TIMESTAMP: Solace 12, Glade, 122
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He did not feel particularly hot nor cold, nor did he feel anything he would compare to earth or wind. Rather, he felt his senses fraying, his mind reaching, and the oncoming pressure in his head that he'd dealt with in several of his prior initiations. Again, like in Mesmer, in Semblance, and to a degree Masquerade, it felt like his very æther was beginning to unravel; what could that mean?
Æros squinted, the world around him shifting out of focus. "I…yes, but…not…what I was told…to expect…”
He expected fire in his veins, pressure in his bones, temperature extremes or the rapid cycling thereof, hindrances to his breathing– things one could associate with the primary four elements, and yet, that was not the case. For whatever reason, the disturbances to his æther felt far more like the unfiltered æther sickness of Semblance, he now realized. Though it did have sensory effects, the emotional tilt that Mesmer’s initiation had was not present; the more vibrantly visual nature of Masquerade, too, did not make manifest. Though for now, Æros was certainly not in the right state of mind to truly ponder why this might be.
However, as Palæmon did not quite understand what his kin meant, nor could he quite feel what the other was feeling, his brow furrowed, both puzzled and concerned. “Is, ah…is there anything I can do?” At this point, all he could do was seek to aid, because seeking to understand didn’t offer much in the realm of help to the ailing Æros.
Though overwhelmed now with this awful ætheric malaise, the starry senator had not quite reached a point of unresponsiveness. “Hilana–...I’ve a few of…her remedies; might help, they’re…where I keep my tea; well labeled…” His voice was growing weaker the more he spoke.
Palæmon did not quite know where Æros kept his tea, but he did immediately begin to scan the room for a place to start his search. Fortunately, such a search need not be prolonged, as the cabinet that held these herbal remedies had glass windows in the doors, and within, some such botanic concoctions were kept in glass containers. Upon realizing that he’d spotted his quarry, the moonborn stood to cross the room and look within for whatever it was that Æros specifically wanted. Everything was, as the other had said, well labeled, at least, and there were a couple different tea infusers within the same cabinet.
With these things collected, Palæmon returned back to Æros’ bedside where a metal pitcher of water had been placed on the nearby nightstand for him, and though it was cool in temperature, that was of little issue. Lifting the pitcher, he Enmeshed it with the heat of fire, waited a few moments for the water to boil, then dispelled the effect; given the furniture was crafted of volcanic stone, he placed the heated pitcher back down with little thought, then dropped the tea infuser within.
“A few minutes and that will be ready; is there anything else?” For this purpose, he was aware that there were a variety of options; he just didn’t know precisely what Æros had on-hand.
“Aye, same…shelf; wooden box…” the horned hybrid certainly sounded withered.
Palæmon blinked a few times fast, wondering why he didn’t look at that himself the first time. He’d seen the little wooden box beside the tea canister, he’d just not thought to dig through it, focused on the singular task he had been given as he was. “O-oh, I should’ve…checked that,” the moonborn mumbled under his breath.
Returning to the cabinet, he opened the box and found a few other things; a tincture and some other things that appeared to be intended to be eaten directly. With these collected, he replaced the lid on the box, closed the cabinet for the second time, and returned to his ailing cousin. Given the other man’s state, Palæmon had to help him imbibe the varying remedies he’d gathered, given that on his own Æros would struggle greatly to do so.
By now, a few minutes had passed, and the tea would likely have been steeped enough. There was a slip of paper suggesting the amount of time that it ought to steep for, but Palæmon did not have a proper way with which to measure time on hand at the moment, so he could only guess. Either way, he removed the infuser from the pitcher and placed it on a coaster that had been left on the nightstand. And given that the tea itself was still undrinkable because it was still quite hot, Palæmon repeated the process he’d used to heat the water, though this time in reverse, Enmeshing the pitcher and proceeding to pull the heat out of it; he knew that Æros vastly preferred to drink anything cold, and so that preference was abided by.
