37, Scion, 1327

By the Winds and the Chaos. [blot]

I am so glad that I came.

There is so much I should record, so much I should place to memory, and it is [spot] Even as I keep my calm here for her to rest easy, it is hard to contain my thoughts to some logical order of things. She is alright, Sphae is alright, and that is what's most important. 

[blot]

We traveled to the place Meiddi had indicated. She and those she was with had not [blot] investigated it much at all, so we did instead. Another waypoint had been taken by the Growth along the way. And Sphae cleared an entrance by her magic, through the rocks, into a tunnel [blot, and a few spots]

Chronological retelling is so difficult. Perhaps I will give up on it here.

What we found was magnificent, such a brilliant, huge, and focused place of power. I don't know how far is stretched, but it seemed to go on beyond sight; a cavern, brimming with magical energy that caused the stones there pure infusion, and levitation. It was like a pool of raw magic, I speculate it may have been a leyline. Were it not for the dangers, I would seek to return many times, the Chaos was so excited - I was so excited! How much can be found, learned, done there? Grand fragments of smooth, bone-like stone spun circles, floating, around lines of raw magic; the place was overwhelming, yet stabilizing. Like bathing in a lake of energy itself, it was so exciting and grand, I had to stop the Chaos from overflowing with such mirth.

[blot]

But we were not alone. They came from even deeper, I realize, the thorns of the Growth. And their damned minions [blot] Growth taken wolves, those strange thrashing things, husks; [a few blots]

The Chaos is flaring just thinking about them. Those disgusting, repulsive brambleous wretches. [blot]

We were attacked. For a time we held our own, it is [spot] a bit of a blur. Vines tried to trip us, catch us, at first we were together and then we were apart [blot] Sphae helped me free once, but she got far too tangled in the thorns, and [blot] a husk was charging for her. She told me to move, and while I didn't want to, I knew it would be useless not to listen. I left a second self to defend and distract, while I placed myself along the other side [blot] Thorns, I wonder now if I may have been able to teleport her from those vines, if I could have [blot] prevented it all. [a few more spots]

But that did not happen. 

Though the husk never reached her. It destroyed my second self by picking him up and crushing him, smashing him into the ground and water beneath, but that stopped its charge. I hurled Chaos at the thing, screamed at it, tried to distract it from Sphae getting herself free. My other selves were all holding off more minions further away, through the path we had run; we'd, mostly Sphae, had managed to fell a wolf, and some phantasms were herding and picking off the rest of what had come after us. Not that we wanted to head into the cavern deeper, we were right near our exit [blot]

But just as Sphae freed herself, one of those repulsive, spitting thrashing things came from Winds know where.. and [blot] it spit acid all over her.

[a large blot]

It was horrifying, infuriating, and [blot] something I would not let stand. She screamed, she couldn't seem to move, and I knew I had to reach her. I had to reach her, but I had to be rid of these disgusting things first. They would not live for that.

I was so furious. Perhaps it was a poor decision to look back on, but I didn't care at all then, and [blot] I created a vortex. A one way portal to the In-Between, which draws in anything too close, and if unchecked, will only grow to consume more and more. They are terribly unstable Rifts, like punching holes in the fabric of reality to let whatever realm they touch suck in all it can from this one. [spot] But those wretches deserved the most twisted of fates, and the In-Between was sure to be most merciless.

The husk was the first to go. Then that disgusting, thrashing thing [blot] I had called another phantasm to it, which distracted it for a while, until it whirled back at Sphae. With what seemed like a great effort, she protected herself with a barrier, the thing thudding into the protective stones, and bouncing closer to the Rift. With a blast of chaotic energy, it was hurled through, and the warped, distorting and twisting sound of its dying gurgles was never more satisfying.

[blot]

I.. was finally able to help Sphae then and [blot] I do not think I will forget what I saw. I helped her to the water, to try and wash some of the acid away but it had [blot] covered her head and had melted through with... such severity. Her once wonderful bloom was entirely [blot] unrecognizable as -[streak, blot] and her face [a few spots] I tried not to let it show just how horrified I was for her. She could barely move, and seemed to be in so much pain.. But [blot] I wasn't about to let things stay that way. There was no time to bring her anywhere, I don't think she would have [blot] And yet she still tried to speak to me with a playfulness to her voice. Sphae, my friend, [a streak and a few blots] I was not about to let you down.

We came to Bend the Rules, and by all that is, isn't, and what's between, those Rules would be Bent. I[spot] did something that I don't often do, and.. in fact often try to avoid, at least like this. But it was all I could give that would really help in the short moments that counted.

I gave her the Chaos I had.

It is a transference of energy that connects as many others as specified to myself, and gives them the Chaos in me. I had to call it first, though, call a lot of it, so it would be enough for us both. It took a few moments to parse out the threads that regenerate, that cause rapid growth and healing, but [blot] the Chaos is not like other magics that heal. It changes, warps the thing it affects, it will twist it into something different than it was, and is [blot] This is why I avoid it. It will work, it will heal, and it will save someone quickly, but for the price of being something.. different afterwards.

But this was.. I had to or I don't think she would have lived. [blot]

I told her to think of all the grand moments during her life as to ground her, but I do not think she listened. Still, as I held her close to me and drew the sigil of Inspiration on her forehead, it became clear to her, I'm sure, if she wished to see those things. They are a stable place, a place that seems to work with the Chaos if focused on to not be so [blot] jarring. It often will, as the sigil implies, Inspire the one who focuses to be of greater strength, to recover well, and to not be swept away by the power they are about to feel. [blot] But of course she did not listen~

I wonder if she thought that I was merely going to leave her there by those words. I certainly hope not, she would have been terribly wrong.

