[M] Anima Mundi IC (Namingtoohard and Headwrapper)

[Headwrapper]

Assured by the fact that his powerful companions, who had much more experience and power, would go after the monster soaring overhead, Mec turned his attention on the remaining collection of crimson beasts that stood before him. With the use of the Equinox, eliminating beings made of pure magic would be a trivial affair, or so he hoped. He shivered as he filled his lungs with air and focused on closing off the Anima's powers from manifesting into the animals.

To his amazement, several of the beasts began to fade away, the same as the pachyderm that had charged him. Before Mec could count them all, about half of them disappeared entirely. Likewise, before he could celebrate, he realized he had suddenly lost his breath. He leaned on his wooden pole as he struggled to catch it. Why?, he wondered. Why is this so tiring now?

He could only recall two significant uses of his unique ability. The first, when he had used it against Olenna's doll when she had went after Shallan. Despite Olenna's vast power, the effects were immediate. The doll was unable to perform spells and Olenna barely clung onto control of its wooden frame. The second time was when Mec had tried to eliminate this curse, facing the terrible power that he now knows stems from Akuji. That was a different ordeal, entirely. In a realm completely separate from the reality he stood in, Mec faced trials and fought hard to win against this great power, and his victory was only a small one. It kept the curse at bay, but could not eliminate it completely, and his powers were slowly sapping away at his energy.

The current task at hand exceeded any challenge Mec's Equinox had faced before. After all, he sensed both Cho and Akuji's powers, in incredible, awful quantities, emanating from the magical beasts. Furthermore, there were several targets he needed to focus on. They were also beginning to close in on him, and Shallan, who he could sense was behind him. Mec's heart pounded through his chest as he assessed the situation. His remaining energy would go much further if he relied on his more basic spells to subdue the creatures... or at least hold them still.

The creatures only seemed to hasten their approach as they drew closer. In his peripheral, Mec barely noticed the red flash of a panther spirit descending from a tree branch above him. It curled its lithe body just as it pounced, baring bright white fangs and claws. It was time to act. With a huff, Mec hurled his wooden staff towards the creature. As it sailed through the air, the wood slackened and writhed as it took on the form of a serpent. It wrapped around the panthers body and constricted around its trunk and limbs. Mec stepped out of the way as the creature collided with the ground, kicking up dust. Mec raised a hand in front of him with his palm facing skyward, and with it ascended several wooden shoots from the ground around him. Vines suddenly burst from the shoots, snapping loudly as they constricted around several of the remaining creatures.

He needed to finish them off in one move in order to conserve his energy. Mec took a moment to observe the battlefield around him, only then realizing that Shallan had run into the fray. The mage's gaze raced to find his partner. Just after locating her, a dry gasp erupted from his throat. In that moment, Shallan was struck by the corrupted pegasus, sending her tumbling across the dirt-laden plateau. Before he could do much else to react, another red flash overwhelmed Mec's periphery, and a loud roar filled his ears. Having been distracted, Mec had not noticed the massive ursine charging in the midst of the chaos. Steamy breath emitted from the bear's jaws as it unleashed its fangs, threatening to crush the mage's throat.

The mage regained his senses just in time. As the bear's jaws began to clamp down around him, they dissolved, vanishing into the same nothingness the other creatures had gone to. Mec mentally cursed himself for having to spend the extra energy on the Equinox, but he figured he still had enough power left to finish off the remaining creatures. Having them in closer proximity would help. He raised a balled fist to his chest before pulling downward, commanding his collection of vines and branches to converge on one another. Even the serpentine staff rolled its prey into the cluster, until all of the creatures he had trapped had been bundled together in a grand wreath. Mec reached out a hand, and the wooden serpent leaped into it. It stiffened in midair, and what Mec caught was his wooden staff, back to its original form. Pressing the tip of the staff into the ground, Mec beckoned forth his ability, immediately closing off the Anima that powered the summoned creatures' forms. The creatures began to fade in unison, and the vines and shoots began to snap and crackle as they were relieved of their burdens.

Soon after, Mec repositioned himself closer to the rest of the group. Cho had gone after Shallan, helping her regain her bearings. Olenna was in the process of capturing the harpy. Her efforts proved successful as the creature was slammed to the ground by Mec's feet. However, Mec recoiled. Something was wrong, and the evidence was overwhelming. An immense pressure weighed down upon him. The familiar maliciousness of Akuji's magical presence was strangling, so much so that even the Anima around them seemed to drip with its ichor. In fact, the golden bindings that Olenna had used to bring down the harpy were literally dripping, it seemed.

It was quickly evident that Akuji's overwhelming power was being directed towards Olenna in an effort to free its host. Responding to Olenna's command, Mec turned to face the creature that was pinned before him. With careful deliberation, he lowered himself onto his knees, positioned just above the creature's head. Now that it was being held still, Mec could recognize a few of Clair's features blended into its monstrous appearance. May they remain, once this over. He set aside his staff and placed his fingertips on the monster's forehead. Focused hard on the Anima around him. Tightened his jaw as he prepared to use his ability on this dangerous foe. When he finally summoned the Equinox, he felt a pulse through his fingertips, and the world around him vanished.




Cho watched as Mec seemingly prepared a ritual, gently supporting Shallan's shoulders with his tiny hands as she sat up. The small mage had given the woman a once over look. She seemed scratched up, but no immediately dangerous injuries stood out. However, she would be completely defenseless if things headed the wrong direction in Mec and Olenna's struggles against Akuji. "Come on," he told Shallan, just as he sensed Mec's grip on the Anima begin to tighten. "We need to stand back." He helped Shallan rise to her feet, urging her onward, away from the time bomb before them.

