The Hideaway

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05/07/963
I knew he'd pick it up! Raff might be an innocent boy but he's not stupid. Kath and I have been teaching him some things. You know, stealing from stupid hoardy shopkeepers, slipping things in and out of pockets. He was more surprised that Kath can pick locks like no other than at his own talent, he's really good. Too good, I thought, but then I remembered that he isn't completely new to living off of street scraps. It's still relatively fresh from his perspective, too.
We're making him something nice for his twenty-fifth. It's going to take a while to get everything together, especially since we can't both leave at the same time unless he's sleeping, which he oddly enough doesn't do much more of than Kath or I ever do. Kath has been much more active, what with the season finally warming up again. I know she hates urban environments, but they make for wonderful heat pools during the bright season.
Raff isn't so scared of me now, though. Dammit Kath, you and your clever speeches. I like him better like this, however. He's starting to make his own assessments without looking to either of us for a thumbs up. Oh, and Kath had a plan for his birthday. Not this one but the next.
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965, Myriad 27.
Raff's birthday approaches. The vest will protect him from temperatures and weaponry impact alike. Granted, it was a terrible challenge to acquire the material. It will be well worth the effort once he discovers what it does. We've tentatively named this project the Simple Vestment. It's a ridiculous name, but we both suspect he will adopt it as such regardless.
I do worry about him, now and then. He certainly has taken well to the surroundings that Helena has taken us into, but I wonder if he does not get a little homesick sometimes. It is not easy leaving your old ties behind in such a radical way, and I believe that he was not entirely aware of the consequences of his playful suggestion. Now that he is, he seems to look at it differently, perhaps feeling as if my sister and I have effectively kidnapped him. I know he has forgiven me my deceit, yet I still feel as though I continue to deceive him into more things he'd rather not delve into. Without any word of him against it, however, I can do no more than guess.
On the bright side, he has finally gathered up the courage today to ask us about our past antics, especially regarding any 'charming young strangers' of all kinds. Helena could not resist feeding him insane stories about herself, although I could tell that Raff was about as aware of their accuracy as I am. I think it must have surprised him to know that Helena and I were both quite the charmers in those days. I just hope he realises how long ago that was.
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Feint 16, 965 Anno Ethos Quint
Wow. Not just wow, I was speechless. Kath and Lena were making something for me all this time. Explains why I couldn't go to the attic of this shack we've claimed. Lena admitted that the name was just a working title that they couldn't find a replacement for, but I'll take it like it is. It's 'The Simple Vestment', because it's really simple. It's like a bodywarmer since it keeps me warm, but it will also keep me from being too warm by absorbing heat. Kath scared me when she tried to plant a knife in it, but that was part of the plan. They're both unsure if this will stop the rare bullet or two, but they know that it stops knives and all.
Helena wanted to spar with me right after I put it on, claiming that it 'wouldn't hurt one bit'. So now I'm also pretty bruised. Totally worth it, though, I managed to disarm her once. And then she slapped me with her hands anyway. It's not so bad, and I know she's just trying to train me at fighting actual people. Heh, anyone else would call this abuse I think. But it's not. I don't feel useless and weak, I feel like I'm a step closer... to whatever I'm chasing. That's something I've been thinking about too. I basically took Katherine's hand and never looked back. It's been what, eight years by now. It's funny, because those eight years started on the streets, and now I've been hanging out on the streets for a few years again. I still remember how shocked Lena was when she saw how easily I learned to pick locks. Or rather, how I remembered what I used to know.
Ugh. I know I could ask them to go to my parents, but I'm afraid. I'm stuck between wanting to go home, and making home where I am now. I wonder what that must've been like for their father when he was running. I won't lie, I like being on the move like this, but I liked the quiet of the desert and the mansion too. I wonder if we're going to stay somewhere for longer.
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Serendipity 12, 968 Anno Ethos Quint
I am officially a murderer now. I'm not sure how I feel, at least not anymore. On one hand I pretty much had to because they were trying to kill us, so it's fine. On the other we knew those people wouldn't like us very much after we stole their fancy car. Meanwhile Lena was all proud that I had finally 'manned up'. There's nothing I can do about it now. At least Katherine discussed it with me for a bit, when Lena was finally off to sleep. She told me about her own experiences with it. The first blood on her hands was somebody attacking her too. Self-defense. Stabbed him in the gut a few times for good measure. One thing she said really helped me though. "You cannot decide what others will do. The only thing you can control is your own response. There's something that many people forget about supposed 'heroes' in the many legends they tell amongst themselves: that which they present themselves as is not always who they are outside the spotlight. Few people are truly the shiny and bright idealist that the story paints, and fewer still manage to retain that position long enough for it to be significant."
I laughed because we both knew that we aren't who we appear to be either. But that's about identity, this was about morals. "The likes of Helena and myself may hide behind false identities" she followed up, "yet we do not pretend to be any nicer than we are. We are no saints, but unlike some false heroes we do not pretend we are so that we may bask in fame and glory. Today is perhaps more significant than any of the skirmishes we've engaged in before."
"Is it because you get to explain this to me?" I asked, and she giggled. No, she said. It's about the choice I made, for protecting myself and who I care about over protecting all lives as best as possible. "You're one of us now" is how she worded it. "Not heroic, but not villainous either." I think that's what a lot of people are, deep down. Some of them might be slightly worse than that, even. But instead they try to seem their best.
Before I went to sleep she gave me a quick hug. She's still learning from me about social conventions, but she doesn't pick up on it as much as I expected. My best guess? She likes the eccentric status. I know that the hug is a sign of trust to her, no matter what Lena keeps hinting at. I wonder, though, how much does she trust me exactly?
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968, Serendipity 12.
Well, I suppose that didn't go terribly. On this fine day in the bright season, Raff has actually committed a murder, albeit to save his own hide. Helena has a wonderful way of setting up encounters by aggravating the local scum. He seemed a little distraught about the whole ordeal at first, given that he does not enjoy seeing blood all that much. I suppose I should be grateful that he hasn't copied Helena in that regard. She was quite proud to see him stand up against an aggressor. Once she had successfully intoxicated herself into the comatose state of a drunkard, I discussed it with him. While I do not find that 'it' gets easier as you slay more of the foolish, stubborn and malicious, it does get less meaningful. I, too, perforated someone in self-defense, with a dagger no less. While he was still restless at first, I feel as though I have put him at ease now. We have no control over the actions of others; only our own response is of our making. In addition, one murder does not make evil, nor does one good deed make 'just' or 'rightful'. And certainly, as he too realised, Helena and I never are who we seem to be, but at least we try to seem no better or worse than we are from behind that false identity. We are not the shiny idealist heroes, but unlike some figures we do not pretend to be any such. We take care of ourselves and those that we care for.
He is, as I have told him, like myself and like Helena now. One of us. We are no heroic ones and our names and deeds will not be remembered by all; we are not the superficial villains that remain despised for centuries after they have fallen. We are simply here to make some amount of difference in the world, as dictated by our own standards. What the commoner thinks of our values is irrelevant; we are the ones who will persist long after they are dead and forgotten. He recoiled slightly in alarm at my strong wording, but soon realised that it is true. The masses turn like a herd turns at the slightest hint of danger. If it were all up to them to steer the world, there would be very little left of it by now.
I enclosed him in my arms for a moment. What drives me to do this eludes me, but I do know that it gives Raff a sense of security as much as it puts my own worries to rest. For once, there was no Helena to vent her lewd ideas. He is a good friend, and that's that. That is not to say that I wouldn't ever consider anything more - far from it. I do indeed consider my past self a little paranoid in that regard. Thank you, past Katherine! Antiquated before the turn of a decade.
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970, Embla 7.
The first month runs its frigid course as it is accustomed to do. We are a bit low on food sources; I suppose it has not helped that we are running into thuggish types a little more frequently here. Fighting can be quite hunger-inducing. It does give Raff ample opportunity to practice fighting in close quarters, if Helena does not catch them first. I can see that my encouraging talk has run its course. He still does not like to see blood on the pavement, but as far as I am concerned he has learned that there's nothing 'wrong' about that which he did, in the same way that I don't despise of those who must steal to ward off starvation. This will be the tenth year I have spent with Raff. It's strange how quickly the years have turned while travelling with Helena along.
Helena herself has been bugging me about Raff now and then. I continue to tell her that she is too far ahead in her thoughts. Certainly, I have been somewhat close to Raff in some of my gestures, but I do not think he has anything more intimate in mind at this time either. Even though I have peered into his head for a while now, every new experience he goes through still reveals more latent corners of his mind. At the same time, I have been able to discuss my own difficulties with him. Helena may be giggling at my ignorance and his resultant awkwardness, but if I am to walk along the streets of Ludus with some degree of elegance, I need to understand how these things work. She doesn't have these problems, what with her flirty demeanour. I do really wish that she weren't present all the time, but without her Raff and I are left unwieldy and stuck in a land full of strangers. She is aware of this. Even now as I write I can see her smirk from the corner of my eye.
Oh, sibling rivalry. Forget the thugs and petty thieves; the tension of this wordless strife surpasses any armed conflict.
----
No additional news from Helena on the nostalgia trip that she has taken with Katherine. Katherine herself did contact me quite recently, however, which is an unusual occurrence. I did not ask her to explain the mysterious stories that her sister had for us; instead, she mentioned that she would like to run some thoughts by me on this Raff fellow she has taken under her wing. If he is indeed the distant offspring of one or more temporalists, it could certainly explain why he discovered the truth in the way that he did.
Quite obviously, Katherine likes this lad. Helena did tell me about her sister's plan, and it is obvious to the both of us that she has at last found someone to spend her time with. I look forward to seeing what she will do in order to impress me, though I am far more curious about the man himself. He must be far into his twenties by now, if not past; she had best hurry.
972 AEQ, Septimus 37
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"So what's it even like? Living the life, watching everyone grow old..."
Delinius smirked.
"I assure you, one gets accustomed to it. Though it is quite sad, of course. There are many sights that you have seen that they have not, and there are so many more things you will see which they never will. One could argue that friendships with the 'mortal' are pointless in such a situation, but for now I am inclined to think otherwise."
A shattering wineglass shook him out of his daydreaming. His glass, to be exact.
"Oh, my apologies. I must've been inattentive."
The various high-and-mighty individuals with their wealth merely laughed at their eccentric table companion and passed it off as the usual alcoholic progression from crisp sober to mind-boggling drunk. One of them knew better, of course, but he would expect no less from her.
