PSL - Felih and Rihnn go to the First...

[featherfoot]

And it's not right.



P'rihnn is honestly not sure what happened. One moment he had been fighting Zenos - or rather, Elidibus in Zenos' skin - and the next he was here. He vaguely remembers being hit by a powerful headache and seeing Elidibus approach him as if for a decisive blow, but the voice that had called him didn't seem quite the same as before. Was this how it had been for the others? For the Scions? Did his body lie on the ground in the Ghimlyt Dark, soul torn away? And for this?

He looks around his surroundings, frown growing deeper and deeper as he realises he hasn't the slightest clue where he is. There is no place he knows with such dense, purple foliage... and the light shining down on him is strangely oppressive, though he can't say why.

Fortunately he can see a nearby structure, and what looks like it might be a path. He can vaguely make out something beyond the trees, too, so... that way, then. After checking to make sure he still has his chakrams, just in case, P'rihnn makes his way to the wooden structure, looking around him to see if he can spy someone he can question.

Comments

[featherfoot]

The Exarch simply smiles again, and again takes long enough to reply that P'rihnn just snaps: "Get on with it!!" He can't tell what the Exarch's reaction is, face hidden beneath his cowl as it is, but he likes to imagine he's annoyed. P'rihnn can't help feeling like this is someone he wants to see angry - it would surely be more revealing of his character than this worryingly calm and careful figure.

At least he can feel a look directed his way.

"Perhaps the details would be best learned from others," the Exarch says. "They know nothing of the Source or the First, and so I ask you not to speak of other worlds with them... but you can certainly learn more of Norvrandt.

"Once you leave the Tower and begin to acquaint yourself with the Crystarium and her people, might I suggest visiting the Cabinet of Curiosity? It is a fine library, and I am certain our librarian will be able to find what you need. Learn more of the Flood of Light, and you will begin to understand."

Flood of Light... that sounds familiar. And if this is the First, then... oh.

If Felih is supposed to be some reflection of him, with similar experiences, then it should be familiar to him too... he glances in Felih's direction, and silently mouths a name: Minfilia?

[seasoflight]

Felih still seems shaken and disheartened, but he nonetheless meets P'rihnn's gaze and nods. It sounds just like what the Warriors of Darkness had been talking about, years ago... a flood of light that consumed the world. That was how they had lost Minfilia...

"Fine, then. We'll go take a look around, but judging by your guard captain, folk are not likely to accept strangers like us who cannot even name a homeland they recognize. If we are to do this work you ask of us, we will need folks' cooperation." Even as he speaks, his will is clearly faint, much weighing on his mind.

"And a place to stay."

[featherfoot]

"You have already attracted some curiosity," the Exarch assures them, and his calm smile widens - sincerely or not, P'rihnn is not sure. "Simply by virtue of being my guests. Knowing you are here at my behest should be enough to warrant their cooperation, with few questions. There are a number of, shall we say, unspoken rules about prying too deeply into the Exarch's affairs."

"And why's that?" P'rihnn can't help asking - that first impression he got from the guard captain was a little difficult to shake. Did they somehow fear him? He can't say he would blame them if they did, as for all his calm and soft-spoken nature there is still something off, and it's not just the crystal.

"As for accomodation," the Exarch continues, and P'rihnn can't help but scowl as his question is brushed off, "it has already been arranged. I have requested a room be made available at the Pendants... though as I had only anticipated one guest, I fear you might need to share until another becomes available."

[seasoflight]

Felih's tail lashes behind him, the embers of anger quick to be stoked again.

"Answer him," Felih growls, bristling as he glares through the barrier at this man. "If you are going to demand our help, steal us from our homes and loved ones- answer what we ask of you."

The Pendants, he decides, is some place he can find on his own later. But right now, this Exarch's secrecy is only serving to frustrate him more and more.

[featherfoot]

The smallest of sighs, as though the Exarch is only answering because Felih is insisting. "...I can't help the distinct feeling you would not take my answer at face value. You would do better to ask my people."

"Still not an answer," P'rihnn grumbles, and the Exarch shakes his head.

"You will soon find they treat me as they do out of respect alone, and not, as I'm sure you are thinking, out of any fear of retribution should they put a foot wrong. The people of the Crystarium are, and will remain, a free people." Though his tone does not change, something in his posture stiffens, clearly quite insistent on that.

[seasoflight]

"At least answering gives us a starting point, disbelief or no. Let us make those decisions for ourselves," Felih says as retort, tail still lashing, before sighing.

"It does seem as if they fear you, whether you intend it or not," he murmurs. "Even in small ways they do not realize."