After they took a few paces, Cho let go Shallan and let her move about on her own. It was still dangerous for him to perform any of his usual magic in the presence of Akuji's corruption, which continued to spread around them. It was even infecting Olenna's doll, a very precarious predicament. Cho feared that if he destroyed the doll or the tethers that Akuji's powers traveled upon, the harpy would be freed he may even hurt the puppeteer herself. If Mec's powers worked as promised, then it would not matter anyway. Akuji's control of the Anima and Clair's body would be over momentarily.

A moment did pass. Then another and another, with the outcome Cho had been hoping for. Olenna continued to fight a losing fight for control of her doll and her threads, and Mec was unmoving. No, actually, he was beginning to slump to one side! Cho sprung forward, catching the mage before he would fall to the ground. After Cho lowered Mec down gently, he observed the unconscious mage's face. Underneath his eyelids, his eyes darted around, the same as one does when they dream. His breathing was surprisingly normal, but his skin had grown quite hot. Cho took these as signs of Akuji's resistance to Mec's powers.

Cho rose to his feet and stepped backwards, unsure of what to do. It was possible that their mission was about to fail. "Hold on, Olenna!" he urged, but it was an empty request. Even he could see that Akuji's corruption had almost completely taken hold of the doll, and Cho could not simply stop forces of nature the way Mec allegedly could. In a few moments, Akuji would have another host to fight for him, another catalyst he could use to trigger the transformations of dozens of cursed souls across the continent.

The ancient child's small, pink lips scowled. Unless Mec and Olenna prevailed, and soon, there would be no beneficial outcome to this fight. The best he could do would be to destroy what he could of Akuji here, and gather up the rest of the pieces later. His other affairs would have to wait, perhaps, until he could find a way to completely destroy the scourge this time. Without announcing his intentions, Cho raised one arm towards the sky. A bright blue bolt jolted through the length of his arm before soaring into the clouds above them. In response, the sky darkened with storm clouds and the plateau grew as dark as night. The trees responded in kind and whistled as a gust passed by. A thunderclap joined the symphony moments after lightning had flashed, shining its light over everything. Soon, the sounds crescendoed into a furious ensemble as the ground around them tremored. A terrifying roar trumpeted from high above the clouds, so loud that it made the thunderclaps sound like whispers in comparison.

"Victory... is mine." The unnerving voice came from Olenna's doll. Low, gravelly. The doll slowly began towards him, but Cho could see that it was not moving freely quite yet.

"Olenna..." Cho sighed woefully, lowering his arm. Then, in an eerily spontaneous fashion, an intrusive smile writhed across Cho's face. He laughed a loud, childlike laugh. "I missed you Allister! Did you come back to play with me?"

The doll did not respond. Slowly, almost painstakingly, it turned its head skywards, as if it could actually look to the clouds with eyes unseen. Dark red corruption poured from the wood of the doll, bellowing out like smoke. Crimson droplets condensed and dripped down the wooden fascia, arms, and legs, as if the pores of the wood were soaked with blood.

Another roar echoed from the skies above them and Cho's grin shrunk into a more rueful smile. "Allister isn't there any more, is he?" The rueful smile morphed into a deep scowl. The doll had begun to release the bleeding strings that held the struggling harpy. "Go away!" Cho shouted. A bright, blue light descended from the clouds above them.

Then, suddenly, it all vanished.

The stormclouds, the crimson threads, the corruption that seeped from the orifices of Olenna's doll, the streak of blue flame that burst from the sky, all vanished without a trace. Sunrays lit up the area with a gentle warmth. Cho's jaw dropped as the wooden doll creaked loudly and fell to the ground. He spun around towards where he had left Mec, but the mage was no longer unconsciously lying on the ground. In fact, he was very much active, his arms wrapped around a woman Cho had never seen before.

Mec cried out for Shallan. "Bring her some water! She's alive, by the heavens she's alive!" Clair felt so thin in his arms, and her hair was shorn short, but it was undoubtedly her. He wrapped his cloak around her body before gently laying her back down, supporting her head as one would a baby's. The mage laughed like a fool when Shallan joined him, filled with so much emotion that tears began to stream from his eyes.

While the pair celebrated and cared for their friend, Cho silently dragged Olenna's doll towards his camp. At first he thought to help with Clair's recovery until she awakened, but he trusted that if her condition was critical enough, he would be summoned. Besides, there were few who knew how to properly care for Olenna's magical constructs, and while Cho was not familiar with all of the intricacies he would at least be able to get the thing functional enough.

He huffed in frustration when he finally reached his destination. Would Mec turn the Anima back on when he was done celebrating? Now, fully experiencing the effects of this so-called ability, Cho could say with confidence that he did not like it. That was a matter for another day, he thought, as he got to work on Olenna's doll. If the gods smiled on them, Olenna would soon return to a healthy Clair, a subdued Akuji, and a satisfied Mec and Shallan.

[Namingtoohard]

Shallan blinked slowly, and the sky came into focus. What…what had she been doing again? She might’ve been watching the clouds, enjoying a lazy afternoon, before accidentally drifting off. That seemed right. It would explain why she was lying on the ground in the middle of nowhere. It didn’t explain the way her head throbbed, though, or the strange sounds she could hear. Before Shallan could muster up the willpower to sit up and check, Cho’s head popped into view. She smiled at her friend, let him help her sit up. Then she caught a glimpse of the battlefield beyond, of Mec and Olenna and Clair, and everything came rushing back.

