#nyxsiris

Ezra isn’t passively sensitive to blood magic. That was the sort of thing that got Tie Breaker training halted and the mage redirected into some other form of spirit magic.

It was a useful skill until it wasn’t and there was too much blood magic around at once and over stimulation caused mistakes. Sensitivity to blood magic was excellent unless it couldn’t be turned off, in which case it was a potential liability.

Even so- even without speaking it out- they could sense it. Potential and spilt blood something thrumming from somewhere.

Elgar'nan is not supposed to be here, none of the reports mentioned the possibility of him showing up beyond the always looming threat of him being awake again. They knew that at any time he could, that was why they had the wards, but now the dreadful possibility was right in front of them. 

Nyx stops breathing , and again, just like before, the darkness curls in on the edges of their vision, but they hold it off. He doesn't know they are there, they could still help, and they should still help. There is no reason that him being here should stop them.

They are always a little bit aware of split blood, in the same way a warrior might recognize the light glinting off a blade. There is so so much of it. And in the distance, and they could taste the spirits malicious and not pressing against the veil. Compassion and Despair and Valor and Fear and Courage and Bloodlust and Wisdom and Rage.

They weigh their risks and pull out all the stops of their spirit, so much stranger than it had ever been. Their tethers and wards have only strengthened over time and give feedback. They glow distinctly even in the light of the day, a full set of wings and eyes. Their own eyes are pupil less, so they could see through all their eyes at once.

As they move through the forest looking for those liberated and taking out any venatori they found. They can feel as they draw near Elgar'nan and they know He could feel them as well. They try to be careful, but they know he will try to take them. They have faith that Ezra's wards will give Elgar'nan a run for his money.

“Ah, little Protection, you’ve come crawling back to me. You see now the error of your old choice to leave me. What a perfect time for you to reunite with me in the hour of reclamation of my glory.” They feel Elgar'nan’s grip around them, the red swirling of his magic pulling them closer.

They plant their feet and resist. “Never, I left you and I refuse to join your cruelty again. I am not yours.” Elgar'nan growls in frustration when he can't force them, and as predictable as ever, he tries to bend them to his will trying to use his magic to rebind them to him, and Ezra's wards flare.

The symbols Ezra had traced in ink and blood along Nyx’s skin begin to flicker and then spread. It is a maze with a prize at the center, with walls too high to climb and too low to dig and too strong to crack too fast for a path to be found.

The wards aren’t unbreakable- but that’s fine, because there’s no such thing as an unbreakable ward, not really. But there are such a thing as strong wards, and such a thing as clever wards, and such a thing as tricky wards.

A strong ward would not be enough to hold back Elgar’nan.

A clever ward might not be either- although it might last longer.

But a tricky ward?

Strength doesn’t matter in a fight against an opponent you haven’t noticed on the rooftop above you holding a brick.

Cleverness doesn’t matter against someone who’s openly cheating to an audience that doesn’t care.

The magic creates a lattice of words and sigils and poetry and power that wind in and around each other in confusing twists and spirals. The beginning is hidden in the middle and the end is halfway between that and the start. It changes and how it changes and when is based on a pattern that’s solvable yes- but not quickly.

It takes a long time changes too much for anything you learned from your failure to be useful if you tried again. Like trying to retrace your steps along the shore when the tides have risen and fallen again.

The wards are working. They’re working!

They struggle and the wards let them slip like water through Elgar'nan’s hands, but he keeps trying to catch them. They need to hide from him. They wrack their brain for how they escaped him the first time, and they remember only darkness.

Darkness! That’s what it was. It fills them with dread, they know the darkness and how it fills their lungs, but they know it will work, they are not night, but they are not as bright as the sun. They are the light in the dark, and they need that darkness again.

They pull on the shadows around them, between the leaves of trees, in the corners of the ruins. They let the darkness fill their lungs and their breath becomes labored, but they keep breathing and keep their eyes open. They look for their tethers, Vena, Kalais, Bug, Desi, Rook, Ezra. They are the brightest spots in their sight, but their sky is filled with many smaller lights, all the people they had met and formed connections with.