8
----
"There. Nothing to it, right?"
He had a big grin on his face. Nothing to it, when you're given an easy lock. The three of them quietly moved into the abandoned hallways. This building had clearly seen better days, back when it housed a small business.
"Hmph. To think that people willingly confine themselves to cramped cubicles and narrow office blocks for multiple days a week."
It hadn't been abandoned for too long: there wasn't too much dust here, and they even found some intact office chairs, probably forgotten or discarded when this building was emptied. Even though there was no living soul besides the three of them, the silence was a little eerie. Lena came across a locked door.
"I'll take this one.
She gave the door a firm kick, which only punched a hole in the cheap material it was made of and left her foot somewhat stuck in the door. With a grunt, Lena yanked her foot back out, tearing up the door further in the process.
"At least you can just take the whole door handle off now."
No, that was not what she had in mind: she kicked the door to pieces until it left enough of a hole for them to pass through. It was more of a door-shaped hole now.
"There. No door makes fun of my kicking. Why did they even lock this?"
They stepped through the remains of the door into some kind of workshop, with workbenches arranged around a central table. It seemed out of place in this building, though.
"Huh. What's this doing here?"
Katherine examined some of the equipment.
"What's more, these seem rather well-maintained for an abandoned building. How long has this supposedly been emptied?"
"Dunno. At least a month or two. Used to house a company making prototypes and models, hence this tool room. Still doesn't explain why they'd leave all of this here. These have to be worth selling, even if they didn't want to use them anymore. More spoils to us looters!"
Helena opened the drawers of a large toolbox. Going by her facial expression, it didn't reveal what she had been expecting, so Raff came over to see.
"You're seeing this too, right? They're not actually dirty and just pretending to look new?"
These were tools, all right, but they looked pristine.
"...professional squatters?"
"That, or terrible records keeping. No, perhaps both. Look at what this doorway opens into."
They both looked up. Katherine was beckoning them to follow her. The short corridor revealed a large warehouse-like space, complete with shelves. Several large objects were covered in tarps; they had a shape that suggested motorised vehicles. Kath stepped forward into the dim area. Narrow beams of daylight illuminated everything in a bleak light through filtered windows up by the roof.
"Hey!"
Lights in the ceiling turned on as an unknown voice shouted from wherever its owner was. Raff moved a hand to the knife that Lena had given him, complete with a sheath. They could procure nearly anything you could imagine, and then some things that Raff had never heard of before, let alone seen. The most striking example they had ever given him to remember was a ridiculously decorated sword that probably dated back to before Ethos Quint, judging by the materials. The sister herself had already summoned her own weapon, which looked like a slightly oversized and modified fire axe, in a deep magenta paint. 'The breecher' she called it, probably for breaking open doors and skulls with equal force. Katherine was standing still with a watchful gaze in her eyes.
"Come out where we can see you. We mean no harm; we were under the impression that this was an abandoned building."
Their unknown interloper laughed.
"Yeah, and when I show my face I'm gonna get shot immediately. We're not that stupid."
"We aren't the city law, you paranoid bum."
A brief pause followed. Apparently this one wasn't alone if their words were not a bluff.
"You still have no business nosing around in... nosing around in our business!"
Someone came rushing forward, club in hands and hat on head. Katherine sighed and muttered something that hid her from view. "Huh. Where'd you go?"
Then he spotted the other two and pointed at them. Or was it a he? Neither the posture nor the voice really confirmed it.
"Oh I'm gonna have fun with you two!"
Before the club could get anywhere near any skulls, Lena gave them a kick to the chest, disarming whoever this figure was: the impact was more than enough to rob them of forward movement too, and they fell over backwards.
"Ah, jeez!"
She handed her axe to Raff and lifted their mystery guest off the floor by the collar, with just one arm.
"Why don't you tell us what all this is?"
When her captive struggled against the grip, she raised her other hand in a fist.
"Okayokaydon'tpunchme", they blurted out hurriedly. "Empty workshop's a perfect shell for some duping, know what I mean? Make something disappear, paint it over, make it appear elsewhere. What the helc do you want from me?"
Lena dropped them back on the floor with a small thud.
"So you have been using this building to hide your stolen wares? That never gets old, does it. We will not be reporting you to the authorities, on that note. We are not very well liked either."
Katherine, no longer invisible, pulled the tarp off of one of the big things. Yep, that was a stolen car alright. It looked pretty expensive too. As their local criminal mook scrambled to their feet, they seemed relieved.
"We'll get rid of you all by ourselves though."
They scoffed. "You and what army?"
Katherine's head turned towards the entrance that the three of them had used to access this place, and Lena immediately picked her axe back up from his hands.
"Surprise, mothe- AUGH!"
The first extra criminal didn't get to finish the rest of that sentence when his skull encountered her axe in the doorway. Raff turned to 'their' mook, who was trying to get away. On their spindly short legs, it looked a little comical.
"Hey, where do you think you're going?"
"I ain't letting you get me!"
Raff sprinted after them. Easily done - they were much slower, and he had no trouble bringing the thug down to the ground with a tackle. They tried to fight back with kicks and punches, but Raff's hands were quicker. A quick knock to the temple put that mess to rest and allowed him to get back on his feet. It was like no empty building was ever safe or really empty out here. Maybe Lena hand picked their destinations for that quality, though.
A gunshot and the clashing of metal sounded down the other way, accompanied by screams of both anger and pain.
"No! Not the boot! NOOOO!" was the last thing the final unseen figure said, followed by a crunching sound that could easily be called bone-chilling. Moments later, a bloodied Helena emerged back out, cheery as always.
"And they even brought some stupid toy gun. Look at that! What were their bosses thinking?"
She was waving a small handgun around with the triumph of someone who had just won a race. You'd have to bring several well-trained fighters in to even have a chance at stopping her.
"I knocked the one running away to the ground, too. Was that the last of them?"
"That's the last of today, I think. Handful came barging in as if they own this. In a way they do own the place, I suppose. Who are these people, anyway? They don't look like the types you see in the organised underworld so much, and I know what goes on in there."
While wiping off some of the blood, she whistled a tune. Not a bad day so far, all things considered. As far as she was concerned, the bloodshed had only just begun. At least he didn't have to kill this one. Katherine was inspecting the shelves of stolen or otherwise illegal wares that were stored here. It was a perfect hideout. Nobody would go looking in a recently abandoned building. Way too recent, after all. Nobody, unless your name was Helena Julie Langton and you felt mischievous.
Raff spent some time examining one of the shelves, each one full of boxes. He picked up a box tagged 'Personal Assistants'; they had seriously tagged the boxes. Inside were some portable devices. They acted as a digital calendar, notepad and calculator in one. While you couldn't make calls with one, it could still manage your contacts and remind you of important times and dates. These were probably swiped from busy people who could just buy a new one, but that didn't make the whole thing less sketchy. As he walked by with the box in hand, he came across a variety of things. Jewellery sorted by where it belonged on one's body, rings - which were jewellery too, weren't they? - and even some piercings.
"...piercings? Hey, come check this out."
Katherine walked by, unimpressed, and stole his box.
"Oh, that's commonplace. Metals are metals, no matter what form they take."
Raff followed her to see where she was taking it, and she was bringing it to the workshop. He wondered if it was still such a mess. He not as sensitive to blood on the pavement as he had been the first time he saw Helena murderously cut down someone with her axe, but it was still something he didn't like to look at. Yep, when he turned the corner, there was still a corpse strewn across the central worktable. It looked like she had at least moved the worst of it elsewhere, what with the smeared blood on the floor.
"Eugh. Messy as always."
Once she had disposed of the criminal corpse by throwing it out to a different room, Katherine wiped the table in the middle clean with a rag. At least, as clean as was possible. Technically, moving corpses was only displacing the problem, but that didn't seem to concern her at all. Hopefully, either the smell wouldn't stick, or they would not stick around for long enough to deal with the smell. Raff's bets were on the first option, because he was quite sure the second one was out of the question.
"What have we in this here box?"
She unhinged the lid and began examining the various devices, checking if any of them still had any power. One of them did, in fact, and she handed it to him. "See if you can discover anything about the previous owner of this device. Consider it a... good exercise in information gathering. You will thank me later."
While she continued her business, Raff began pressing buttons. At first he had no idea where he went, but after a few minutes, he was already able to make it work for him. He was mostly unfamiliar with these assistant things. Katherine had taught him to do simple calculations in his head rather than with paper or a calculator, so he didn't really need one anyway. There was a notepad application on this thing. Maybe that would tell him more about the original owner, if they had ever written anything in there at least.
 Reminder to look at the proposed policy changes. Sounds like nothing but a crowd pleaser 
 to me. Seriously, it's not even worth the PR at this point. Just sink the product line,
 bring it back later in a new coat of paint. Dinner over the quarterly results at eight, great!
 Just when you think it can't get worse. Probably pick up Lisa in between and drop her off.
 Don't think the woman will do it till next month. Oh, and her birthday. I'm paying my legs
 off here and I don't even get to see her on her birthday? Ugh, stop thinking about it already.
 You can't change it and it's not gonna change by itself.
Interesting... if a little personal. He flicked through more notes, most of which were similar personal rants and reminders. Whoever had owned this one was probably lamenting its loss up to this very moment, on a shiny new device. Raff could almost picture a figure who would fit this personality: clean business attire, socket shadows from overwork. Not exactly rich, but better off than most. Violently divorced with at least one daughter. He had to stop himself there. It was weird to learn these little things from just a few notes. Tabbing back, he inspected the address book. They were probably not returning any of this to the rightful owners, but it was worth looking at. He recognised most of the streets in the list, except for a handful. One address piqued his interest, though: Walker Lane. That didn't quite fit the picture of a hard-working businessman's friends and associates quite as much.
"Hey Kath, remind me. What kind of neighbourhood is Walker Lane?"
Katherine snorted. "Walker Lane?"
Her sister chimed in. "You remember that street full of skimpy dresses, right? Yeah."
Oh gog. That kind of neighbourhood? Both sisters laughed. They could probably read it off of his face. "Who's the lucky owner of that metal brick?" She fished the assistant out of his hands and rapidly began tapping buttons. Her amusement seemed to increase over time, apparently until she reached the notepad. "Wow, poor sod. Divorced and still unhappy," she commented.