"Do you have any other ways you wish to inflict harm on our psyches, or shall we be on our way?" he asks after a moment, the words lacking venom and merely sounding tired.

[featherfoot]

“Do they indeed? Perhaps...” Even P’rihnn’s sharp ears can’t quite make out the mumbling that follows, but if he’s not mistaken the Exarch seems to be genuinely concerned by the idea his people might be wary of him. Granted, it could be P’rihnn’s imagination, he knows he is not quite as good at reading others as he would like.

After a moment, the robed figure looks up, and gives a small bow. “No, I think not. The less time you spend within these walls, the better for all involved, I think. You are free to leave.”

“Finally. Come on!” He grabs Felih by the shoulder, intent on leading him out of the tower so they can discuss matters further.

“Ah, wait, there is one more thing,” he adds, and as P’rihnn whirls back around with a snarl the Exarch raises his hands in apology. “P’rihnn, was it? I only wish to suggest you proceed with caution. You are here both body and soul, but how or why I genuinely do not know. Please, be careful... there may be some other force in play, and I would hate to see you come to harm.”

“Sounds like a great big pile of steaming aurochs dung to me, but fine. Now can we go?”

He doesn’t wait for the Exarch to answer, simply throws the doors open ready to march back down the linear path they had just walked. He needs some fresh air.

[seasoflight]

Felih is hauled off by P'rihnn, but even now he can't help but glance back over his shoulder at the mysterious crystalline figure behind the barrier. Ears low, gaze heartbroken and tired, before he gives in and follows the other Miqo'te out of the Tower.

He feels a bit guilty for the thought, but he's almost glad P'rihnn ended up getting pulled along with him to this world. Having to go through all this alone would crush him...

He follows where P'rihnn leads, staying close, shaken and feeling drained and exhausted. This was real, then. He was on another world, far from home and loved ones, trying to stop a threat he knows so little about. P'rihnn's company is his only solace. Even if the other man is a stranger, at the very least, he is a Warrior of Light who understands what he's been through.

"...I suppose we should start poking around, then," he murmurs.

[featherfoot]

Start poking around, huh...? Find out more about this place? He wants to start digging shit up on the Exarch, find out what people really think of him, but he can’t just leave Felih like this. He looks completely wrecked.

He’s quiet for a moment, but then groans and runs a hand through his hair, clutching at the strands.

“I need to let off some steam,” he mutters, but looks at Felih and gives him a helpless shrug. “Or do you wanna find out where the ‘Pendants’ are? You look like you need to sit down.”

[seasoflight]

"No, I- I'll get to work. I'm fine," Felih insists, with a small shake of his head. "The more information we have, the more likely this is going to end well, and... the sooner we can get home, presumably," he says, before taking a deep breath and straightening up, trying to perk himself up so he doesn't look so miserable to the city's inhabitants. He needs to be his usual cheery self if he's going to be able to chit-chat.

"Let's get to work, then," he says. "There's plenty of folk out and about to talk to."

And off they go. Felih spends quite a lot of time making playful banter with the curious (and slightly wary) denizens of the Crystarium, trying to win and charm them over, though he often finds himself having to apologize or smooth over P'rihnn's behavior. The other man is terribly rough in every sense- mannerisms, words, speech... It makes Felih's blood pressure rise from fretting about the man making enemies where they don't need any.

By the time they finally retired for the... night? (It's hard to tell, with the sky being so endlessly bright.) Felih is glad to finally just have a place to sit and rest and bathe.

"...you could do with being a bit more gentle and kind with folk," Felih eventually says, from where he's soaking in the bathtub and washing himself clean behind the privacy screen.

[featherfoot]

P’rihnn, for his part, has found the food. He could probably do with a bath as well, but for now sitting at the table to actually eat something after running around all day is enough for him. As Felih reprimands him again, he rolls his eyes and gives a deep, exasperated sigh.

“Not all of us are born with natural charm,” he says, his mouth still half full. “And I’m not gonna fake it. If people don’t like it, tough shit.” He swallows, and raps his hand against the table. “We got our answers, didn’t we? Some of them.”

[seasoflight]

"We could get more information if you weren't putting people off," Felih pouts, his tail swishing in the water before he rinses himself off and stands, draining the tub before using some conjury to dry himself off, leaving his hair silky and his tail fluffy. He does wrap himself with a towel for modesty's sake, and finally frees up the bath for P'rihnn to use.

"Rough is fine so long as you keep it to the bedroom. Otherwise, just try to make nice?" Felih teases, with a wry smile. "Or at least just try not to openly antagonize folk so much. Besides, charm can be learned, too. I bet you just never gave it a real shot."