A sense of urgency filled her. All of a sudden, the pain in her head felt inconsequential, and moving seemed much easier than it had a few moments ago. With Cho’s continued assistance, she rose to her feet, and took a few experimental steps in the direction he’d chosen. She felt a little bad about relying on someone even smaller than she was for support, but Cho didn’t seem inclined to let go of her, so she swallowed her guilt. Once she was certain everything was working properly, that she hadn’t suffered more than a few superficial scrapes, Shallan stopped leaning on the young mage, and chanced a small glance back.

When Mec slumped over beside Clair, a soft gasp slipped from Shallan’s lips, and her urgency grew into panic. She’d watched him use his powers several times, and nothing like this had ever happened before. She took a few hurried steps towards him, before forcibly stopping herself, leaving Cho to race on ahead. The overwhelming need to help, to stay by Mec’s side and support him, was stymied by the crushing knowledge that she was a liability here. The conflict currently taking place was beyond her ability to perceive, let alone influence. For the second time today, she had no choice but to watch, helpless, and trust in the people around her.

The moments dragged past with excruciating slowness, until Cho shot some sort of magic into the sky above them, and the entire world seemed to change in response. Shallan watched, her eyes wide as saucers, as storm clouds blocked out almost all light. She flinched when a loud roar split the air, louder than anything she’d heard before. She couldn’t hear anything Cho and the doll said. Not from this distance, with the air whistling a gale around them. But the change in their expressions, the way they moved, the strange light coming from Olenna’s doll, was enough to unsettle her.

Then, without any sort of warning or fanfare, it was over. The sky went back to normal, so quickly and suddenly that Shallan almost thought she’d hallucinated the change. Olenna’s doll fell to the ground, empty, and Clair stopped struggling. More importantly, Mec was awake, and had moved to her side. Had they…won? Something incredibly significant had just taken place. Shallan was sure of it. But she didn’t know what-

Mec’s voice reached her ears, and what he said eclipsed all other rational thought. It took Shallan a second to comprehend his words, to process their full implications. Then she was off. She turned and sprinted back towards Cho’s little camp, moving as fast as her legs could carry her. She practically dived at her own discarded pack, started digging through the contents with reckless abandon. Shallan threw her clothes aside with no regard for where they might fall, until her hands closed around the leather of her waterskin. A quick shake confirmed that it was still half full, and then she was running again. Back the way she had come, towards Mec and Clair.

Shallan slid to a stop beside them, before quickly dropping to her knees. With care that seemed at odds with her earlier haste, she unstopped the waterskin, and helped Clair take her first drink in…gods knew how long. She only just barely managed to close it again before the weight of the moment overwhelmed her, and tears began to slip down her cheeks too. She reached out to Mec for support, laid a hand on his arm gently, and joined him in laughing and crying over their unlikely success. Oblivious to both Cho’s distant scrutiny, and Olenna’s continued absence.

After several long moments, Shallan finally calmed enough to appraise Clair’s physical state for herself. She took a moment to wipe her eyes on the sleeve of her dress before giving voice to her thoughts. “I’m glad she still looks so much like herself. So…human. I was worried that some parts of the transformation would be permanent. Or at least leave some sort of scars.” Shallan had to resist the urge to reach out and touch her, to make sure she was real. “I’m a little worried about her mental state, though. None of us can possibly imagine what she’s been though. What she experienced under Akuji’s thumb.”

Cho and Olenna’s warning rose in her mind unbidden. The possibility that, in saving Clair, they’d triggered an outbreak right across the country. After a few seconds, though, Shallan pushed the thought from her mind. There was nothing they could do about it now, and they already had enough to worry about. “Alright.” She rose to her feet then. Took a moment to glance back across the campsite, to where Cho had dragged Olenna’s doll. “Let’s get her into a proper bedroll, and maybe get a fire going. We don’t know how long it’ll be until she wakes up, but when she does, I imagine that she’ll appreciate a hot meal.”

