#calcipher

"i broke your window."

It took Calcipher a second to register what he'd said. He blinked a few times, his brain trying to rationalize the sound of Little Stone speaking.

It wasn't working.

"You what?"

Little Stone raised his head from where it rested against his arms, looking up at him numbly. "I broke your window. I'm sorry"

Calcipher just stared for a moment, opening and closing his mouth a few times as he tried to figure out what to say to that.

Wyrren felt a hand grab his shoulder as he rushed towards the sound. Calcipher had run out from a side hallway, and was now holding him in place. "What do you think you're doing?"

Wyrren turned, pointing at himself, then at Calcipher, and finally at the room, which was now full of oozing miasma. They hadn't established the gestures he needed yet. This would have to do.

It seemed to get his point across. Calcipher shook his head as he looked at the room. it wasn't in either of their domains. "I'm not supposed to go in there. You definitely aren't supposed to go in there. Just leave it. It'll be dealt with."

Wyrren shook his head as he made a slashing motion. He pointed at the tiefling, and the ground in rapid succession. 'don't care. If you're not going to help then stay here'

"It might kill you, and even if it doesn't, there will probably be consequences just for going in there. Worry about yourself."

Wyrren took a breath as he grabbed Calcipher by the front of his cloak, dragging him down to eye level. He pulled his head back then slammed it into the horned tiefling's.

It definitely hurt him more then it did Calcipher, but it was enough of a surprise to get him to let go. he didn't have time for arguing. If anyone was still in there, they would need help, and fast. Consequences be damned.

As Wyrren ran towards the room again, he heard Calcipher sigh in frustration. "Fine, I get it, you stubborn little stone. I'll help." As they moved into the room he heard Calcipher add under his breath "Congratulations, I think we've found your name"

Wyrren insisted on getting everyone. It took some time, and multiple trips, but they managed to get almost all of the people out alive. none of them were conscious, but most were breathing. Including the wizard that likely caused the mess.

As they sat down to catch their breath, coughing from the miasma, Calcipher looked over, shaking his head. "You're going to force me to care about every person in this building with you, aren't you?"

Wyrren smiled in a way that could only spell trouble. He absolutely was.

***

It was becoming a consistent thing for the half-elf to rush into dangerous situations. He was insistent on helping others, even if it wasn't his place to intervene. It almost always got him in trouble, and Calcipher was rarely nearby to help. He didn't like that.

They sat on thier spot on the roof, watching the stars. They sat in silance for a while, before Calcipher finally asked what had been on his mind.

"Why do you keep putting yourself in danger for others? Even including the ones who don't care for you?"

Wyrren thought for a second then motioned for the pen and paper. It was a question that would need more words then their current vocabulary had.

Calcipher watched him write silently, it took a few moments before he finally finished. As he handing over the paper, Wyrren turned his attention back to the stars.

'I won't stand by and watch when I know I can do something. Even if it probably won't change anything. It's what got me here in the first place. I may not be free anymore, and I may be punished for it, but i am still free to choose. So I choose to be kind, I choose to help, and i choose to protect. Even if I can't change anything, or if i end up worse off for it, at least I can say I tried. When I give up is when I finally lose.'

"You can't protect everyone, you know."

Wyrren looked back at his friend, his face said he knew that, but he still signed the words 'I have to try.'

[Time with Arcon: Month 5]

Calcipher spoke quietly as he helped Wyrren through the window, and moved towards their spot on the roof. Pulling out two items as they sat down.

"I picked up a pen and some paper on my way here. no one will really notice paper in small amounts, but the ink might be missed if we keep it."

The half elf perked up at that. They had managed to establish the alphabet, mostly, but with the exception of a few easy words they hadn't gotten much further. Being able to write would be a huge help.

They immediately got to work, starting with words they would absolutely need to communicate, and gestures to use for them.

It would rely heavily on body language, expressions, and a lot of understanding of how they thought, to convey full sentences, but it would be a far cry better then the vague gestures they were using now.

***

They made significant progress over the next few months. With the ability to write things down as a guide

A lot of words shared signs with synonyms or relatively similar words. Anything with the same pronunciation shared a gesture. things with similar but slightly different pronunciations would have a gesture that was not quite the same, but close.

A lot relied on context, and they would constantly be adding words to it. Wyrren would have to stop and spell out words if they didn't already have a gesture, but it would work.

It turned out that the mute half-elf had quite a lot to say.

[Words I know for sure off the top of my head: Under Read More]

He moved through Arcon's workshop slowly. Wyrren wasn't where he should have been, but he knew he had to be in here somewhere.

