

Uva didn't say anything at all for several seconds. When she opened her mouth again, however, it was with resolute intent. Uva said.

Shiv replied. He shuffled awkwardly for a moment.

A long sigh slipped out of the Umbral.

Somehow, Uva's expression got even more sour.

Shiv said.

A faint twinkle flickered behind her eyes.

Shiv sighed.

Uva said.

Shiv thought about Magnolia and the others from Old Brunswick. He gritted his teeth.

Uva replied with a faint breath of exasperation. But she didn't blame him. He could feel that

Shiv chuckled.

She smirked at him. But then there was a beat, a hint of hesitation, a sliver of doubt.Uva paused as if struggling to process the words she was about to say.

And that was a bitter realization, if there ever was one. Shiv had felt this at several points as well. He had learned long ago that good intentions and noble souls didn't mean much in a world that was ruled by conflict. It was why Georges couldn't change his fate, even though he cared about Shiv, even though he had authority over the kitchen. The world was ruled by people who wielded calamitous powers, who delved into ruinous lores, who held blades that could hew horizons.

Shiv said.

Uva said.

That made something inside Shiv do a flip.

Shiv muttered.

Shiv agreed.

At his question, a blank look crept over Uva's face. She asserted control over her expression almost immediately, but Shiv noticed, and he went very still.

She quickly shook her head.

As if Shiv didn't need even more motivation to see his home freed. He swallowed heavily.

Uva replied.

Shiv corrected.

Uva asked, her eyes widening.

Shiv thought back to Sullain's final moments, how Udraal used him as a sacrifice, a doll to teach Shiv how to break the prison’s mana core. He told Uva about the Vicar's final fate, and though a complex array of emotions played over her face, the final feeling she decided upon was acceptance.

Utter, cold acceptance. Uva sighed.

Shiv considered that.

Uva asked, utterly aghast.

A scornful scoff slipped out from Shiv like a blade ripping free from its scabbard.

Uva's characteristic calm broke.

Shiv said.Shiv clenched his fist and controlled his building agitation. There was no point going down this line of dialogue. The Sage of the Enkindled Heart simmered inside of him, and he stored that rage for better use later.

As little breaths escaped him, Uva mastered herself as well. she suddenly said, and the mood between them shifted.

Shiv said immediately.

She nodded. With a flex of her power, the vague mists of the mindscape shifted once more, and through the translucent haze emerged another form. That form, however, wasn't as Shiv remembered.