[featherfoot]

“Never needed to, don’t want to. You done?”

With the bath freed, P’rihnn shoves another piece of fish in his mouth and gets up, not even making it past the privacy screen before he strips himself off, modesty be damned - they’re both men, they’ve seen other naked men before, and apparently they are the same person anyway. ‘Keep it to the bedroom,’ huh. P’rihnn shakes his head ears flicking back and forth as if annoyed - he doesn’t get these people who keep talking about things ‘in the bedroom’, it’s not something he ever brings up in conversation - before dunking himself in the bath, completely unbothered by the fact he gets water all over the floor.

He dunks his head under the water for a moment, leaving only his ears poking out so he doesn’t get water in them, before surfacing and trying to relax. At least the water is still hot enough to kind of help him relax, but it would help if his mind didn’t feel like it was spinning around in circles.

“So... what do you make of it? The people? Asshole-in-chief?” A splash, as his tail flicks in irritation. “‘s pretty obvious we can’t just turn away, but I can’t remember the last time I was this mad. And I still don’t know what’s up with the Scions.”

[seasoflight]

"...P'rihnn, don't splash water all over the place, I'm trying to keep it clean," Felih whines, with another deep sigh as he goes and sits, still just in a towel, now taking his turn to eat some food. He needs some food in him, and the fish and vegetables are especially welcome- though the instant Felih sees fruit, he's starting to pick it all clean.

"...I don't know what to think. He won't be open with us, the people are just as wary of him as they are admiring of him, and no one truly seems to know much of him at all- especially where he came from and how! He's been here for a century at least- and he says the tower's been like this a thousand years..."

"Not to mention, there's not much he told us about your predicament, or why it is that you remember your Scions falling soulless while I remember my companions being hale and whole at home." His ears droop.

"...I'm sorry. Supposedly you were dragged along because of me."

[featherfoot]

“It’s water,” P’rihnn protests. “It is clean!”

Again, though Felih can’t see him, he slips down so that his face is half under the water, glaring at the edge of the bath out of lack of another target. What in the world is happening...? He just thinks back to his friends, falling one by one. To Alphinaud, who was taken in the middle of enemy territory - Alisaie, on a battlefield. Each of them looking like they were merely asleep, but stripped entirely of soul. Is he supposed to just forget about them and do this Exarch’s bidding?

He pushes himself up a little.

“I can’t trust a word he says, but do you think he really doesn’t know? The people here do seem to put faith in him, for some reason.”

[seasoflight]

"Yes, but now we have to mop it up!" Felih says back, fluffy tail twitching and swishing as he finishes up his dinner. He's fine with the silence, still trying to get used to his new adventuring companion. But the more he has to think on the Exarch, the more unnerved and anxious he feels.

"...I think he knows. But I think he chose not to say so," he says with a sigh. "Admitting your arrival was a mistake was probably already difficult enough, I gather. He's probably trying to sort out if he knows how to fix it."

"The people trust him. He's been a protector, a source of guidance and knowledge, but they're still wary since they don't know anything of him as a person. I suppose I feel just as wary because of it."

[featherfoot]

There’s a small hum of acknowledgement and agreement - the Exarch definitely knows something he’s not telling, and it’s infuriating. “He ought to leave his safe little tower once in a while to say hello. Only one person we met had ever seen him outside! And she was old!”

Okay, okay, he knows the man is frail and mostly crystal, and if he fell down the stairs he’d probably shatter into little pieces, but even so he should talk more to his people.

“...come to think of it... he didn’t sound like I expected after all those ‘calls’ of his.The voice I heard was... it sounded much younger, and I could hear how desperate he was to be heard. But the Exarch seems to find talking difficult. Maybe it was someone else after all...”

[seasoflight]

Felih blinks curiously over in P'rihnn's general direction for a bit, even if he can't actually see the man.

"Is that so...? So he sounded younger, and stronger, to you? The voice I heard always seemed so faint... like whispers trying to cross the void," he murmurs. "Growing stronger with each call, until I found my way here."

"I wonder if- well... if we truly both are Warriors of Light, then- then we exist, perhaps, on different reflections of the same shard, but where each of us was the respective reflection's Warrior... and things are developing differently in your own?"

Being well-mastered in the arcane arts and many aetherical studies, such topics and ideas are fun exercises for him, but he never expected to have to apply such wild, fantastical ideas to real life. "If that logic follows, then perhaps your own version of the 'Exarch' was trying to summon you- but yours must be someone stronger. Perhaps, in the crossing of rifts, we caught each other and I ended up dragging you here...?"