Feeling a little better now that she had a direction, a sense of purpose, a task she could contribute to, Shallan moved back towards the campsite, and got to work.

~~~

The Anima itself had become a battleground, and Olenna was losing. Akuji battered her like a tempest. Like they were less a human, and more a force of nature. Even as they tried to kill her, a small part of Olenna couldn’t help but respect their control, admire the sheer amount of power they wielded. But if they were a tempest, then she was a stone. Small, but immutable. Unbreakable. Oh, they’d destroy her eventually. But it wouldn’t be the quick victory they were hoping for. Instead of crushing her beneath their heel, they’d need to eat at her slowly, strip away her defenses one thread at a time. Time was all Mec needed right now, and Olenna was determined to give him all she could.

At first, Olenna was confident that she could hold. But as moments crawled by, she began to feel nervous. Akuji continued to rip and tear into her ethereal flesh with reckless abandon. Her control started to slip, but they showed no signs of weakening. Not from fatigue, and not from Mec undermining them. Then her doll started to move according to someone else’s will, spoke with Akuji’s voice, and Olenna’s blood ran cold. She poured what little strength she had left into resisting him, stopping him from using her doll to kill the others, but they likely only had seconds before-

Olenna’s consciousness slammed back into her physical body. As soon as she realized she was sitting in her armchair again, the archmage leapt out of it, faster than was probably safe for someone of her age. “No!” Her frustrated scream practically tore itself from her throat. The most important conflict of her lifetime was currently taking place, and here she was, tucked into the safety of her own home, half a world away. Had Akuji deposed her, or had Mec successfully excised them, and saved Clair in the process? For a spymaster like her, not knowing was unbearable.

Her owl. Akuji had tried to wrest control of her doll from her, but perhaps she could still use her owl. Peer though its eyes and figure out what had happened. Olenna threw herself back into her chair, reached for her Anima again and found…nothing. Just an empty void where the other mages were supposed to be. As unsettling as such an impossibility should have been, it actually helped soothe her worries. This absence was the result of Mec’s Equinox. Olenna was certain of it. She’d bought him enough time, and he had won the battle for them. Now, all she had to do was wait until the Anima returned, or Mec allowed it to return, so she could access her doll again. A little annoying, but infinitely better than the alternative.

After what felt like dozens of hours and hundreds of fruitless attempts, Olenna reached out more time, and finally managed to reconnect to her constructs. Her vision returned first, affording her a view of the cozy little camp everyone had constructed in her absence. Of the small fire they’d built, and Clair’s human form, tucked into a bedroll beside it. Then she spotted her doll, still sitting where Cho had left it, looking functional enough. Better than she remembered, actually.

She reached out towards it, extended her control once more, and commanded the doll to rise. It sat up, and when every eye in the camp turned towards her, Olenna spoke. “It’s me” she rasped, just to make sure there were no misunderstandings. A novel experience. Once upon a time, she’d been the only person who could control her dolls. Having to verify her identity was not a problem she’d ever foreseen, and the thought made her real body smile wryly. “It seems that we were successful. My compliments, Mec. You’ve grown into a fine mage during your travels.” A far cry from the child who had barely managed to restrain a single one of her dolls, judging by the void in the Anima he’d created.

[Headwrapper]

After the group had resettled inside of Cho's camp, including Olenna's inactive doll and an unconscious Clair, Mec got to work on trying to reverse the effects of the Equinox on both Cho and Olenna. Cho was very insistent on this matter, to the point that it had become very annoying. "Just give me a minute," Mec finally exclaimed with an exasperated expression, just before settling down on a small log they had rolled over to the camp earlier. He closed his eyes, reflecting on what had happened up to the point of him succeeding in using the Equinox....



Similar to his first experience in trying to help Clair during her illness, Mec found himself in an entirely different battlefield after trying to cast his abilities against the horrible power of Akuji. He opened his eyes to a world of dark grays and blacks, all covered in a peculiarly gray dust that felt like sand. Clair was nowhere to be seen. Mec pressed onward, navigating through the dark ground and blacked out sky in near-blindness. As he reached the top of a sandy hill, a fiery-orange flame flickered and danced in the distance.

Approach with caution, G's voice warned him.

As Mec descended, he could make out a figure standing within the flames. In fact, he seemed to be wearing the flames as if they were robes, reminding him of the fiery armor of the warrior he fought in his last run-in with who he now knows as Akuji. As Mec approached, the figure pulled away the part of the flames that it wore as a hood, revealing a pitch-black head. Its eyes were completely white, and glistened like two lone stars in the night sky in their black eye sockets. "Hello, friend." The figure spoke in a slow, calm voice, one that transcended many lifetimes. "I remember you... I was hoping we would meet again."

"Is that so?" Mec asked, stopping several paces away from the figure. "I take it that you are Akuji?"

"A part of him, yes," the figure responded calmly. "I am but a piece of the whole. But soon, we will be unified, and will bring about a new world. When that day comes, you will not wish to be an enemy of ours..." The figure paced as he spoke, then paused to give Mec another glance over. "You have... potential. I can see that, even in this sorry state. Why don't I show you a glimpse of the new world, and where your place may be in it?" The figure extended a hand, somehow so black that it made the rest of the scenery look bright, through the flames that cloaked around it.

Mec laughed, loudly, condescendingly even. "A new world!?" he exclaimed. "I already work towards the promise of a new world. One where you do not belong." He stepped towards the figure, even as it withdrew its extended hand. "You will become a lesson for the generations to come. You are why the Anima Mundi needs a Warden."



"Well?" Cho interrupted Mec's thoughts. "Can you turn the Anima back on or what?"

"I'm working on it," Mec said. He sighed, trying to regather himself as he concentrated. There was an observable difference in the Anima around him. Perhaps this change shielded the visibility of the Anima from others, while Mec could still see and manipulate it freely. It only took a few minutes of observation and manipulation for Mec to realize that his ability had left some sort of residual force around the Anima, which he could separate form the true Anima. However, manipulating this residual force was difficult and tedious. In fact, as he worked at separating it from the Anima, it was difficult to tell if his work and effort was yielding more results than simply waiting for the effect to fade on its own.