He found him laying close to the wall, out of the way. Arcon had probably just left him there. He moved over to the half-elf, jostling him slightly. "Hey, little stone, look at me. Are you awake? Can you move? What did he do to you?"

Everything hurt. Everything hurt so much more then before. Wyrren didn't want to move. He didn't want to be moved, and Calcipher wasn't as gentle about it as he would have liked.

He finally opened his eyes, and focused on the teifling, but gave no other indication that he was conscious. Calcipher let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding.

"You're leaving with a few others tomorrow. I don't know where. I don't know if you'll come back." Calcipher took a shaky breath, trying to calm down. "Arcon's really not happy about it, and for once I agree with him."

Calcipher paused. "he took it out on you, didn't he?"

Wyrren made the slightest of nods. he moved slowly, but he managed the gestures. 'Don't want to leave you here. Will you go?'

He shook his head "They won't let me. I tried, I begged, but my master wouldn't have it. I'm sorry. you'll be on your own."

'Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone then. I'll come back for you. I promised.'

"I guarantee nothing. Someone has to be the idiot."

Wyrren closed his eyes. He was tired. He didn't want to go. It had been too long. He had gotten used to it. They would both be alone again, and Wyrren didn't know how long he could handle that. He knew he wouldn't last alone.

Wyrren cracked open his eyes one more time as he signed. 'Can you stay? Please. I don't want to be alone. I'm... afraid.'

Calcipher nodded and sat down, moving Wyrren against him for support. "I promise I won't leave you. Not until I absolutely have to. You should rest." Wyrren took a long moment to look at his friend, before finally closing his eyes again.

Calcipher stayed that way, quietly talking until he was sure Wyrren had fallen asleep. He wouldn't leave. He wouldn't sleep. He would stay until they had to take him. He promised.

***

Arcon grumbled quietly as he passed through his workshop, looking for the notes he had forgotten. The wizard stopped in his tracks as he noticed eyes watching him.

Calcipher sat cross legged on the floor, glaring up at Arcon. Wyrren lay unconscious across him, a arm draped protectively over his shoulders.

He looked from Calcipher, to Wyrren, then back again, locking eyes with the tiefling. Neither of them moved.

"Calcipher."

"Arcon"

"You're not supposed to be in here"

"No. I'm not."

finally Arcon moved to one of the tables, and resumed his search, still glancing at the tiefling. "I assume you don't plan on killing me while you're here, otherwise I would likely already be dead."

Every muscle in his body desperately wanted to, but if he did, they would have to run. He'd thought about it before, but where would they run to? They would be followed. The Keeper wouldn't let him go that easy.

"As satisfying as it would be. No. It wouldn't change anything. He'll still be gone tomorrow. Killing you would just make things worse." Running from here had never been a viable option. Not for him. Not without help.

"Why did you just leave him here?"

"Not worth the effort to move him. He wasn't in the way." Arcon grabbed a stack of papers then began to leave. "You have three hours. Do what you will with that. Just don't touch anything."

then he was gone. Leaving them alone.

"I told you, it's not your fault. Theres nothing you can do once he activates it.. we both know that."

He wouldn't look directly at Calcipher. There were wounds from whatever had been in that hole. From the looks of it some of them were still bleeding a little.

Wyrren could still do something to help. If he could just get his voice to work. Just enough for a spell. It was going to hurt.

He grabbed his friend's damaged arm, taking a deep breath before he tried to speak. Calcipher turned at the sudden touch "what are you...? trying to speak? But why...?" he trailed off, his eyes going wide as some of the wounds began to fully close.

It was barely more then a whisper. It came out hoarse, and it clearly hurt as he spoke. it barely sounded right, but it was enough for the spell to work. He managed to cast twice before his voice fully gave out again.

Calcipher looked at his arm, examining it as best he could then turned to his friend with a look of surprise. "What did you do? Healing spells? Have you been able to do that this whole time?... are you okay?"

Wyrren nodded 'I'll be alright. I could before, but they all require words though, and I didn't want anyone to know. No telling what they would do with that information. It just hurts to much now.'

"You're voice... sounds awful."

Wyrren broke into a coughing fit as he started laughing. 'it hasn't been used in almost 5 years, and my voice box is broken. I'm sure I would make an amazing vocalist.'

Calcipher just smiled and shook his head as he procured a small wooden box. It was slightly singed. "Here I found this while I was in that hole. It's for you. I think it plays music? And thank you, little stone. You helped more then you know."