"This is interesting and all, but is there anything we can do with this? Other than maybe return it to the owner, but that isn't our job."
Helena laughed. "Nope. It's funny to do, and that's all it's good for! Might as well take it along though. Mum'll love having more things to take apart." She nodded at Katherine, and Katherine nodded back at her. "Yeah, you're right. These bits of tech will hopefully distract mum for long enough so that we can make our point. It's time."
For what, exactly? Fortunately, Katherine laid down the only other assistant she had managed to power up and cleared her throat. "Ahem. Yes, it is time. It is time that we introduce you to our parents. You do remember our conversation about that, yes? Well, since you have proven that you are not wholly inept with technological devices, we've effectively marked the last box on our mental checklist. You can successfully defend yourself from street filth, break into locked buildings, and there are many other things you have successfully completed. The fact notwithstanding that these activities were good fun, they were also important to serve as training. I hope you will pardon the rather cold metaphor; it was the best I could think of in a pinch."
Raff snickered. "Really? I'll forgive you, just this once." With a hand on his journal, he tried to recall the specific details, but he couldn't quite. Wait, there was something about the wonderful technology of their mother. Yeah, he remembered that at least. "Oh, right. Right! So it's finally that time. How are we getting there, though?"
Helena giggled. "We fly. I'm sure you don't have to dig too deep for that one. You know you just sounded exactly like you did when you first heard about it, don't you? You're older than that now."
Yes, but he didn't care. They were going there. That was probably the only big thing that he had been waiting for. No matter how abrupt this change was, he was excited. The how and when would come later.
"Quite obviously, we will try to prepare you for this encounter as best we can. We wouldn't want to leave a shabby impression of you. It is quite simple, actually." She beckoned her sister to continue.
"You already know who you're meeting, so that skips one step of the foolproof plan. There's only one thing you have to really take to heart: nice, but not formal. Neither mum nor dad are about formality outside actual business, like grumpy Dwinian elders or... wasn't it some stolen manuscript they were tracking, Kath?" Katherine gestured to her to carry on while slowly nodding. "See, I can remember important things all right! Back to what you should keep in mind. Mum is definitely no problem; she'll just happily greet you and ask what your name is, the whole thing. She's going to poke fun at you and Kath, but I promise you that I'm much worse. About dad... Kath, do you want to do the honours on that one?"
While she didn't seem too thrilled, Katherine put away her journal, which she had only just opened.
"Very well, if you think I do a better job explaining it than you. Our father will most certainly be a little intimidating at first, and this is by no means an indication that he dislikes you. He has a way of seeming rather imposing, despite being far less serious than most would think. In addition, he will likely catch some information about your thoughts as you meet him; this, too, is perfectly normal. In your case, I think he will find that you peer right back at him."
He wasn't so sure - Katherine and Helena were familiar to him by now, but this was different. "Are you sure? I feel like I wouldn't do that."
The older sister giggled. "Come on, Raff! You know more about our dad than most people ever will in their entire lifetime! You don't have to pull the kind of stunt you did on Kath, or your surprise lockpicking on me. He's not easily impressed anyway, but he will discover that you've already learned plenty about us, without the usual pitchfork-and-rake anger of the common people. He'll be surprised, I guarantee."
She slapped him on the shoulder. "Let's go back to our bed zone first. Kath and I have been keeping in touch about you since a few months; they should be able to come fetch us and bring everyone home in a more stylish way."
Katherine packed up the various personal assistants from the box into her sister's backpack, and in no time they were out of the building, leaving no trace except for the handful of bodies. Raff wasn't entirely sure if they had seriously been criminals, but that didn't matter now. They were dead and he could not bring them back, so it was not something for him to worry about. Lesson number one: stick to your own problems first, then start messing with other people's business. Such was one of the many pieces of advice that Lena had given him over the years. As they walked out, Helena started whistling again while still trying to wipe some of the blood stains from her skin. Here they were, prowling the street as three outlaws, three people with no name given in the records. At least, not here. He probably still had a place in some archives here and there. In a few years, maybe there would be nobody still looking for him. Complete freedom... or complete loss of his roots.
While he toyed with the idea, an angry shout sounded, followed by a rock that hit him right on the forehead.
----
She paced back and forth, restless in this night. It was taking longer than it should be.
"Rise, young lad, rise from your slumber..."
Her eyes glowed in the dim light as she attempted to call out to the boy from her distant and forgotten corner of Ludus.
"You will prove the false peers wrong. You will prove yourself valuable like no other. See these things and tread forth with renewed vigor, Raff Velyn."
Sights she shared depicted him in murky times of a further future, one which she herself had only begun to inspect. There, he was confident and focused, not swayed by intimidation from simpletons. Willing to do what was necessary to protect himself and his friends, even if it required blood-stained hands. Even there and then, he would still dislike it. That did not stop him from getting his hands dirty if it was the only viable solution. He was strong of will.
"For all your years, your freedom lay dormant, constricted as you were by rules of the simple and shunned by the blind. Blessed with a cursed legacy you did not realise, you staggered along your path. Little did you expect to find." She giggled, noting how the boy finally stirred. "Instead, your life took an unexpected turn. Where to, you asked, and she showed you where. What for, you asked, and she explained. Soon, you will come to see your potential, and you will learn to thrive amongst those over whom the clock's relentless swings hold no power."
Her next words would be final.
"Rise from your slumber, Raff Velyn. You have the world at your feet, and you will learn to see it."
----
Raff shot up from his dream, colliding with Katherine in the process. "Guh!"
It was light outside, and he was laying on a couch. He rubbed his forehead, but there was no bruise to be felt. His stomach was rumbling though; how long had he been out?
"Welcome back. I see you're quite awake at last."
She seemed calm at first glance, but then he saw the shadows under her eyes. She clearly hadn't slept at all for a while.
"Oh, hey... What happened?"
"As it turns out, we had been followed by an additional group of whitewashing figures, and they did not take too kindly to our activities. Rest assured, the thrower died a terrible death, as did her peers." Katherine said it with a hint of pride. "You were unconscious for more than a day. I have been staying here so that you would not wake up alone."
Just for him. "Where's Lena?"
"She's out to shop. Our assailants left us no shortage of... assets. Yes, that's an excellent word to hide our street thuggery under. Wouldn't you agree?"
Raff grinned. Euphemism and humour were her bread and butter.
"Hehe. Hey, Katherine..."
She sat down as he said it, placing a hand on the seat for support, and to lean forward a bit. "Hmm?" Kath was playing something. Was she trying to tease him?
"Thanks for sticking around." He didn't have to tell her about the shadows under her eyes. She already knew that he knew.
"I would never leave you on your own in such a state. I would rather this had not happened, but I am glad that you are awake again. You must be starving after such a while." She offered her other hand, and he took it. Katherine helped him sit up, slowly.
"Yeah, I am."
"Stay put and I will find something to eat."
And she walked off, leaving him with a warm feeling in his hand. What was Lena shopping for, he wondered. They usually got their hands on food with some clever tricks and distractions. Some spare clothes, maybe? Katherine had swapped some of her lighter clothing for a cosy purple coat not too long ago. Raff was feeling alright, but something told him he would regret standing up right now. His journal was conveniently placed on a small end table next to the couch, so he picked it up. Much to his surprise, he found a note stuck between the pages, in Katherine's handwriting.
If you read this, I have either fallen asleep, or not bothered to remove this note. Whichever is the case, know that I have been keeping watch over your tirelessly. It should be quite obvious, but I would like to write it as plainly as it is. I may seem calm, but this incident has made me realise how attached I have become to your well-being. You will not eye this with the lewd humour of Helena, I know, but oddly enough I find myself bothered less and less by her commentary. Assuming I am still nearby when you read this, would you perhaps want to talk about it? It's a subject I would not broach so easily of my own accord.
Katherine
Aww. She even used the very best vocabulary she could find for it. He stayed where he was to wait for her, and Katherine appeared with some bread after a while.
"Tonight's meal is supposedly going to be of a higher quality, Helena promised me. For now, we will have to make do with cheap bread and other rubbish."
Her eyes fell on the note, which Raff still held in one hand. "So I found this sticking out of my journal," he began. "I think I'd be willing to talk about it." Katherine set the plate down on the table in front of him and took a seat next to him. She was listening. "So you're saying you've given Lena's jokes some thought. And?"
"It is strange, I am aware. I am far older, chronologically speaking. To me the idea seemed terrible at first, but I have since realised that it isn't so bad." Katherine brushed some hair out of the way. An obvious cue that she deliberately played, knowing that he would catch it. This was her preferred way of getting thoughts across if she had to speak: nonverbal signs. She definitely had a certain charm, once you poked through the fake distance. As for age... huh. That was something that none of them had really touched on for a while now. Yes, she was centuries older, and that was awkward. On the other end, she didn't age, or at least not noticeably. In fact, she roughly had the appearance of being Raff's age. There were no magic tricks or persuasive words involved with her speech this time; she had sworn to never do it again, and he had gotten better at recognising it.
"We think quite alike, as you know. I do not intend to revisit the escapades Helena loves to paint in words, but I am rather curious about your thoughts on this."
Well, she knew what she wanted to say much more clearly than Raff. While he took a bite out of the food she had scrounged up, Katherine leaned backwards, one arm over the couch while she watched him eat. Classic. All very classic. He coughed. What did you say when someone brought this up? He had no idea, so he improvised. "I'd be lying if I said I don't care what Lena keeps joking about. I remember that journal with written notes between her and you. Yeah, what can I say? I figured that you would bring it up at some point when the whole plan was done."
Katherine smiled and shifted herself across the couch a bit, in his direction. "I would likely have done so, yes. As I've written, the events of the past two days have forced me to see the reality of the situation. I hope it isn't too forward of me." Ever so slightly. Raff didn't say or do anything, other than eat, until she finally was right next to him; she was only leaning on her arm up to the elbow now. And then, just like that, she closed her eyes and leaned herself against him. She was tired, all right, but this was a little silly. This was playing.
"Uh, Kath? You're not actually going to fall asleep here, are you?"
She giggled. "And what would you do if I did?" Nothing, he realised, so he let her be. "It's quite comfortable like this. You're a wonderful impromptu pillow. Perhaps I will fall asleep."
"Lena is going to have the greatest laugh of all time, isn't she?"
"Would that bother you?" she replied.
Well... "Not really, no."