They reach toward them and out of Elgar'nan’s hands.

“Ezra! They worked perfectly. I was able to get away.” They take the other’s hand and move from where they were, not risking the possibility of lingering here. They know he will try again, it is just a matter of what.

They reach out for Ezra, needing that reassurance as they hadn't said anything yet, but they are looking beyond Nyx into the mid-distance and Nyx can feel the magic working on them.

An anger they rarely feel burns in their chest. They pull on Ezra's tether and increase their protection that they have given them. They imagine the breaking of threads around them.

They are in a palace. There is a warmth on their face. The sun? They thought it was the sun. They were surrounded by people who. Who- were they? They were fairly certain that they knew or should know? The people looked like people. They had sockets with eyes and mouths with teeth and heads with hair, and markings on their faces that felt right.

They were people- even if Ezra couldn’t quite identify them- even if they knew them. They had to know them? How else could they be there? What Ezra was certain of was that they were safe. Not just Ezra themself, but these- people who had faces and yet- did not. One of the figures meets Ezra’s eyes. They stand out more than the rest, even though their features are obscured. Their hair a flame and their eyes a glow. Their mouth is turned into a scowl and their glare burns more than the sun did- although it feels more real. 

It stares at Ezra, and then it looks to the side. Ezra follows its gaze.

There is a figure more clear that the rest. They stand away from the crowd. Ezra hadn’t recognized them at first, or but perhaps they had just arrived? A Protection Spirit! The figure had grey hair shining branch like groves on their face. Their eyes were like glass and their smile painted on. They looked almost doll-like.

That's Nyx. Why would Nyx look that way? Why would they- And they were safe, because of the light of the Sun shining on Ezra and through Ezra and no one could hurt them- any of them. And all they had to do was to embrace the Sun back and-

This- wasn’t a thought of their own. None of this was. Because whomever had created this version, did not know what Nyx look liked happy. 

Ezra looked out into the indistinct crowd. Were any of these people happy? With their glassy eyes and painted smiles?

None of them were. Because none of this was real. Except-

They look out into the crowd, and bit into the meat of their palm, clenching a bloodied fist, and yanked- as if pulling aside an invisible curtain.

They are on a cliffside- a place they weren’t quite sure how they left and knew they never had. Immediately they turned to Nyx. Their runes flashed and burned like embers waiting for a simple gust of air.

They squeezed their staff with their bloodied hands, the white wood remaining just as white as it always was.

 They gently cupped Nyx’s cheek, and waited for them to return from wherever they were.

“Here/Helper/Here”

The Glorious Sun has important plans today, so they must be completely vigilant. The people that the Sun had gathered were large in number and not good at waiting. They had caused a disturbance already with an animal of some kind. Protection hated when innocent creatures got in the path of the Sun's glory. 

“See, aren't you so glad that you returned to me Protection? I can keep you away from the riff raff. You will be witness to the coming of my new kingdom.” Nyx was very used to how Elgar'nan talked, it was irritating to say the least. They much preferred… someone else. They blinked, trying to recall the face they were thinking of, gray like their own hair and purple. Helper. 

But they don't know a helper spirit, do they? 

They try to remember how they got here. They had left Elgar'nan, so why did they return?

“Protection! What ARE you doing? I need you here and at your best.” 

They blink and nod looking back to the Sun. “Of course, my apologies.” but they still can't shake the nagging feeling that they need to look for this Helper. 

They look past Elgar'nan to try and find them. They felt in their spirit that they needed to find them, something was tugging on them. Something pulled at their chest. They turn away from Elgar'nan again, searching the faces to find the one they need, following the tug in their chest. Their feet are moving before they think. They see them, their friend, Helper. “Ezra!”