[featherfoot]

“Maybe... in which case, I need to get back. I still owe the Exarch a broken jaw for what he’s done. Then I’ll hear him out, assuming the crisis is the same.”

Thinking too much on the subject and the details of what ‘reflections’ might entail seems like a headache waiting to happen. P’rihnn will leave the theorising to someone more inclined - he can follow well enough, but he certainly isn’t the smart one out of the Scions.

“You said the Scions are fine, but they’re not. Not for me. Thancred, Y’shtola, Urianger...” There’s a splash as, out of a lack of anything else to punch, he slaps his fist against the water. “He took Alphinaud in the middle of enemy territory. Alisaie on a battlefield. He’s lucky I don’t plan to kill him, but that can change.”

[seasoflight]

"If my conjecture is right, I can only wonder why it is that your Exarch and mine are so different... yours, presumably stronger, and mine... feeble, and weak," Felih murmurs quietly, anxiously. Such thoughts of different reflections, of timelines and alternate universes, of infinite possibilities and the ever-looming terror that Felih will be the one to doom it all.

At least P'rihnn can distract him with talk of the Scions. He's already concerned enough as it is, listening as he goes and gets into nightclothes, before his tail bristles and puffs up.

"He took the twins?!" The way his voice sharpens is already sign enough of how distressed the mere thought makes him. "It's bad enough to steal away the other Scions- but the twins!"

[featherfoot]

Hearing Felih moving, P’rihnn hoists himself out of the bath, not bothered by water splashing everywhere and not concerned about modesty as he hunts for a towel to dry himself with. “The twins!” he confirms. “And guess who brought back Alphinaud’s soulless body? Gaius van Baelsar. I felt sick to my stomach...”

Towel found, P’rihnn starts to roughly dry himself off, tail lashing and splashing more water over the floor.

“I need to find a way back. I - I don’t... I don’t want to leave this place to suffer, but... I can’t just drop it all! Besides... the other reflection, if the Exarch was calling me too, it’s going to be for the same reason. Right?”

[seasoflight]

"Ah- Gaius...! Then, it must have happened at that time, for you..." Felih murmurs. "I was worried sick! That optimistic fool- going off to Garlemald on his own, even though I objected! We had a horrid fight- but hells, I was so relieved when Gaius returned him to us later on. Turns out he had stumbled upon the wreckage of the ship..."

He bites his lip. "I- no, I understand. We need to get you where you should be. You to yours, me here in mine. We have our own battles to fight," he says, walking over to the bathing area with a sigh, pouting as he has to use more conjury to clean up the mess of water P'rihnn has splashed everywhere.

"You're making a slipping hazard," comes the sigh.

[featherfoot]

“So don’t slip,” is P’rihnn’s suggestion, and he quite deliberately flicks his sodden tail again in Felih’s direction in an attempt to splash him. Does Felih really have to keep reprimanding him? He’s not a child! “It’s just a bit of water! Relax. We have bigger worries.”

So, it seems that their two reflections do mirror each other quite closely, but Felih’s Scions are safe. Is that because the Exarch isn’t as strong here? Could he only manage one?

“I wonder if the main difference between the reflections is him,” he suggests, as - not even completely dry yet - he starts seeking something to wear to bed. “We’re obviously different, me and you, but it sounds like things might have been on the same path anyway.”

[seasoflight]

Felih gives P'rihnn a look when the other flicks water at him, and stands up to go tidy up the mess of water he's dripped and splashed everywhere. It's extra conjury, but he'd rather keep things tidy than just leave them as is.

"It's dirty water, and we have to keep our chambers clean," Felih insists, the healer's tail swishing irritably. "Don't you know how important cleanliness is?"

But he sighs a little, finishing up the chore, before he gives a lazy stretch and pulls the curtains shut to keep out the endless light so they could at least get some sleep. Were it not for the clocks, he'd have no sense of time, in this strange world...

"I suppose. I just wonder what changed to make him different," he murmurs, "But we'll just have to keep at it for now. Where do we even begin, in this place? Sin Eaters seem to be the main concern, being light-tainted monsters akin to voidsent..."

[featherfoot]

“Yes. That’s why I just bathed.” Another flick of his tail as he clothes himself, though by this point it’s dry enough that his attempt to splash Felih again fails. It doesn’t bother him too much, and he flops himself onto the bed. The one, singular bed, that he has decided is absolutely his now.

P’rihnn gives an exaggerated stretch and yawn, and flops back.

“Not the faintest where to start, but maybe there’s someone who can point us in the right direction... maybe they have strongholds or something, and we can just take them out?” He sounds very doubtful on that, however, and then groans. “I’m hoping we don’t have to talk to the Exarch again. One conversation was enough.”