Katherine wrapped one of his arms around her in response, her smile growing wider as she did. "Safety," she muttered. Her breathing slowed, and she stopped talking. Asleep, propped up against him and wrapped in his arms like they were a blanket. He closed his eyes too. If she wasn't going anywhere, he might as well catch some more rest. Journal writing was impossible with his arms effectively pinned by her grip. The last thing he could think of before dozing off was her final comment. Safety, enclosed in his arms. Trust.
----
Aww. Mum, I wish you were here to see this. This is really cute.
Ooh, what's there to see?
Two youngsters asleep on the couch. Kath has practically buried herself in his arms. I'm having trouble keeping quiet to leave them asleep.
Tiptoeing around? You haven't caught a cold, have you?
Har har, dad. You'll see. When can you come fetch us, by the way?
The journal is almost finished; all it needs now is a worthy owner. I take it Katherine is still determined to prove her new friend's worth?
Of course she is! Right?
We're both hellbent on showing it. Raff's a good lad. Modest, but not Stupid Humble or lazy. He can pick up a new trick with the kind of speed that your Dwinian student projects pale next to. Does that paint the image?
I suppose that illustrates what you are trying to express. And you are certain that he is not faint of heart or foolishly lawful?
I can hear the three of you right through my slumber. Raff has successfully offed and incapacitated several lowlifes of various types, and has accepted that this is no world of simple and sharply divided morals. In fact, he has become much more confident in his own decision making than he initially was.
Kath, sweetie! That's good to know, then. Of course he wouldn't have stuck around for so long if it was a problem, isn't that right?
I would not expect any different from you, I suppose. We will be along in a few days. I will go and retrieve the tent from Langton's Nest separately at a later date, as you and I discussed.
Ah, yes! The tent. It shouldn't be too urgent; there is much I want to show him when we are there, and I'm certain that you will both want to satisfy your curiosity as well. Until then, I suppose!
Katherine burst out laughing, which in turn awoke Raff. He blinked, then spotted Helena with her suppressed giggles. "Oh hey, Lena. What's the matter, seen a ghost?"
Helena responded with a similar laughter volley.
"Kath, you sneaky little girl! You were awake this whole time, weren't you?"
Katherine loosened herself from Raff's arms, something which he did not seem to mind much. "Only since your arrival. I've slept quite well otherwise."
----
Well, well. Katherine seemed awfully responsive once Raff was involved. He did not have to see the scene in order to know what was happening: her own words and Helena's amused commentary were enough illustration.
Delinius reached for his tea and took a sip.
The first sequence of assessments revolves around discovering his roots and what their relevance is. Katherine's suspicions may be correct about the temporalists, but I would like to see it for myself. Once that is clear, I would like to see about his supposed talent for discerning the seemingly mundane, the hidden things in plain sight. I do still wonder if this Raff has already accepted the loss of ties to his old life; such a thing would have to be established clearly beforehand.
Ah, my dearest is gently but persistently informing me that we are late. Such never changes.
A closed journal, a packed bag, and they began their journey. Such a large and hefty navigation would obviously take some preparation. Raff's arbitrary worth was a worry for another day.
----
"So! What is this humble abode?" a voice asked.
Raff stood still when the unfamiliar voice rang through the house, and looked up.
"Ah, there they are. Come, I'll introduce." When she saw that he was a little nervous about it, she took his hand. "You will do alright. I haven't a doubt in my mind. We have prepared you for this encounter all this time."
Katherine dragged him along. Lena's loud footsteps rushing down the stairs easily outpaced them, but she would not be the one to 'present' him, so to speak.
There they were when he turned the corner, but Lena was not. They didn't look awfully decorated, or at least not much more eccentric than their daughters usually did. Delinius wore a large coat that looked like it had been maintained and repaired for hundreds of years, possibly longer. Its broad collar around the neck and shoulders neatly folded over a large cloak. Surprisingly, he was wearing cargo pants underneath it, much like Helena usually did. The other surprise was a leather shoulder bag with a very broad strap that apparently doubled as some sort of bandolier. Raff wasn't sure what was in the three rounded pockets, but he probably didn't need to know. The shoulder bag was composed of more patches and repairs than original bag, by the looks of it. The shoes on his feet looked like they were made for long journeys, and they too looked fairly old. All in all, he really did look like he had come straight out of a centuries-old fable. As if this wasn't enough, he also stood tall, taller than Katherine who was already a little taller than Raff to begin with.
His unofficial 'wife', for lack of an actual marriage, had a slightly less outlandish outfit, though it still stood out quite a bit. She wore a dark blue jacket with cloth pads stitched on the shoulders. He could see just a bit of a purple shirt underneath the jacket. Jeans aside, Lyka also wore a pair of comfortable-looking running shoes. There was a wristwatch around her arm that looked much more refined than anything Raff had ever seen. With what he had been told about her, his best guess was that it was a piece she herself had developed and built at home. She was carrying a hand bag over her left shoulder as well, which probably contained other interesting gadgets if he had to guess. Katherine was right: this was fine. They weren't pseudo-divine beings who were willing to destroy you in an instant. They were people.
Delinius reached out a hand. "You must be Raff."
Raff shook it, smiled. "Yeah, that's me. So you're the famous ones, essentially. I'm happy to meet you."
Both seemed amused. "Likewise! Fame and legend follow us wherever our names go, no matter how much we pretend it isn't there. I'm glad you don't scream it out loud. You've done your homework on that, from what I hear." They already knew a little about Raff too, by the sound of it. That helped. Lyka went into the living room while inspecting what probably looked like typical youngster living conditions to her, with everything in organised disarray. Her smile didn't seem any less for it. Delinius took a seat on the couch. In the meantime, Helena was sneaking in, for whatever reason. As Delinius took a seat, she handily vaulted over the couch to land on the other end. He pretended to be surprised.
"Yes, here he is! The one and only."
"Have a seat. I have composed some information that might pertain to your ancestry." Raff took up a spot next to him. The ancient man was paging through his journal, which seemed to hold more pages than should logically fit between the cover. He stopped at something to show to Raff. "Katherine mentioned that one of your ancestors was part of a group calling themselves 'tenporalists', isn't that so?" Raff took a look at the writings. The letters were ornate, but still easy enough to read. Words and names were linked with lines one one page, and the name Velyn constantly appeared. There was a long paragraph summarising everything that Delinius had found, particularly about the same ancestor that Katherine had already found, so many years ago. It seemed so short. "The Velyn fellow Katherine has discovered turns out to be one of the earlier members. Not quite the very first, no, yet clearly he was capable and played a notable part in showing what the temporalists had discovered. You can read it here." Delinius seemed to be quite pleased. Without waiting for any response from Raff, he continued. "This can at least point us all a source to your own ability to perceive the likes of Katherine, and the rest of us. It is no comprehensive explanation, but it is all I have until we are back home, where I can examine what you can do in more detail."
This added some information to the pile. He looked Delinius in the eyes, and he could feel a piercing stare. And yet, like his daughters had been saying, Raff wasn't scared and looked right back. There were some memories that felt like they were being pulled up to his conscious mind, like the incident that had left him knocked out for a day. The hefty discussion with Katherine. On the other hand, Raff felt like he got a very brief glimpse at a luxurious hotel from Delinius' end. The man seemed a little surprised. "So it's a good start for now. Or a good next step depending on how you count it. When are we going?"
The piercing eyes shifted slightly as Delinius found him to be unafraid. There was no change in tone as he continued, still gazing into Raff's thoughts. "Once the three of you have collected everything you'd like to bring along, we can depart right away. It will be quite a short and comfortable journey for you, that much I can see." Impressive, Raff thought. A conversation, some sort of mind-reading magic, and convincing acting all at the same time.
Lyka returned from the kitchen and clapped in her hands. "They do treat you well here, right? Three meals a day and enough to drink?"
"Mum, we're just fine! Of course we eat enough. Come on, you can help me pack." And with that she got up and left for upstairs. Her mother giggled, then followed after her. Katherine had taken up a seat in the worn armchair on the other side of the room.
"I must ask. What do you think of killing somebody?" The question was sudden, but not unexpected or poorly thought out. It was probably not the last question he'd ask. Raff shuffled around on his seat a bit.
"It's not something I like, first of all. Maybe I'm just soft and too nice. But I'll do it if there's no better way to solve the problem. Did you hear yet how I ended up with blood on my hands the first time?"
"To some extent. It was self-preservation, so I have been told. Your answer is what most people on the streets really are, deep down. Unlike them, you do not seem afraid to take that position. It's quite refreshing. With this in mind, what about the way my daughters live their life?"
Katherine raised an eyebrow, something which Delinius either did not notice or deliberately ignored. When he got no response, he elaborated."Continuous deceit, dubious acts you commit to in the name of your own success in the world. I could imagine that it is a rather foreign experience, perhaps even an alienating one." He seemed to know all the dark corners where these questions were hiding in Raff's own head. Thanks for the heads up, Kath. "Then again, I hear that you understand the blurred edges of what is 'right' and what is 'wrong' quite well."
Delinius wasn't wrong in asking this either. This he had been thinking about for some time too. "It's been an adventure. So much that I sometimes forget what I've run away from."
The old man nodded slowly. "Indeed. It is not an easy subject to navigate. But for now it is more important to move forward. Come, it is time to pack." He rose from his seat and went off to the stairs. Katherine stayed behind.
"Hm. He has been unusually mild so far, as if he already knows something that I do not."
"Is that bad? He seems really pleased to meet me. Your mother too."
She got up. "I hate it when he knows more but does not share it. There's nothing to worry about yet. But he has a point: it is time to pack." As she passed by, she briefly ran her hand through his hair. "It went fine, just as I said, didn't it?"
----
"...hello, sister."
"Fancy meeting you here, brother!" She giggled. "Why so surprised? This is still my place of dwelling too, technically. Surely you wouldn't expect me to remain idle as my niece brings home a highly interesting young man?" Without waiting for an answer, the woman stepped past Delinius to shake Raff's hand. There was something familiar about her. "You are Raff Velyn, and I am Ina Sybil Langton. I am the peculiar aunt of the two lovely girls who have taken you into our world."
Delinius was visibly displeased, but he said nothing. Helena on the other hand seemed overjoyed to see the woman.
"Auntie! What brings you here?"
"I don't suppose that any of you would like to deposit their luggage first?"
Katherine walked onwards with her bags and suitcase to reinforce her father's notion.