Eventually, whether by Mec's hand or by the effects of time, the Equinox's effect on the area dissipated. Shortly after, Olenna's doll began to stir, causing Shallan, Cho, and Mec to shift restlessly as they watched the animated wood begin to move. They only relaxed when Olenna's voice announced her arrival.

Mec could not help but smile with pride in response to Olenna's approval. "Thank you," he said. "It was a battle well-fought. I'm just glad that all of our efforts were rewarded with success." He paused, briefly, before directing his gaze back towards Clair. She had remained still in her bedroll, but she seemed to be doing fine. Much of her color was returning to her skin and lips while she slept peacefully.

Cho's gaze followed Mec's. "We can use tonight to rest, but we can not afford much more than that," he said, joining in the conversation fully. "Akuji's grown more powerful than I have ever seen. There is a lot of work to do."

[Namingtoohard]

Olenna did not miss the glances that her companions directed towards Clair. Just like them, she found her attention drawn to the comatose girl. She looked peaceful, and surprisingly healthy. A far cry from the lethal, shrieking harpy they’d done battle with earlier that same day. It was difficult for the archmage to reconcile the two in her mind. Could this one person really be worth all the strife that thing had caused? Everyone else seemed to think so, but Olenna doubted it. Still, it appeared that Cho’s theory was correct. The girl was a mage – or had the potential to become one, at least - and had gone her entire life without realising it. That meant they had unfinished business, no matter Clair’s past.

Prior to Olenna’s return, Shallan had spent most of her evening looking after Clair. While Mec and Cho had argued about the state of the Anima, she had dressed the poor woman in a set of her spare clothes and tucked her into that bedroll. She’d started the cookfire, scraped together a basic meal of porridge, and spoon-fed Clair as much as she was willing to eat. Now, with all the immediate necessities taken care of, she had little to do but sit, watch, and listen. But when Cho started talking about how little time they had, she couldn’t help but bristle a little. “We have no idea how long it will be before Clair wakes. We can’t exactly run off again with her in tow, nor can we leave her to fend for herself.”

Now the archmage found her attention drawn Mec’s young companion. To her surprise, the human remained steadfast beneath her scrutiny. And was this the first time Olenna had ever heard her rally against one of Cho’s suggestions? Apparently Mec wasn’t the only one who had grown throughout their journey. “Nobody is running off” she answered, her words accompanied by a dismissive wave of a hand. “Before we do anything, we need to verify the legitimacy of Akuji’s threat. Figure out how many hosts they might have, where they are, and what forms they’ll take. I’ll spend the evening gathering what information I can, and we can reconvene in the morning to decide on a plan. One that includes getting your friend to safety.”

Shallan pursed her lips, her stomach roiling with unease. Olenna spoke like the worst had already come to pass. Did she know something the rest of them didn’t, or was she merely being cautious? Knowing the archmage as well as she did, both seemed equally likely. But, after a moment, Shallan accepted her words with a small nod. Perhaps, once this meeting was over, she could see if any of the others had packed a map. Try and figure out where the closest town was, and the best way to get Clair there. She’d feel better if she had something useful to do, and it’d be nice to show up to one of their meetings prepared for once.

For a few heartbeats, silence reigned over their small camp. The only sounds were the crackling of the fire and Clair’s steady breathing. Olenna shifted in her seat slightly. Tapped her wooden fingers against her thigh – a sure sign of nerves. Then, she let out a soft sigh, and began to speak. “I must confess, though, this situation does have me concerned. Akuji was only prepared for Cho to intervene, and they still came incredibly close to besting us. If all their hosts are of similar strength, or they prepare countermeasures for our magic too…well, we may need to accept that we’re fighting against the tide on this one. Casualties are inevitable.”

It was a grim thought, especially for someone like Olenna, who prided herself on always having a plan. Still, that didn’t mean she was giving up. If nothing else, she’d try her hardest to minimise the damage. Perhaps instead of chasing hosts, they could try and find Akuji’s original body, or do the unthinkable and try to coordinate with the church. They had options, even if they were unpleasant. But it was probably best that the others prepared themselves for the worst, just in case.

[Headwrapper]

For much of the conversation, Cho was uncharacteristically quiet. Now that Clair had been returned to normal, he finally had the space to reflect on what these last several weeks had meant. What they cost him. He had no doubt that Clair must have been as charismatic as Mec and Shallan had made her out to be. Even in Clair's current state, Cho could tell that she had a sort of rare beauty that disarmed those around her, perhaps united them in the way she had united the present group. Yvelia always spoke of the potential that humanity unknowingly lost when disease, famine, and war claimed the lives of those with great potential before they could achieve it. Would she have thought Clair's potential was worth saving, even if it meant her own defilement?

The small mage's eyes wandered towards the cliffs, focusing on the distant horizon beyond them. The rest of the group had their reasons to remain idle for a time, but he had no such limitations. There was much to be done about the Akuji problem, and little sense in delaying. Although, leaving the mountains was going to be much more difficult without his flying steed, which was destroyed during the battle. There also was the hypothesis that Clair's innate abilities may have been what enabled the spread of Akuji's curses. If it was proven true, then perhaps they could also be used to support the fight against this magical force.

When Olenna shared her concerns, Mec stirred slightly. He wished to speak, but thought against it. Was the time right? Goriathm had warned him about the winds of change - that Mec's ability to execute his role would be tested sooner than he would be prepared for. Goriathm revealed this fact upon his, along with Mec's powers', return. However, the choice to share this revelation was a choice left to Mec. It was a decision that, now that he had a better understanding of his companion, had grown more difficult as time passed. He had spoken of the voice that he heard before, and it certainly affected his decisions and relationships before... but now it was different. What would his companions think of him, if he shared that he found a new sense of purpose through some revelation? A revelation that he claimed came from the very being that created magic, the Anima Mundi itself.

It was not the time, Mec decided, submitting to his own fears. "As you have said. Let's reconvene in the morning. We can be more astute with our decisions once we are rested."

As the night fully claimed the sky, the travelers spaced themselves apart as they eventually retired. Mec and Shallan did not stray far from Clair's side, even though Cho's spirits and Olenna's owls kept careful watch of the elevated encampment.