When the sigil was prepared, and the Chaos was giving me the power of re-growth, I activated it quickly, before the Chaos changed its mind, to share all the energy I could reach with her. It [blot] worked.I held her hand and kept close all the while, and, knowing better, I told her not to move. I am sure she'd feel like she wanted to, if she felt what I did..~

What had been melted away began to quickly regrow.. different, of course, but it would save her. And I don't regret any of it. It returned in twisted vines and tendrils, swirling around each other in spirals, and glowing then with power. Her face grew less raw, and other small growths occurred too, but nothing so notable. I tried to focus on guiding the energy to the right places, it caused me some growth too, though I tried to filter it through me to her before much of that happened. And I did not let her go. I couldn't.

I [blot] am not sure if she expected that I would save her. Though I really don't know what else she was expecting from me~ When she had regrown all of what was lost, I shifted the energy and carried her from that place. Well, after closing the vortex. She was floating with the Chaos at times, I could tell, but still, she jested with me. By it, she seemed much better, I was glad that she didn't try to stand and walk off, but it sounded certainly like she wanted to move..~

We got ourselves out of the cave, and into the storm, where.. we had to return. I [blot] am not sure she realized until then how different what grew where her bloom had been was. I [spot] was afraid she'd be mortified by it, that I twisted her without her Choice; she had asked a few times how bad she looked, and I never really [blot] told her how it had been. I think she looks grand now, so much better than what could have come of it, she healed so well and is so very strong. I did not know how she would feel about it though, it was [blot] so different.

All I ever seem to do is twist things when my power is involved. [blot] But I do not regret it, even if she[spot] ends up thinking of it as monstrous.

When we went back, my ferns grew a bit damaged and battered in the storm. And we also had to pass the Growth, which [blot] she would be able to feel the Chaos' panic then. I tried to make it quick, I know how unpleasant that is. Neither of these things are all that relevant beyond that we spoke of them then, once we had gotten to the Oasis so she might rest. I held her with a tendril on her arm, to make sure the link would not be broken, and she would continue to feel strong and recover more quickly; she would not run out of energy to do so with the Chaos there.

[blot] We spoke some then. Well, we had been speaking nearly the entire time, she thought I might throw her as a projectile, if I had to, and I would be her shield through the storms to be even~ She asked me if this is how I feel all the time, with the Chaos. And.. I really do wonder what it feels like to her. She said it was only anxiousness, but then when I mentioned it speaking, she asked about the whispers, like she could hear them too~ I tried to show her, more clearly, to see if she could understand what they said. I called it, and it came to me, she said she understood that there was an exchange, but I do not think she knew what it was saying. Of course, it was saying an infinite amount of things, though most mere suggestions of a small action to carry out, something that it could help with, because it is always eager to do so, to show itself in the world.. and to bring itself closer. We made a small distortion, and it was pleased. Sphae seemed to think it was interesting, though still, the anxiousness she felt was likely preventing her from rest. [blot]

I.. apologized then, for the warping. But she did not seem to think I was at all in fault. She did not wish me to feel punished, and I told her I didn't regret it at all, I.. wouldn't leave her there, and I would [blot] Well, I said it differently, but I would Bend the Rules for her, and none could say otherwise. We made a trade then. She would keep the vines as long as she could tolerate them, and I, as my ferns were damaged, would try to grow something of her choosing. 'Short and feathery' she said, that it may be easier with the storms. She [blot] mentioned too that my glow was quite lovely, and [spot] to try and retain it, should I change myself. I agreed and [blot] well, I have managed it! Sort of. It is much more curly and odd than.. intended, and somewhat fuzzy and flop about easily, which Winds know will be the end of me, but I suppose it turned out much better than it could have. She seemed to like it when she woke next.

I have and am staying with her as long as she will let me. The Chaos gives her more strength than I know she'd be allowed to if I let her go, and I don't mind at all, as surprised as she seems by my staying~There is nowhere else I would care to be right now, with her as she is; I do not wish to leave her. And if there is anything I can do for her, by the Winds, I am going to do it. 

[spot] She's really out right now~ I may or may not have prodded at her a few times, lightly of course, but[blot] Well it was much better than awaking with the damned tendrils coiled around her! That happened! It was a mistake for me to rest, but she didn't seem to notice until I was trying to move them, thorns. How they misbehave, though it apparently was [blot] not uncomfortable, and I am glad I woke first, how dreadfully embarrassing.

She even walked a bit earlier today, but it was a bit much, so she is resting by me while I write here, and[blot] well, I figure I have quite some time~ Which is good! She needs a lot of rest to recover, though I am confident she will be well soon enough. I [blot] I am just so glad she is still here. 

[blot]

I wonder if she'll notice if I place a pebble pattern on her~

[blot]

Oh! I forgot to mention, I have obtained a number of intriguing stones from the cavern. They attuned themselves to me without effort, floating behind me before long as I carried a pile of them, and once I had let them go, they remained floating behind me and by the tendrils, even during that whole [blot] endeavor. I still have them! As well as some I picked up and placed away for Lafey, as.. well, they are quite fascinating and may be what she needs. I think these may do much better than gems would, and well, I am looking forward to experimenting with them. It seems the ones that are attuned to me already effortlessly channel the Chaos in me, much like my staff would, though [blot] they have this.. grounding feeling to them too, like I have a brace against the In-Between's pull. I will write more of them later, but placing these tiny stones on Sphae reminded me~