"Of course! Where are my manners." With that, she picked up two bags and began hauling them away. Now Raff could look around in peace.
Up the hills was a sprawling building, almost like a palace. There were lush gardens full of strange plants, separated by hedges or low walls. Small flying critters darted around in between. This place was idyllic, seemingly isolated from the rest of the world. It was the home of these four.
"This is where you live..."
Both Helena and Lyka giggled. "Lovely, innit? No lousy neighbours complaining about smelly cooking, no noisy kids in the street. Perfect, right?"
And ridiculously far away from every major population center, he thought with a smile.
"Alright, let us follow Katherine's example and actually enter the house."
So they walked. Lena picked a flower that she then put in her hair. It gave her something oddly peaceful that contrasted dangerously well with what she was actually like. Maybe that was how she handled those 'anarchic youngsters' in the streets too. The theme of seeming mundane but being dangerous appeared to run across this entire household.
----
"Ah, Katherine!"
Katherine sat down opposite her aunt.
"Hello, Ina. I see you have been keeping an eye on Raff. This was not some orchestration of your making, was it?"
She only giggled. "Oh, my dear... I wish it were a carefully planned sequence of events. Your father had no part in this either, that much I know too. Some tea, perhaps?" Ina poured some without waiting for her answer. Delinius was driven mad by this kind of behaviour, but it gave him a good taste of that which he inflicted upon Katherine, so she tolerated it. Not to mention, Ina understood her difficulties rather well. "Was there anything more that you were looking to ask?"
Always a step ahead. The question was entirely rhetorical. Katherine picked up her cup. "Perhaps. What do you already know about my hopes?" It was less so a question and more an introduction.
"Tea soothes your spirit when you are ill at ease, and mischief is a second nature that you have only rediscovered recently. I believe I have the important parts of the story." She smirked. "You have certainly chosen an audacious path towards your goal. I would not expect anything less from you, vibrant as you are beneath your veil of distance."
"How, then, do I reach this point?"
Ina set her cup down and slowly shook her head, her hair waving about as she did. "It is Raff who will reach that point, and the only thing needed from you is your support. It is up to him to realise why he has been brought here, using his own wits. Once he does, he has already proven that which he needs to prove. I am not worried about this in the least, and you don't have to do anything beyond the things that come natural to you."
Not the most informative, but reassuring nonetheless.
"Alright then. Seeing as you have already seen many sights of us... what do you make of Helena's mockery?"
Ina giggled. "Katherine, you already have the answer to yourself. I don't have to tell you what you already know. Whatever might become, you have my support. Now, I have been keeping everyone else up long enough. It's time to let them reach the front door."
She snapped her fingers twice, and the rest of the bunch could be heard entering through the front door right after.
9
----
"Pass the sauce, will you? Thanks."
Raff handily placed the bottle within her reach and resumed. This was the first time he had cooked something for the six of them without any help, but it was actually a success. A bit light on the seasoning, but that was better than too much salt.
"I still can't believe that we've spent two weeks without so much as a shout so far."
Katherine visibly displayed her annoyance. Delinius finished his mouthful, then raised a finger. "I can certainly believe it; I am more impressed with the quality of this meal. Is this actually the meat I procured? It seems oddly soft."
"On my word, it's exactly what you bought. Is it supposed to be more chewy?"
Delinius chuckled. "Oh, no. Perhaps the sauce-drenched nature is what gives it such a property. Whatever is the case, it is very tasty. Good work!"
Ina wasn't saying anything, but that was perfectly normal. She looked pleased to eat her meal, which was the only indication she ever gave. Nobody knew how long she was staying here; a week, a month? Raff didn't mind. She was very fond of him, for some reason, but then again she was very fond of her niece Katherine too.
"Thanks. There's still some more in the pan if you want."
Helena picked up her plate and left for the kitchen. Katherine smiled as she did. Her sister was always ready to eat a little more... which showed in her figure a little. Their mother seemed no featherweight either though: Lyka was well-insulated against the cold it would seem. Maybe it was just the clothing, he always thought.
Once they had finished their meal, everyone dispersed to their own activities. Delinius usually disappeared into one of the many study spaces he had created over the years, each housing a collection on some specific subject matter related to one of the projects he pursued over the course of decades. Lyka likewise vanished downstairs into the project room, adjacent to the library. Sometimes Lena would go with her, sometimes she messed around with something else. She seemed a little bored now and then, at which point she often sought out Raff to spar a bunch. He didn't mind too much: every session was another step towards independence. He was actually at the point where he was able to stand his ground against her, even if she was still way stronger and more experienced than he would be for a long time. He was a little more agile, which was exactly why he was able to hold his own against her more and more.
Katherine often spent her time reading upstairs in the attic. The entire place was hers, and it very much reminded him of the attic of the mansion in Langton's Nest. One major difference was that it was not separated in two; another was the rather loose arrangement of every piece of furniture. Each chair, each bookshelf seemed to roam the room like a hungry critter. The arrangement shifted often while she was at home, that was something she had told Raff a few days ago. It made perfect sense to her, in some mysterious way that she could not provide any elaboration for.
"Were you looking to pursue anything in particular, Raff?" Just as he was thinking of something related to her. The timing was flawless.
"Not really. Is there something you wanted to show me?"
"I'd like to visit a particular corner of the gardens. What say you?" She held her hand out. That in itself wasn't so new, but the smile that went along with it was definitely different from any other smile that had played on her lips up to now. He decided to take it and see where he would end up. Reading more reference literature could wait. "You may remember my displeasure with my mother's commentary over the dinner, just now."
They stepped out into the gardens through the kitchen door, which was wide open. The sun was already low on the horizon. Katherine walked him past the small fields of peculiar crops involved in some more obscure magic arts, or a really exotic dish. According to Ina, both descriptions were equally accurate.
"It's been a fast two weeks. Is it always like this?"
Katherine sighed. "I have this quaint feeling that everyone in this house is trying very hard to make you feel at home. You already know how commonly my aunt decides to stay here for more than a week. I believe I know why they do this."
"They want to see what choice I make, isn't it? Will I just throw away everything I had to leave behind, or am I still missing my parents?" She smiled when she heard his words. They were of the same opinion on it.
"Something of that sort. They have decided that they will leave the encouragement to me alone. I take it you have already noticed that they enjoy your company." They came across a small tree, not unlike the enormous one in Langton's Nest. Katherine sat down beneath the branches and invited him to sit next to him. "Ina has assured me that you will prove yourself without any help from me or anyone else in this household. How exactly or when she did not mention, as is her habit. She seems very certain that I only need to 'support' you, a description vague enough that she may as well have said nothing."
Raff leaned his head against her shoulder. He didn't know what he was actually proving while here, let alone how he would do so.
"Answer me this: would you go to find your parents if you were in my shoes?"
She turned her head, which suddenly brought their faces awfully close.
"After so many years, you have changed significantly. Have you imagined what a reunion would be like?"
Yeah... this was something he had been overthinking, especially in the middle of their urban mischief. Was this the kind of son they would be proud of? "I have. Maybe this is what your aunt means by 'support'. Sometimes I already have the answer, but not the question. Why's she so fond of me, anyway?"
"Because she knows more than we do," Katherine grumbled, "and she is well aware of her advantageous position. She will always be welcome here, but my father oftentimes comments that she has taken up the same kind of mischief as their grandmother Agatha, much to his dismay. I do believe it has some relation to the prophetic capabilities of both women. I don't believe it is something either of them had or has little control over, however." She was still in the mood for a bit of fun despite her displeasure.
"Ha. Anyway... I think I'd still want to go find them. Just to see how they're doing, even if they're not doing so well."
"A last glance, and then?"
And then...
"Never to return. The friends I've made, the things I've learned... I can't lose that. This is home now"
----
973, Osmium 3.
Something new is afoot. For the first time in these months at home, I had Raff stay in the attic for the night. Exactly as it was in Langton's Nest. Barring the giggling and suppressed laughter all across the house, it was quite an enjoyable time. He is still asleep; I will wake him for sunrise soon. I have since learned that my idea of an enjoyable evening would be rather forward under normal circumstances. Fortunately Raff is not a typical Gridmask, and to him there was no trouble with sleeping right near me. I am hopeless in social matters, just as he was hopeless in finding a path. Ina's words have yet to take a tangible shape, something that I do not regret in the least. Let this time of exploration and learning last; if anything it has brought me much closer to Raff in many ways. Helena is bored to the sky and back, of course, but so long as the elders hold their verdict she will have to stay put, unless she wants to miss out on some 'event' that she keeps fretting about. She is probably referring to dad's decision on Raff, and it could be quite some time before he has seen and heard enough.
Katherine laid her pen down. It was time to wake him up now. "Rise and shine!" she exclaimed as she hoisted her friend from his comfortable sleeping place. Raff responded with laughter as he got to his feet. Was this something mere friends did? She was quite certain that it was not. It was something that she did with Raff, however, which marked them as more than simply good friends. Hm. Sometimes it was for the best that she didn't ponder too much on what she wanted with Raff. And yet, with so many years together one could say that they were very close on a mental level. Just as much as her parents needed no more than half a word, perhaps with Raff she would eventually need little verbal expression to make contact.
Clearly she was letting herself wander off in thought: Raff was tugging her by her sleeve to wake her up. "The sun is over here." He retained something very grounded despite the many things that were trying to tear him away from that normal world in which he used to live. No ancient wizards with bizarre daughters to turn your entire life upside down. And it was exactly what kept drawing her to him. He was able to partake in her world without losing the feeling for that which he was slowly leaving behind.
Katherine allowed him to drag her over to the balcony so that they could seat themselves facing the sun. "Greetings, Radiant One. Today I bring you the young lad once again." Raff bowed his head, eyes closed next to her. "Together we greet you..."
"...and hope for another bright day."
She smiled. He'd already learned that by heart. Without realising it, he had already become half a Dwinian before actively learning its intricacies. Katherine hummed the first three notes, and Raff continued the rest of the phrase. In unison they continued the melody to its end. Each opened their eyes to look at the other.
"Nosco."
"Numquam abesse."
Katherine put an arm around his shoulders. "I'm rather hungry. You?"
"A bit. Hey, Kath."
She giggled, once again like the little girl she wasn't. "Hmm?"
"When we mumble that, I mean it. At this point there's no going back to the normal pace I used to know. You probably already knew, but just like you I want to lay it on the table in plain sight. This is where I belong now. It's that choice we were talking about yesterday."