~~~~

It was still night when Mec awoke. Almost immediately, he sensed something very wrong with the nature of his awakening. The air was warm, pleasantly so. However, the encampment was up in the mountains, and when Mec was trying to sleep the cold air had constantly nibbled at his skin. Mec bolted, rising from the fabric he was laying on, struggling to gain his footing on the cold sand. A sharp inhale filled his lungs as he took in the new scenery around him. The bright moon, unencumbered by any clouds, lit up the earth with a pale light for miles all around him. Scores and scores of sand stretched beyond him in every direction, save for a large, perfectly clear pool of water that lay in a nearly perfect circle before him. Strange trees he had never seen before, which were covered in hairy fibers and carried harry fruit in their branches, circled the pool.

The mage blinked as he directed focus on another figure that was quickly approaching him. He braced himself cautiously, but then quickly threw himself in the figure's direction upon realizing it was Shallan that was approaching him. "What is going on? Where are we?"

Unsurprisingly, the pair quickly realized that they had no idea about the circumstances of their situation. They had no idea where they were, why they were there, nor where anyone else was. Mec eventually pointed towards a figure near the pool of water, a woman. Was she there before? "Look, there."

Mec hastened to approach the figure, doubling his speed upon realizing that it was Clair soaking her feet in the clear water. Her eyes glimmered with the stars' reflections in the crystal clear water. When Mec and Shallan neared, the woman leaned back on one arm as she gazed towards them.

Clair smiled faintly, her skin as bright as a pearl's surface in the moonlight. "Ah, there you are," she said gently. "We are in a dream. We're having it together. Please, sit with me, and I will try to explain." She adjusted her sitting position as her companions joined her. "Ah, it's so beautiful here," she mused. "Thank you for that. This is the first dream I have been able to visit of my own will, and I'm so happy it took me somewhere so beautiful."

Although Clair's lips gently held a subtle smile, her eyes told a more melancholy story as she cautiously watched her companions. "When I was turned into that monster, I did not have any control of anything. I just existed. It was as if my human senses had been dulled, and only the body's monstrous instincts were in control. I think... I think there were a few people that were hurt. In the day, the monster ravaged and attacked, looking for food or eliminating any threats around me. At night, though, I was visited by... him. At first, he told me his name was Alister, but then his other bodies came. They all referred to themselves as Akuji.

"Akuji told me I had the power to visit and even control dreams. Apparently, I have always been able to, but I did not know how. He forced me to learn. When I did, every time I slept, I was forced to go from dream to dream, and Akuji spread his curses." Clair sat up straight and gently waved a hand through the water in front of her. "Akuji was honest about their intentions," she said. "They were very forthcoming about why we visited so many dreams. The curses planted were to be the seeds of their empire. There will be more monsters, stronger and more methodical than I was. Perhaps your friend has told you as much already? The young boy, that I met, that one time... I believe there was a woman with him too, like a ghost, who saved me?"

Clair remained silent, for a time, yielding to any questions that Shallan and Mec may have had for her.

[Namingtoohard]

Shallan blinked slowly. Once, twice, three times, until the night sky came into focus. And oh, how lovely it looked tonight! The stars were in full attendance, weaving a tapestry of beauty from the cosmos themselves. They twinkled and danced before her very eyes, filling Shallan with delight. And yet, for all their efforts, their presence was overshadowed by the moon. Pale and full, it hung weightless in the sky, larger than she’d ever seen before. By virtue of its presence alone, Shallan was bathed in rivulets of soft, ethereal moonlight. They seemed so vibrant, so tangible, that she thought she could pluck one from the air, if she could just muster up the audacity to try.

After a few silent moments, Shallan raised an arm, only to realize that something was wrong. Where was her blanket? Now that she stopped to think about it, she couldn’t hear the crackling of their fire, or the gentle snoring of her companions. She pushed herself up into a sitting position, and was greeted by an unexpected sight. She was surrounded by more sand than she’d ever seen in her life. It stretched out in every direction, swept into large dunes by a now-absent wind. Shallan had never seen a desert before, but she’d heard enough stories to know this was one. The only other thing she could see was a small ring of strange-looking trees, clustered around a glimmer of silver. Water, reflecting the moonlight. An oasis.

The last thing Shallan remembered was crawling into bed, the night after they’d done battle with Akuji. How had she gotten here? Two possibilities came to mind. Either she was dreaming, or this was magic. Shallan wasn’t sure which was more likely, but perhaps it didn’t matter. Either way, there was only one thing she could do now. She climbed to her feet, and started the short walk towards the trees.

As Shallan drew closer, something caught her attention. A flicker of movement, glimpsed out of the corner of her eye. Her heart rate spiked, and she found herself fearing the worst. A wild animal searching for prey, or a stranger with questionable intentions. She turned to face the threat, only to relax when she finally recognised Mec’s familiar silhouette. Shallan exhaled softly then, all the tension leaving her body in one great rush, just as quickly as it had come. She still had no idea where they were or how they had gotten here, but knowing Mec was with her meant that she had a great deal less to worry about. Shallan altered her course immediately, and moved to join him.

She practically threw herself into his arms, and allowed herself a small smile at their reunion, however brief. Then Shallan responded to his questions with vague non-answers, and took his asking to mean that he didn’t know any more about their situation than she did. She was about to ask a few of her own when Mec pointed towards the oasis, saying something about a figure by the water. Shallan spun towards the trees, only for her mouth to open in surprise. She hadn’t noticed the figure before, but perhaps she’d simply been too far away. When Mec moved towards it, Shallan was quick to follow, trailing just a few steps behind.

Her surprise only grew when she recognized Clair, awake and unharmed, and apparently waiting for them. The troupe leader’s tone was as relaxed as her pose, but her words set Shallan’s mind whirling. If this was a shared dream, then it appeared that her guess about magic had been on the mark. At Clair’s prompting, Shallan moved to join her. She lowered herself down to sit beside the troupe leader, within easy reach, and mimicked her by dipping her own feet into the water. The crystal clear pond was cool, bordering on cold, but it didn’t take her body long to adjust.

Shallan listened to Clair’s words in contemplative silence. She was practically bursting at the seams with questions, most of them obvious, but held her tongue out of sympathy. They could scarcely imagine the things she was describing, the toll they must’ve taken. Worse still were the things Clair said about Akuji, more or less confirming the horrible truth Olenna had gone to confront. They’d managed to save Clair, but it hadn’t been a complete victory. They’d only delayed the inevitable, and in doing so, had forced Akuji to take more drastic measures. Ones that would cost yet more lives. Both of those thoughts together threatened to make Shallan sick.