After consuming everything he had instructed Palæmon to give to him, Æros groaned and rolled onto his back, blinking hard, and waiting for the sweet solace such remedies ought to grant him. Hilana’s care had helped quite a lot when he’d gained Semblance, so he was hoping that he’d get a similar result this time, too. She’d promised potency in what she’d given him this time, too, what with her skills in making such concoctions improving over time.
“Do…do you feel any better…?” Palæmon inquired, breaking a somewhat long stretch of silence between the two of them.
“Blessedly, I…I do…” The horned hybrid’s reply wasn’t quite as meek as his words were before.
“Excellent! I…well, I was worried for a moment; I know it always hits hard, but…to be responsible for your death…?” The moonborn laughed awkwardly, patently terrified by the idea that that fate would befall the other.
“No…I will suffer, but I will…be fine.” He spoke surprisingly firmly in response. Æros was bound and determined to live through this initiation just like he had all the others.
“Still…the thoughts are truly intrusive; I’m glad Hilana’s provisions work…” Palæmon paused for a moment, then quickly added, “...not that I would expect anything less. Her knowledge of botany is extensive and I’d even offered some suggestions regarding ingredients.” Given that the Vastiana was his student in Elementalism prior, the two of them had ample time to have traded knowledge in the past.
“But…I’m not sure what more I can offer you. Would you have me stay? I don’t mind, but if you’d prefer isolation, or, perhaps, the company of another– I can go fetch them for you.” The implication in the elf’s words was there; there was only one that Æros would prefer in this context; he’d be reticent to allow others to see him in such a state of weakness.
As relief continued to wash over him from what remedies he’d taken, the half-Fæ’s mind continued to clear, marred as his adjusting æther still was by the malaise that ailed him. He figured it was true that Palæmon could offer him little more but company at this point. Much as he did like his cousin’s presence, he didn’t want to waste the other man’s time making him play nursemaid when he certainly had better things to do.
“Aye, I’m sure you’d rather busy yourself with anything else but me…though I know you won’t admit it.” Æros genuinely did sound much improved. “A servus would be a better fit for the role of my caretaker; go fetch one, will you?”
Palæmon offered a consoling smile to his cousin. “As you wish; if you need anything at all, you really can call for me.”
He was well aware that Æros desired the company of one specific servus, knowing the other as he did, and so as he stood, he set off to find the boy.
Æros squinted, the world around him shifting out of focus. "I…yes, but…not…what I was told…to expect…”
He expected fire in his veins, pressure in his bones, temperature extremes or the rapid cycling thereof, hindrances to his breathing– things one could associate with the primary four elements, and yet, that was not the case. For whatever reason, the disturbances to his æther felt far more like the unfiltered æther sickness of Semblance, he now realized. Though it did have sensory effects, the emotional tilt that Mesmer’s initiation had was not present; the more vibrantly visual nature of Masquerade, too, did not make manifest. Though for now, Æros was certainly not in the right state of mind to truly ponder why this might be.
However, as Palæmon did not quite understand what his kin meant, nor could he quite feel what the other was feeling, his brow furrowed, both puzzled and concerned. “Is, ah…is there anything I can do?” At this point, all he could do was seek to aid, because seeking to understand didn’t offer much in the realm of help to the ailing Æros.
Though overwhelmed now with this awful ætheric malaise, the starry senator had not quite reached a point of unresponsiveness. “Hilana–...I’ve a few of…her remedies; might help, they’re…where I keep my tea; well labeled…” His voice was growing weaker the more he spoke.
Palæmon did not quite know where Æros kept his tea, but he did immediately begin to scan the room for a place to start his search. Fortunately, such a search need not be prolonged, as the cabinet that held these herbal remedies had glass windows in the doors, and within, some such botanic concoctions were kept in glass containers. Upon realizing that he’d spotted his quarry, the moonborn stood to cross the room and look within for whatever it was that Æros specifically wanted. Everything was, as the other had said, well labeled, at least, and there were a couple different tea infusers within the same cabinet.
With these things collected, Palæmon returned back to Æros’ bedside where a metal pitcher of water had been placed on the nearby nightstand for him, and though it was cool in temperature, that was of little issue. Lifting the pitcher, he Enmeshed it with the heat of fire, waited a few moments for the water to boil, then dispelled the effect; given the furniture was crafted of volcanic stone, he placed the heated pitcher back down with little thought, then dropped the tea infuser within.