"Right..." There was a hint of sadness in his eyes, even though his tone was positive. She pulled him just a little closer. "It has taken you a while to decide, hasn't it. I believe I understand what a strange world this is, even though it is perfectly normal to me."
He put an arm around her shoulder too and smiled. "The process started all the way back when we left Langton's Nest. There were times where I didn't like where the journey was going, and every time you picked it up and helped me put it into perspective. I know that I was a unique guy to meet from your perspective, but you were unique to meet for me just as much. Yes, in your case that isn't so strange, I know. Hear me out, though." He let loose, then shifted himself around to face her directly. Something more meaningful was brewing. "After the big secret is out, you usually expect to have most of the answers. With you it was only the start. Nowadays, I know most of the things you don't like, and many things you do. It has taken me years to understand even a little bit about you. Obviously I still don't know much about the lonely height of infinite age and youth. You've written a reference work about the various means by which people can channel magic and a sarcastic commentary on some of the mythology around your parents. These are a handful of interesting bits, and this is where it ends with most people. With you the list just keeps going. The stories of your library work alone took us plenty of time."
Katherine smiled. "And you were willing to ask beyond that handful of things. Remember that."
"No, this isn't about me for a moment. Ugh, where am I going with this? Right, right. I was a curious and perceptive boy in school, which got me kicked out. Being curious and perceptive on the streets has probably saved my hide more than once. Having those traits and the luck to get kicked onto a weird desert tour is how we got here... but out of the three, this is the one where it's actively appreciated. Not just by you, Kath."
A familiar giggle arose from inside.
"So it is. And...?"
Raff didn't so much as blink despite Ina's appearance, which was strange. "Here I've been given the space to learn the way I do. No locked book cabinets or things that were 'too hard' for me. Just a few red labels with tags like 'harmful' or 'mentally abrasive' that only an idiot would actually open. Not that I haven't picked one up just to feel if it was any different. With gloves, I assure you," he added, "else I wouldn't be sitting here. Both you and your dad have warned me more than enough about the dangerous books you keep around here, and you've all implicitly trusted me to make the smart decision already, instead of giving me no chance to use my own judgement. I'm well aware that I put my fate in your hands and later in Lena's. To get a little trust back for that has helped me settle down as well."
Everything slowly fell into place like an intricate paper folding. He grabbed her hand.
You brought me here because it would make me understand more. You're at home between the piles of information, familiar with their sheer volume. I don't dare to even try sensing it the way you do.
I see my father has taught you to speak in minds rather than words.
She rose from to her feet, pulling Raff along with her. Then she brought him closer.
Welcome, Raff Velyn. Young as you are, you have more wisdom behind you than you think. Though there is no orchestration to any of this, know that I did not doubt you for one moment since I first saw you, ahead of time.
Ina voiced it as if she were holding a ceremony.
"We can still just talk with audible words, right?"
Ina giggled, then left them.
"You have the rare privilege to do so, yes. Now..." Katherine held Raff by his shoulders. "How far past regular friendship have I already progressed without any warning from you?"
The clever scoundrel grinned. "What makes you ask?"
She pulled him close enough to feel his breath, which surprised him a great deal. "Who knows... perhaps I want to see what I can get away with from now on. You didn't seriously think Helena's stories of our urban mischief were all hot air, did you?"
----
"...come again?"
"Well, this is what you were suspecting, love."
Delinius shook his head.
"That it is, but it is not quite at the pace I had thought it would take. Are you certain it is as you've described it?"
His sibling burped, perhaps to add further annoyance. "I displaced myself just a little in order to arrive at the right time. Why was it the right time, you ask? I did so over a book Katherine had borrowed, and my arrival placed me in the midst of a notable conversation. Katherine's wits may be great, but not immune to fooling from me." Ina giggled. "Delinius, you don't seriously think Raff would make for bad company to her? Look at the two of them! When is the last time you've seen your daughter commit mischief?" That was true. Under Raff's presence, Katherine was livelier, and not merely towards the lad himself. But Ina was by no means finished with this topic. He was getting an earful. "Has he not shown at the least basic competence in several arts, not counting the things he has shown an affinity for? Has he not spotted the painful discrepancy between your desire to give the world knowledge, and your reluctance to share ground breaking insights with it? No, not simply that, has he not seen why you maintain that double position regardless?"
Despite her unusually loud voice, Ina knew quite well what she was saying. Unfortunately, she was right, and she was using a particular phrasing he recognised from himself all too well. As a result he sighed, pinching his nose between two fingers as he bowed his head. "Yes... yes, I am aware. He knows some of the antics of the past few centuries, and remains surprisingly calm despite that knowledge. We've discussed the matter once or twice; he was more interested in the motives behind my choices and less so in an incredible story. His curiosity has little bounds, but within that endless expanse he has quite the taste, so to speak."
As he leaned back, Lyka put down a particular folder. She hadn't commented on the subject much, until now. "There's one other thing. You remember that training session with the assorted weapons, right? There's something funny about his results. Short bows and large stick-like weapons were his best. His dislike for 'blood on the pavement' shows there, too. I know we have a pile of unused weaponry somewhere in the back rooms... you see it too, don't you?"
Of course he did: this was his house just as much, and Dwin knew how often they had acquired interesting equipment in the aftermath of a conflict. Raff had already been doing greatly before he had arrived, but by now he was remarkable to watch even to Delinius. If paired with Katherine, the two of them easily tore up dozens of wooden targets in a few moments, either with magic or weaponry. Romantically close, perhaps not, but it was obvious that upwards of a decade together had created something very strong.
No, something that he recognised perfectly well. A bond surpassing a simple friendship or love couple. It was true, and it was time that he acknowledged it without worrying if Katherine knew what she was doing. She was more than old enough. "So my little girl finally seems to know what she wants, isn't it so. Lyka, dear, shall we sort that final pile of illicit spoils tomorrow?"
Lyka put down another folder. "That, and we could look into making two more of these."
Ah. One of the best things she had ever made, in her own opinion at least. He was inclined to agree. The so-called Redeeming Quiver, a wonder of precise location tracking combined with space magic to retrieve projectiles. A test with a belt of throwing knives had proven the concept viable if not quite so precise. A quiver turned out to be more forgiving in this regard, and so Delinius now held one such example in his possession. He wasn't usually much for striking targets with traditional wooden arrows, but with the new quiver he could afford to use durable and more damaging materials without fear of losing too many arrows.
"Quivers for the both of them? Katherine has certainly earned one for picking up her old pastime again. We will look into that pile tomorrow morning."
Ina smiled. "Until the morrow then."
The three of them left for bed. A fourth figure quietly snuck off. "Finally," Helena whispered to herself.
----
"That goes back a pretty distance, doesn't it?"
Delinius laughed. "It certainly does. Have a look around; I am certain that something will be to your liking. You will understand what I mean when you find it."
Without further explanation, he walked off to let Raff sniff around in a big hallway of storage units. Each contained a certain category of equipment, ranging from swords to warhammers and from daggers to halberds. Despite the somewhat 'rustic' appearance of the interior above ground, the project room and its companions were of a much more modern aesthetic with gleaming metal lockers and white electric lights to burn your eyes off at night. It was obvious that most of these weapons had been looted from others, usually dead. Despite their aversion to direct confrontations, Delinius and Lyka had to get their hands bloody now and then. Rather than leave the resultant spoils where they lay, they usually took along anything that was of potential interest, whether it be through a finely crafted design, enchantments or simply their novelty. A few of the doors were padlocked; probably what was inside was haunted or cursed in some way, or something Delinius would rather not leave in anyone's hands for other reasons.
Katherine had been advising him about weaponry choice: just like her, he had a clear affinity for bows, and more specifically for smaller, shorter bows that required less strength to draw properly. While she had potent magic to aid her where such weapons could not, Raff wasn't quite as gifted. Delinius had managed to teach him a lot of how he understood magic to work, then taught him to put it to use. He would never be a powerful magician, but he was able to create some useful effects, set up temporary barriers, and so on. Because of Katherine's preparations, they already knew the things that suited him best, and as a result Delinius had sent him along to his wife. She wasn't his wife in the sense that they were not married, but they might as well be. Lyka, too, had great affinity for the wind and in addition for weather in general. She had considered it similar enough to 'wind and sea' to take him along for some lessons in intuition, as opposed to Delinius' lessons in taught practices. The two 'courses' together allowed him to make short work of both hot and cold temperatures. Delinius was very pleased with that result, without explaining further, but Raff understood it well. Delinius was a father wanting to see his daughter in good hands - Raff's. Katherine was especially vulnerable to cold temperatures; if she travelled with someone who could neutralise hostile magicians blasting snow and freezing water by harnessing it himself, she was a lot safer.
Right, bows. All this speculation was getting him off track. A full branch of the hallway was dedicated to lockers containing all sorts of examples, sorted both by required strength to pull and by their reason for being here. A set of transparent card holders was affixed to every locker, each with a card to briefly describe the contents. Based on these, Raff opened a few lockers to inspect some bows. Fine wood carvings, some of which held power in their symbols, exotic limb or string materials, an attached crosshair that looked three times younger than the bow it was attached to... where did people get these, and why did they make them? Oh well. Most were just fine to his taste, but they lacked that real 'to your liking' that Delinius had hinted at. One more locker, then. The unifying property listed on every card here was along the lines of 'pried from the hands of a dead troublemaker', with varying names or nicknames trailing behind it. There was one here that immediately caught his eye. While it was mere wood, it had been coated in a translucent light blue paint, with some kind of cloth decorating the grip locations while making them more comfortable at the same time. The cloth itself was decorated in swirling patterns reminding him of wind or water, he wasn't so sure which.
The lines softly glowed when he took hold of it and lifted it out of the locker's carrying system. The colour of the glow seemed similar enough to the light blue he had learned to associate with his own magic footprint. "I like you. Alright, I hope this is good on first try." That was one down. Katherine had mentioned that Raff was best off having something secondary to defend himself with where a bow was no use. Thanks to sparring round with Helena both here and before then, Raff knew how to handle almost any simple weapon to that end. After the tests here, though, he knew just what he was after. With the bow still in one hand, he walked over to the section of melee weaponry. The sheer choice was incredible, though then again they had probably been collecting these for centuries now. Lyka occasionally took a few things out of this storage to perform some routine maintenance on them, if that was any indication.