She was relieved when the discussion turned to their companions, if only because it allowed her the chance to collect her thoughts, while they spoke of easier things. “Cho and Olenna. Friends of ours, and mages both. The former wants nothing more than to stop Akuji, while the latter wants to protect her kind. You can trust them.” Shallan kicked her feet idly whilst she wondered just how true that was. While she’d always disliked Olenna, there was no denying that the woman had made good on her promises. “Cho passed on your warning, but we’re still waiting to hear just how bad things really are. If Akuji used your power to corrupt everyone else, though…well, I guess that’s another reason to be glad you’re out of their clutches.”

A few heartbeats of silence, before Shallan spoke once more. “If you had the power to bring us here, then you must have some strength left, even after that battle. Do you think there’s any chance you’ll wake soon?” As soon as the words were past her lips, Shallan felt a small, familiar twinge of jealousy. Not for the first time, she was the only regular human in the company of mages. She’d thought the Misfits had helped her find her place, but apparently, she’d been wrong. The realization was like sour bile in her mouth, and Shallan hated herself for it. Perhaps she needed to ask Mec if he could…but no, that was the height of foolishness. This moment was about Clair, not her, and she refused to make it so. “I don’t mean to rush you, of course. After everything you’ve been through, you deserve a lot more than one night’s rest. But with Akuji’s other curses out there…” she trailed off, words heavy with implication.

[Headwrapper]

Clair casually leaned back on her hands as she contemplated Shallan's question, mulling it over the view of the moon's reflection in the clear pool in front of her. "I really don't know," she finally replied. "The last thing I remember before entering this dream is the battle, being slammed into the ground. It was then that I saw Mec with one of Akuji's avatar's, in my own mind or possibly in a dream... How strangely you were speaking, Mec." Clair paused momentarily, directing her thoughts towards Mec. He turned away slightly, seemingly unsure of how to respond.

Noticing Mec's discomfort, Clair shifted her gaze from him and continued. "Then I suppose I became fully unconscious, and then I sensed this dream. Knowing it belonged to a friend, I entered it, and now we're here. I would surmise that you are correct, Shallan, that my ability to use my powers is likely a positive sign. Maybe if we are lucky, I will awaken with you when this dream ends. For now, I am just thankful for the blessing of spending time with you both even before I regain consciousness."

Mec stirred slightly in his place in the sand. He crossed his legs, pulling them inward as he listened to the conversation. "You're right. We're happy to see you too. And if we are actually sleeping right now, we are not losing time while catching up, are we?" He ran his fingers through the cool sand and scooped some of it up. The grains cooled his fingertips as he allowed it to gently flow between his fingers and back into a pile on the ground. He continued to repeat this movement as he spoke. "Dreams are strange. How could anyone imagine a place like this?"

Clair angled her head after turning towards Mec, clearly puzzled. "This was originally your dream, Mec. I simply moved Shallan and my consciousnesses here. I was quite surprised with the setting also. Especially at the fact that Shallan and I are the only girls for miles around..." Clair began to giggle, then laughed, rather loudly. She laughed louder when she saw Mec's face turn red before he turned away, rubbing the back of his neck. When she did finally calm herself, she looked out into the distant dunes, letting the last few chuckles bubble over. A smile remained fixed on her comely visage as she continued the conversation. "It is strange that this isn't a place you recognize... Usually one dreams of what is already known to them. It's a rarity for someone to dream up something completely of their own invention. Are you sure you have never seen a place like this before, Mec?"

"I'm sure. A place like this would be hard to forget," Mec responded. "As much as we have journeyed, we have never seen such strange trees, so much sand... I can't help but feel like there is something significant about this place though. Perhaps it's someone else's dream? Maybe Cho or even Olenna?"

"It's yours. I'm certain." Clair straightened herself and gracefully rested her chin on the back of her hand. "Perhaps... Well, I am still rather new to this, I must admit, so I'm certainly no expert. But I wonder, Mec, if this is supposed to be a dream of discovery for you? This place is new, undiscovered territory for you. Maybe your unconscious mind wished to explore it, to help you discover something else that is strange and new back in the conscious world. Oh, if I had known, I would not have interrupted. I'm sorry."

Mec shook his head, letting out a singular chuckle. He drew his legs beneath him, as if preparing to stand, as he responded. "There's nothing to apologize for. I think you might be jumping to conclusions." He stood turning to look up towards the top of one of the strange, furry trees. "I am curious about those fruits up there. Maybe I'll discover what they taste like." He chortled, hurrying off towards one of the trees.

Clair frowned, watching Mec leave. Accepting he was not likely to be swayed, she turned towards Shallan. "You are right to worry about the other curses," she said quietly. "But hopefully I serve as proof that they can be managed, should we remain vigilant." She quickly grasped her friends hand between both of her own. "Let's leave the worry for later. This should be a joyous reunion. Tell me, have you kept up with your singing? And I noticed you and Mec both seem a little healthier, so you must have been managing yourselves very well without the Misfits."

[Namingtoohard]

Shallan hummed softly as she listened to Mec and Clair speak, her expression contemplative. All of these extra details certainly seemed important, but for reasons that she was having trouble articulating, even to herself. Apparently there was a great deal more to this situation that she didn’t – or couldn’t – understand. Thankfully, it wasn’t long before Clair confirmed her suspicions, and their conversation turned towards lighter topics. Mec was right when he called this situation a blessing, and the last thing Shallan wanted was to waste it. They could discuss magic once they all woke up, when Olenna and Cho would be able to weigh in.