“A few minutes and that will be ready; is there anything else?” For this purpose, he was aware that there were a variety of options; he just didn’t know precisely what Æros had on-hand.
“Aye, same…shelf; wooden box…” the horned hybrid certainly sounded withered.
Palæmon blinked a few times fast, wondering why he didn’t look at that himself the first time. He’d seen the little wooden box beside the tea canister, he’d just not thought to dig through it, focused on the singular task he had been given as he was. “O-oh, I should’ve…checked that,” the moonborn mumbled under his breath.
Returning to the cabinet, he opened the box and found a few other things; a tincture and some other things that appeared to be intended to be eaten directly. With these collected, he replaced the lid on the box, closed the cabinet for the second time, and returned to his ailing cousin. Given the other man’s state, Palæmon had to help him imbibe the varying remedies he’d gathered, given that on his own Æros would struggle greatly to do so.
By now, a few minutes had passed, and the tea would likely have been steeped enough. There was a slip of paper suggesting the amount of time that it ought to steep for, but Palæmon did not have a proper way with which to measure time on hand at the moment, so he could only guess. Either way, he removed the infuser from the pitcher and placed it on a coaster that had been left on the nightstand. And given that the tea itself was still undrinkable because it was still quite hot, Palæmon repeated the process he’d used to heat the water, though this time in reverse, Enmeshing the pitcher and proceeding to pull the heat out of it; he knew that Æros vastly preferred to drink anything cold, and so that preference was abided by.
After consuming everything he had instructed Palæmon to give to him, Æros groaned and rolled onto his back, blinking hard, and waiting for the sweet solace such remedies ought to grant him. Hilana’s care had helped quite a lot when he’d gained Semblance, so he was hoping that he’d get a similar result this time, too. She’d promised potency in what she’d given him this time, too, what with her skills in making such concoctions improving over time.
“Do…do you feel any better…?” Palæmon inquired, breaking a somewhat long stretch of silence between the two of them.
“Blessedly, I…I do…” The horned hybrid’s reply wasn’t quite as meek as his words were before.
“Excellent! I…well, I was worried for a moment; I know it always hits hard, but…to be responsible for your death…?” The moonborn laughed awkwardly, patently terrified by the idea that that fate would befall the other.
“No…I will suffer, but I will…be fine.” He spoke surprisingly firmly in response. Æros was bound and determined to live through this initiation just like he had all the others.
“Still…the thoughts are truly intrusive; I’m glad Hilana’s provisions work…” Palæmon paused for a moment, then quickly added, “...not that I would expect anything less. Her knowledge of botany is extensive and I’d even offered some suggestions regarding ingredients.” Given that the Vastiana was his student in Elementalism prior, the two of them had ample time to have traded knowledge in the past.
“But…I’m not sure what more I can offer you. Would you have me stay? I don’t mind, but if you’d prefer isolation, or, perhaps, the company of another– I can go fetch them for you.” The implication in the elf’s words was there; there was only one that Æros would prefer in this context; he’d be reticent to allow others to see him in such a state of weakness.
As relief continued to wash over him from what remedies he’d taken, the half-Fæ’s mind continued to clear, marred as his adjusting æther still was by the malaise that ailed him. He figured it was true that Palæmon could offer him little more but company at this point. Much as he did like his cousin’s presence, he didn’t want to waste the other man’s time making him play nursemaid when he certainly had better things to do.
“Aye, I’m sure you’d rather busy yourself with anything else but me…though I know you won’t admit it.” Æros genuinely did sound much improved. “A servus would be a better fit for the role of my caretaker; go fetch one, will you?”
Palæmon offered a consoling smile to his cousin. “As you wish; if you need anything at all, you really can call for me.”
He was well aware that Æros desired the company of one specific servus, knowing the other as he did, and so as he stood, he set off to find the boy.
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'Thoughts'
"Vallenor Tongue/Speech"
"Vastien Tongue/Speech"
"Valasren Tongue/Speech"
"Common Tongue/Speech"