Shields, maces, broadswords... ah, here. Polearms, a category that encompassed a lot of things. Mostly handles with something sharp attached to them, but among them were blunt weapons like quarterstaves. One locker held only one tag.
Weapon holds a potent enchantment harnessing the wind to achieve great speeds with which to whack foes on their head, and the quarterstaff seems to incline towards exactly that. In the words of the chuckling old wizard who donated it, "It loves to conk people on the head", as did the man himself. Metal used for the staff's ends is uncertain; clearly a durable alloy of some sorts. Lyka suspects there to be cobalt in there to a notable degree due to the slightly blue sheen. The wood has likewise been made very durable by some means; perhaps it was made by a particular circle of botanists renowned for their bizarre wood varieties. We will likely never know, for they never sign their work in any way. Nor would they ever readily admit that they created such a thing, and especially not to me.
The wind... and apparently it whacked people on the head at high speeds, and helped the wielder aim for it? And that was without mentioning the durability as it was described here. Raff carefully reached a hand for it. You never knew with such enchanted weapons. The quarterstaff spontaneously jumped out of the locker as he did, into his grip. That was a very clear answer.
"Ah, the 'Conkeror' as it was affectionately called by its owner... I see you attract some very interesting items. It is the blessing, or curse, that you've inherited from the temporalists. And good day, before I forget my manners." There she was again, the aunt, without any sight or sound to tell you that she was there. How she simply appeared like this was beyond anyone, even beyond Delinius. She meant no harm by it, but it was really weird.
"Huh. What was the point of this picking exercise, anyway? They're not seriously..."
"These are just the very start of the journey, Raff. Just as you have come to a conclusion, we have seen exactly what it is that brought you here. As far as I am concerned, Katherine is more than entitled to have her hopes rewarded. You read that correctly, if I know you, and I know you well." Her smile was that of an aunt who wished her niece all the best, almost even more than Katherine's parents. What she said was right: Raff remembered what this was all about. Not that he had ever forgotten. The question of immortality and proving something had been pushed to the background over the course of this... year. More than fourteen years with Kath now. It wasn't a full year here, but ten months was close enough to call it that. This confirmation changed a lot.
"You're saying... you're saying it's time to make me immortal. Just like that."
Ina laughed, and guided him along to the exit. "It is not quite so simple as somebody chanting some ferocious words. For the specific means by which my brother intends to achieve his daughter's goal, we must wait for a particular month and day to proceed: the last day of Secundus, or Panacea 22. For now, all you need to know is that it has a numeric significance. In addition, he must prepare certain rituals, certain materials that are required. There is a particular plant from which he must harvest first, and a particular incense to be procured from the merchants."
Incense? That reminded him of the so-called 'solarium dwellers' he had read about. "It's not identical to how solarium dwellers get their extra time, is it?"
"Oh, no." It seemed he had asked something silly. "Jia, they have no idea that they are pursuing something incomplete. The ritual as we pursue it is the complete ritual, you see. Theirs, lacking the harvested fruit and an essential but often overlooked detail, only follows through a major part of the steps. It is for this exact reason that they suffer their burden. Katherine tends to regard them with some amusement, but I pity them. They oftentimes make that choice out of fear or distrust, sometimes out of spite. Rarely have I met such a figure who had chosen to partake not to cling to the achievement of their past, but to broaden that achievement, despite their new boundaries. Tell me, Raff." As they ascended up from the project room via a chute, Ina fumbled with something in the pocket of her vest. "What do you see in this pendant? Look closely." Once they were on solid ground again, Raff inspected the hanger in her fingers.
It was well-made, if simple. A regularly-shaped metal enneagram with a small gemstone in its middle, cut accordingly to fit. As he peered into the translucent facets, he didn't really see images of any kind, but he lost track of his surroundings. At first it was just the faceted orange gemstone he saw, but after a short while he began noticing things. They were not images or words, or not exclusively. Instead, he felt something. The best description he could form in his head was that it was the metaphorical weight of all the ancestors behind him. There were multiple people in there who had been involved with this 'temporalist' movement. He simply knew. There were ideas, messages that he could not quite grasp. What was this pendant? Then, at last, a number of words became clearer in the entire mess. He spoke them out loud without realising it, and suddenly he was back to seeing the room around him and Ina in front of him. "...Raff Velyn, Last Temporalist? Who wrote that?"
"Oh, the temporalists! Hm, what a pleasant surprise indeed. The conniver might be somewhat milder once he learns whom befell the title."
He had no idea who this 'conniver' was, but knowing from Delinius' explanation, Ina was probably referring to a theoretical time-travelling version of her brother. Delinius seemed somewhat sceptic about this man's existence, even though his sister assured him of the veracity of the temporalists' claims. Maybe because she assured him that the man was real. "Huh, alright. I have a question, Ina. What do you usually do? I know you generally don't stay here for months on end."
"I devote my days to the bringer of time and the bringer of light. How I devote that time is left to my own decision; quite liberating, I can tell you. Sometimes one might find me doing exactly what my brother does, moving through the crowds with not a soul to worry about me. Sometimes I study temporalists, history, or the future. Sometimes the past and present have something to converse about, as you have experienced." She returned to the subject of the pendant. "You must wear this. Preparation, a binding ritual? I cannot say, for only Delinius seems to understand the real purpose of these things. Know that it will guide you and keep you safe, even if you will never realise that it does. I will leave Katherine the honour of hanging it around your neck; you only need keep it on your person for now."
Why exactly she wanted Katherine to do it was left out. It seemed like something rather romantic to do, and usually it was the boy closing a necklace around the girl's neck. This would certainly shape up to be an interesting scene. Ina walked off without a further word, leaving him to wander off on his own with a bow, a quarterstaff and a pendant. He pocketed the latter for now. It was pretty; the gemstone seemed to emit a small amount of light when he held it and was a deep orange, almost brown.
"Ooh, look who's back!" As Helena spotted him, she quickly approached. "I never really look at what's in there. What are these?"
Everyone was in on this, it seemed. Raff allowed her to take each weapon in her hands to get a good feel. "Delinius told me to just have a look around until I would find something to my liking. Very vague. I picked the bow because I felt right about the colour and the pattern on the cloth. The quarterstaff just... kinda flew into my hand when I reached for it. It's supposed to be heavily enchanted, I think."
She was slowly waving it around to get a good idea of how it handled. A bit like Raff, she wasn't the flashy magician type that her parents were. Even so, she could produce some impressive effects, either with flames or by using wind. Her affinity for the latter element probably allowed her to feel what this weapon was all about. After a few swings, she hastily returned it to his hands. "You can have that back. This one feels so much enhanced it's almost haunted, yeesh. What's it for, you reckon?"
"Ina said it's finally time. She popped out of nowhere while I was having a look and talked to me about it. Gave me a pendant, too."
He took it out and held it up.
"So I heard it right last night! Ooh... hoh boy, did Ina give you this? Lemme guess, she would 'leave the honours to Katherine'? Cron, she did?" She could read the answer off his face. "She's really wanting a cute couple, isn't she. Aunt Ina, always doing the weird thing. Come on, you should go see Kath. Go!" She gave him a little push.
"Yeah, alright. You won't carry me there, will you?"
Helena laughed as she too left him. Or rather, she messed around in the living room while Raff went up the stairs. He would definitely need some kind of belt or other way to hold these weapons in place in the long run; this was annoying with one curved and one straight object. After the final stair climb, he was in the attic, probably looking ridiculous with two weapons haphazardly clutched in his hands. It was a miracle he hadn't dropped them a single time. He didn't see Katherine anywhere while looking around.
"This is... tolerable, I suppose... no, away with it. Argh, vanity is wasted on me. I will just put this on and be done with it. It isn't that cold outside." He could hear her from somewhere behind him. By the sound of it, she was messing around with clothes... but why exactly? Oh well, now he had some time to set these away against the back of a bookshelf. This time it was set perpendicular to the staircase exit, so it was the closest spot where he could do more than drop them on the floor. Once he was sure nothing would fall, Raff turned around to see if he could finally tell Katherine.
"Katherine? You there?"
No response. Huh. What was she up to? He decided to take a walk over to the tables and chairs. For the moment, those were arranged to look almost like a normal setup, if you ignored the mismatching between most of the furniture at least.
"Got you!" Without warning, he felt a pair of arms wrap around him as Katherine knocked him down onto a bean bag. She loved bean bags, but that was not the point. For a moment as he wriggled around to face her, they were silent. Katherine was obviously aware of their awkward position. Really clever, but maybe it wasn't so intentional this time. Her eyes lacked the little bit of mischief that he usually recognised. "It is time, right?" This was a kind of excitement she had never shown. "What do you think of this dress, by the by?"
Raff laughed. He had barely gotten a chance to see it. "I'm no fashion expert, but I think that looks great. But uh, woah. What did I do to earn this surprise?"
"Nothing. I'm happy to see you."
Both laughed.
"Ina gave me this pendant. Wait, did she tell you too? Of course she would. Anyway. She said that she wanted to leave the honours to you."
He managed to pull the pendant from his pocket for her to see. Katherine picked it up and inspected it closely.
"How... how did she acquire this, I wonder? I thought that I possessed the only one." She pulled on a chain around her neck and revealed an identical pendant, enneagram and gemstone. "I think I understand what her underlying idea is... I suppose you must know, she gave this to me, centuries ago. She claimed that it was the last request taken by a renowned Dwinian jeweller; no one else would be able to create such a thing with the same simplicity and precision in one. It was meant to be a safekeeper, something to protect me and stay by my side."
He caught the implications of this context too.
"Yeah, I see what her idea is."
Without warning, Katherine gave him a small kiss. "Here, sit up and I will do the honours that my aunt has left to me." Once she was not sitting on top of him, anyway. Raff propped himself up and bowed his head slightly, even though Katherine was taller. She cleared her throat. "I, Katherine Lucy Langton, solemnly swear to keep you safe as best I can, for all of my days, and to stand by you through every adversity you may meet."
With those words, she closed the pendant's fine chain around his neck. She did so with a certain solemnity that matched her words.
"Then I, Raff Velyn, solemnly swear to protect you from harm as best I can forever, and to support you in everything you undertake, no matter how difficult." It felt right to say something like that in return. Now that he looked more closely, her hair looked a tiny bit more tamed than usual. Maybe that was the vanity he had heard her mutter about. Katherine wrapped her arms around him; Raff followed her lead. "Thanks, Kath."
