#delemont

Solitude sometimes is best society.

-- John Milton

'Haus Annaheim', single family house in Rossemaison Rossemaison, Delémont, Jura, Switzerland; 1980

Vincent Mangeat (photography by Denis Jutzeler)

see map | about the architect | more information 1, 2, 3

After he witnesses Zarya's death, Acrux uses his clairvoyance to identify Barholme as the agent behind Clan Lukra's suffering and chases after him. In dire straits, he finds his life saved by a divine power, which he traces back to the little gods. 

TW: death

Acrux was arguing with Zarya the moment before she died. Neither of their hearts were really in it; Acrux knew that Zarya was only trying to rile him up by not-so-subtly asking about any “deaths in the family,” so he responded coolly. He wasn’t even looking at her in the moment, refusing to give her that much attention; but he still knew the instant she died, because she went quiet, not only to his ears but to his mind as well. Usually Zarya sounded like hunger, and bones cracking, but then she was gone and in her place a void roared in deafening silence. It was everywhere: Acrux couldn’t hear, couldn’t breathe. Somewhere among the void came a fae’s voice, hissing, A fitting punishment and other such things; that gave Acrux something to cling to, and he recovered himself, hearing screams and crashes from around the lair. That voice … he recognized it suddenly as Barholme’s, knew Barholme for the architect of their misery, and chased after it, taking to the air and hurtling between the trees. If he could catch Barholme, maybe this madness would end. But he couldn’t tell where the voice was coming from; it seemed all around him, centered inextricably in the void that filled the Inner Sanctum entirely.

Barholme! he heard, from Aridatha, and he turned and raced towards her quarters, drawing in his wings so that his sinuous body could pass through the trees. But he was too late. He heard her cry out, heard her call for help, and then he heard her die. Even before he poked his head into Aridatha’s quarters he knew that he could do nothing for her -- nothing but avenge her. He began to search the area for any sign of Barholme. Perhaps he would be of more help elsewhere; he might be able to ease his clan’s suffering instead of avenging it. But the idea didn’t even occur to him. A fire burned in his blood, a rage that Acrux had never truly felt before -- his disgust with Zarya had been but its pale shadow. It would not allow him to stop or hesitate; he would throw himself at Barholme until one of them died, would happily break the fae’s tiny body between his talons and wipe him off the face of Sornieth -- if only he could find him.