The observations that Clair made about Mec’s dreamscape, and the raunchy joke that accompanied them, drew a fit of giggles out of Shallan. Then, when she saw just how fast Mec was turning red, she joined Clair in laughing. Long and loud, until her sides started to hurt, and she was left gasping for air. Once the sounds of their mirth faded, while Shallan was trying to catch her breath, she found herself thinking about how far she’d come. Once upon a time, she would’ve bowed her head, her cheeks burning. She might’ve thought about how she could never compare to a woman like Clair, defeated. But the promises she and Mec had made to each other at the cabin rang fresh in her ears, offering her the affirmations she’d never known she needed. Letting her enjoy this moment, when she never might have otherwise.

When conversation turned to the nature of this dream, Shallan’s first thought was of Mec’s father. Specifically, the journal that he had written during his travels, lost when Mec had been arrested. Perhaps her love had read about a place like this within those pages, and had simply forgotten about it in the time since. She opened her mouth to say as much, only for him to scamper off towards one of the trees, interested in sampling its fruit. Shallan swallowed her words as she watched him go, an indulgent smile on her face.

“I wonder how he’s supposed to dream up a taste he’s never experienced before” Shallan remarked idly, not really expecting a response. Even with Clair’s newfound magic, she didn’t expect her to know the answer. “The same way that he dreamed up an entire landscape he thinks he’s never heard of, I suppose.” This dream magic, and the knowledge that they were inside one, was certainly making for some interesting trains of thought. Shallan mulled it over for a few moments longer, before finally turning her attention to Clair good and proper.

“Oh, absolutely. I may not be a professional performer anymore, but I still sing every chance I get” Shallan answered, unable to help but smile. She hesitated for a brief moment as she tried to figure out what other developments she could share, before settling on the obvious choice. “Oh! Mec and I are a couple now, too. Officially, I mean. It took me a while to work up the courage to tell him how I felt, and I virtually had to pry a confession out of him, but it was worth it.” She squeezed Clair’s hands a little as she shared the news, quietly confident that she’d be happy for the both of them.

Even when confronted by that terrible harpy, Shallan had never forgotten Clair’s light. The joy that she had spread everywhere she went, by virtue of her presence alone. And yet, it was another thing entirely to sit here with her and bask in that warmth again, so long after they’d feared it lost. It was enough to have tears prickling at the corners of her eyes.

Once her excitement had faded, Shallan would be quick to speak again. “I’d love to return the favor and ask you what you’ve been up to recently, but uh. I suspect I already know” Shallan added, a wry smile flickering across her features. A part of her wondered if she was supposed to tell Clair what had happened to Godrick, but no. She had insisted that this should be a joyous reunion. Now definitely wasn’t the time. Instead, she turned her eyes skywards, towards the stars above. “I must say, though. Of all the types of magic I’ve experienced, this might just be my favorite. I’d love to see what you’re capable of when you’ve fully recovered your strength.” She wasn’t entirely sure just how much Clair could manipulate these dreams, but she could scarcely imagine the wonder such a performer might inspire, with full control.

[Headwrapper]

A smile graced Clair's features as she and Shallan spoke, continuing their conversation privately. She missed these moments, the time she spent with her troubadours and actors in between work. Her jaw dropped slightly at the news that Shallan and Mec had officially labeled their adorable affections for each other. "Oh, that's terrific," she said, her hands squeezing back against Shallan's warm grip.

When the conversation turned towards Clair's situation and newfound powers, she raised her head slightly, as if with pride. "And to think, I'm only just learning about what I can do." She released Shallan's hands, also taking in the sights around them. "Even without Akuji in the equation, I am glad I was able to learn about you and Mec's stories before learning about my own magic. In a world so hell-bent on the extermination of magical people, it would have been so frightening to face it all alone, and I might not have even considered the beauty in this gift. I can be a part of people's dreams, is there anything that could be more sacred than that?"

A heavy thud sounded from the nearby trees. Even from afar, Mec's excitement was apparent as he hurried over to the fallen, hairy growth that was released from the tall tree. Having realized his normal arsenal of magic was not working properly here, and unable to climb the hairy trees without disturbing some kind of animal nest or the like, Mec had resorted to throwing anything he could find towards the top of the tree. After several attempts, he had finally loosed what he was after.

The girls' quiet conversation ended abruptly as Mec rushed back to them, carrying the hairy , brown... thing, that he found. It was like an almond as large as a human head, still in the shell. He dropped down in the sand next to them. "I got one," he said, observing the thing excitedly. He mumbled to himself as he turned the fruit over a few times. "There's water inside, see?" He picked up the strange nut and shook it, the sound of sloshing liquid range from inside of it. "But how do I..." He ran his fingers along the hairy husk, searching for some kind of seam he could pry open to loosen the shell. "Maybe I need some kind of tool or something..."

Clair chuckled quietly in amusement. Sacred dreams, indeed. "Not what you were expecting, was it?"

"Not quite," Mec replied. He let the thing rest in the sand, but rolled it towards Clair when she beckoned for it with her hand. Mec watched quietly as he woman picked up the thing, giving it a quick shake of her own before observing the outside of it. He flinched when she suddenly bit into the outside fibers, vigorously tearing them away in large chunks.

When Clair was done, she held an even smaller, much rounder nut. She gave it another shake, confirming there was still liquid inside. "Pardon me," she said, spitting out a few stray fibers. "Some habits die hard." She rolled the foreign tree nut towards Shallan. "What say you? Any ideas?"