"Thank you, Raff. It has been quite a journey to this point. I hope it was worth it to you..."
She sounded a little worried for some reason. He patted her on the back. "I've put it into perspective. I will never forget where I came from; I wrote that down a long time ago, and it will not be going away so easily. But I'm going forward in time, so that's where I want to look... most of the time."
"After all, looking back is necessary..."
"...every now and then."
They said nothing for a while. There were no words to really describe this. Instead of a finite line, Katherine could now see the both of them stretch into the future as far as the eye showed. With their heads resting against each other, they flopped back onto the bean bag. This was something new, something exciting. He could tell that Katherine couldn't wait until the whole thing was complete.
----
"Well then. This is what you've always sought yet never found. I am not certain which surprises me more: the fact that any one mortal individual would be so resilient to your peculiarities, or your own persistence in this matter." Katherine did not answer. There was no point in interrupting Delinius when he was trying to tell her something, and her father seemed to be in the mood to do exactly that. "Before he walks into this room to join you, there was one thing I wish to know."
"That being?"
"Would you, once all is said and done, be willing to travel more? Spending all your days reading and studying is a waste of your time, no matter how much you enjoy it. Not to mention, it would be enjoyable with a good friend by your side, I should think."
It was bound to come up sooner or later. She sighed. "I take it this would make me eligible for errands to be run."
Her father folded his fingers together in front of him. "Perhaps, but I suspect that you would stumble upon some things to pursue of your own accord without my help. That aside, I don't think there is too much that I really cannot deposit with various Dwinians. Nothing that Helena does not immediately jump onto."
He smiled. He held the overview, and he knew that very well.
"I suppose it would be good to travel with Raff alone again. We both know what laughter has stemmed from that while we've been here. And before you pose it, no. We are not, and we have not. That is not to say that neither of us may have considered the idea by now, but it isn't something I'm occupied with for the moment."
After a brief silence, he nodded. "I see. Well, nothing to further delay it, then. Come in!"
Katherine turned around to see Raff walk through the doors. He was well-dressed in his bodywarmer, under a jacket that had presumably belonged to her father at some point. The combination looked quite good on him. She had chosen a dark red vest to go with an ornate orange skirt, with reflective embroidery at its edges. Perhaps it was a little frivolous, but this was no ordinary occasion. There had been some deliberation about who would be there; in the end, it was only going to be the two of them with Delinius to perform the required magic.
"Ah, there you are. Splendid, splendid. Come along."
Delinius brought them both to the window and moved them each to stand at a particular distance from each other. Clouds of incense swirled around as they moved, with a distinct smell that she could not quite place. He sprinkled both of them with a transparent liquid that likewise had an unclear familiarity. Was this the very same thing her parents had used for Helena and herself, perhaps? She had been too young to remember much about it, and her parents had never said too much about the whole thing.
"Breathe and feel the sun warm your face. This is a great day to do such a thing. O Radiant One, gaze down upon this scene!" He spread his arms, causing the cloak over his shoulders to widen out with them slightly. She recognized it: this was the ancestral cloak that had belonged to one Kataphorus; this was not a garment he donned very often, despite it being more resilient than most clothing. The sunlight beaming into the room seemed to be brightening. Dwin's attention was apparently turned towards this small ceremony. "See here, this librarian. Look upon her face and see her determination. And see here, this wanderer. Look upon his face and see his curiosity." The light brightened until Delinius appeared as little more than a silhouette. "Raff Velyn, do you accept the responsibility of this choice? Will you stay by my daughter's side and keep her safe?" Raff squinted against the light; unlike everyone else in this household, he wasn't yet used to the overly bright light that was often involved with Dwinean arts. She could address that another time. Meanwhile, Raff did not seem too scared by any of this. He was becoming ever more confident in his own decisions, and he spoke up without the slightest hint of a tremble in his voice.
"I have already solemnly sworn to Katherine to protect her from harm and to support her in everything she undertakes, no matter how difficult. There is no doubt in my mind that I can dedicate myself to this. I can see the weight of this gift, should I accept it, and I am not afraid to bear it. I know who I am, and who I am becoming here. I embrace these things, because I cannot fight them." His voice was steady. Delinius was too engrossed in the words of the ritual to truly realise the groundedness that spoke from this, it seemed, but Katherine grabbed Raff's hand, to let him know that she did hear it. "I am ready, Lumen. Ready to bask in your light, to learn everything I can. Show me the world!"
He took a step forward, so Katherine did the same. Delinius turned to his daughter, still swept away by religious fervour. "And Katherine, my dear. Have you done the same?"
Dwin's feet had she done the same! She had been the first to say something. "I was the one who first uttered a vow as I adorned Raff's neck with a pendant. You know my wish. If I have not endured enough now, not diligently worked towards my goal, then tell me what wrong I have done to not have this wish fulfilled."
They both heard a small laugh that didn't sound like Delinius. "So it is... Then step up, Velyn." He let go of her hand and walked up to Delinius. "You are ready. You are more than worthy." Her father held Raff's pendant between his fingers and smiled. He let it fall back down again and laid his hands on Raff's shoulders, muttering something. It was Archaic, she could tell, but it was too soft to make out much. The bright light shifted in colour, first taking on an orange tint, then a clearly violet one. At the end, however, it became a light blue that Katherine recognised as Raff's. The light blue then started darkening slightly, as if something divine was interfering with it. She knelt down and bowed her head. He had done exactly what he needed to, without even knowing what it was. He really had. If Dwin was truly involved in these things, then this proved once again that her family had been in the deity's graces for generations now.
After what seemed like several minutes, Delinius stepped away. A small light shone from Raff's eyes as he slowly returned from the strange trance that her father had put him in.
It is done... it is done. Tears broke from her eyes, without good reason. Raff lifted her from her knees, smiling.
Hey, why are you crying? Come on, let's get out of here.
Delinius exited without saying anything. He had done his part, and understood very well that he had no place in this conversation. Raff's footprint was different, slightly more distinct than before.
How do you feel?
Like the world just got even bigger.
They walked down to outside the house, together. For a while, neither of them said anything, out loud or in silence. There was just a feeling between the two of them. Katherine could finally feel at ease. He would be there and not fade away from old age. She could continue to build up something meaningful with Raff. When they reached one of the botanical fields, he stopped. "Where do you want to go?"
"Far from here. Returning home has certainly been comfortable, but I think it is time I leave. I cannot spend all my time reading; my father is unfortunately right about that."
"Heheh, he's older and wiser, or so he thinks. One last glance back? I don't know how much you like rural Gredile, but it would interest me."
Katherine smiled. "Fetch my tent. I'm curious where you're looking to go."
10
----
Ursa 7, 974 AEQ.
There's nothing left. No walkers, the house is in ruins. I still can't get over it. No sign of where they went. I had expected something else. Maybe that the owners had changed, maybe they finally moved elsewhere. Maybe dead, but it would put ground under my feet. Ground that has been swept away very suddenly. Katherine even helped me sift through the remains, but there was nothing to find. Despite the cold and the result of my search, she seems content. Content to hold me while I cry. This isn't the final glance I wanted. "But it is the one we are given", she said with a smile. And she's right. It doesn't make the confusion and pain any less.
She proposed we go explore the hills now that we're here. Just like Langton's Nest was a nostalgia trip to her, maybe I can chase some of the dreams of my childhood here. See what's changed. One day I might pull enough strings to own the same piece of ground where my house once was. Kath said it shouldn't be too hard if she can help it. Speaking of time, I haven't noticed anything about no ageing just yet. Well... I don't look much older than 30, but I've always had looks on the younger side. According to Katherine I have a bit of control over my appearance as well. I guess we'll see. Making cover stories is my new predicament and my new hobby. It'll never get old, I don't think.
"Well. So much for my hopes."
Kath pulled him close. "Dear, dear. I know that feeling very well. Frustrating and painful, even more when the answer is uncertain. You still have me around, however, unwavering in the face of this hellish cold." He smiled. Fair enough: she was enduring this weather all for him and just to get away from home for a while. "Staying up will not make your troubles go away, you know." That too. He allowed her to drag him away from the small table set up in the corner of the tent, for writing purposes. Probably she would move her mat up next to his when they went to sleep. Her excuse for it was warmth distribution; while it wasn't very convincing, Raff didn't mind. He had let his thoughts run over the implications of camping out here alone, with nobody to see or hear them. It wasn't something that he actively wanted to pursue, as much as he enjoyed travelling with Katherine. She seemed content with the current state of things, but that could change very easily. What was it again that her aunt had mentioned?
Right. Behind the calm, calculated appearance, Katherine was much livelier, vibrant. If you were lucky and a little persistent, she would share it with you. And once she started sharing that liveliness, there was no stopping her. "Raff? I have a proposal, to combat the cold."
Oh, boy. She was going to test the waters a little more, wasn't she. He played the ignorant one for now. "Hm?"
"These sleeping bags can be connected in pairs. Rather than combine warmth through the outside of each, there would be one enclosed space in which the heat circulates. What say you?"
"Why are all the things the bunch of you own so... convenient?" He laughed. "Seriously, even the folding table has a tiny drawer for pens and pencils slapped underneath."
Katherine laughed too. "What can I say? We are the leaders in convenience because we have so much time on our hands to adapt everything to our preferences. You know that well. Does this mean you're on board?"
"You're just trying to find an excuse to hold me close, right? You can say it, Kath. I'm fine with that."
She giggled and turned her head away. "I'm hopeless at hiding my thoughts from you, aren't I? It has been a long time since I last thought of these things, never mind how long ago I last physically did any of this."
"Since we're talking about this anyway: what did you and Lena get up to back then?"
He got no clear answer. Katherine turned to look him in the eyes. There was amusement in there, but a bit of melancholy as well. Some regret about things she had said or done. Maybe a little regret that she had let this topic proceed all the way to its current state. "Oh, Raff. You really don't want to know. We have both done some very strange and downright unethical things. The world was our playground. The people we met were simply the toys strewn across the ground. And while it was good fun, I know very well what I did, and it was horrible. I promise you, if we ever do end up under the bedsheets like so, I will not repeat those mistakes. On the upside, it was an excellent learning opportunity. You'd be in very safe hands with me, much safer than Helena. But that aside! For now I simply want to tuck myself under one blanket with you, and nothing else."
"You really are hopeless, aren't you?"
"There is no saving me, and soon there will be no saving you either."
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