The magic breaks around them both, their connection to each other prevailing over anything that Elgar'nan tried to ply them with. Nyx wonders what pulled Elgar'nan’s attention away from them, likely whatever the inner circle is doing, so they should get moving. They lock eyes with Ezra and they don't need words to both get moving to help the captives.

There are cages, full of terrified people with Venatori standing outside of them that are, in Ezra’s opinion, not terrified enough.

They can fix both of those things.

Ezra runs towards the first one, quick, efficient. Their staff clenched tightly and their fingers splayed as sickly green melts the first guard from the inside and their lightning took out the second.

They knew they could trust Nyx to watch them as their magic ripped apart the threads holding the cage door closed. They almost burn under their finger tips. They felt- something- and they turned to find a Venatori too close to them and rushed forward. Their palm, cracking with lightning, slams into his chest and they are sent to the ground, twitching lifelessly.

They notice Jerran, dressed in his old mercenary garb. He makes eye contact with them, and then his dagger is in the chest of a man standing next to him, dressed similarly. And so Ezra works on freeing the Dalish trapped inside.

There are so many people here. They don’t recognize any of them, and they wish that they did. Just enough so that they could know who to look for and who to ask about. There are Dalish elves in the Veilguard. They seem to know what to do, so Ezra focuses on what they know. Their fingers picking apart arcane locks with ease. They feel like they should be bleeding, but they know that’s just in their head. Shaza and her son look different- and it’s perhaps the magic of this place getting to their head. But they help guide the people to safety.

Their eyes catch that of a woman. The left side of her face is covered in blue ink, save for the negative space in the shape of twisting vines that’s mirrored on her left. They do not envy her. She looks away from Ezra, her head lowered. Ezra’s smile is as soft for her as it always is.They rub their own face in sympathy. In another life, they could easily see themselves as having donned Falon’Din or perhaps June’s vallaslin, and the idea is-

They’d have scraped their skin raw.a

They nod towards the where the other members of the Veilguard are waiting to bring the newly freed to safety. That woman, they point in the direction of Naina. The white haired woman should be able to give her the guidance and help she’ll need.

That’s the nice thing about Veilguard. Everyone has a part to play, a piece to fill. And if everyone does what they know, then there’s nothing left to be done.

They take up their bow and cover Ezra as they work. They feel each breaking of the seals and bindings like small pops of energy released. They fire as fast as they can, most of the venatori coming for them only need one shot to take down, but they start to overwhelm with numbers alone. They see some slipping through and getting closer. The crack of lightning is familiar and expected as Ezra drops one that was too close to them, and Nyx redoubles their efforts. 

They see as allies start to join, more arrows join their own; more pops of energy as bindings break; the sound of metal clashing on metal. Truly there are so many venatori here. 

They free the last of the captives and they start to move to retreat.

There is a calm, in which there’s no one left to fight and no adrenaline rushing through their veins and nothing to siphon from and then that’s when it happens.

It was the wetness they’d felt first. A damp that brought with it a chill on their borrowed disguise. The stinging came next, and then, an understanding as they stared at the red on their fingertips. 

Their side was very very wet with something that felt like potential.

Blood. It’s not one of the Venatori’s nor one of the Dalish. And there’s a lot of it.

 They caught Nyx’s eyes, and put a hand not holding their side on their shoulder. “Help.” They uttered, as their vision went strange, as their knees simply gave up carrying them, and they collapsed into the spirits waiting arms. 

They fall into step next to Ezra, but it is different now with Nyx's new powers, they have more things to watch, more to take care of and more everything. They want to believe that is the reason they don't notice at first; the reason they don't notice really at all.

Only when they see Ezra, their hands holding in blood on their side, a small ‘Help’ calling to them. It stops their breath. They move quickly to catch Ezra in their arms, holding them close. Arlathan Forest doesn't need or deserve to take Ezra's blood. They should not be another tally in the land's bloody history.

He looks at Protection and the mage who looks so much like her. Protection can see him now, and he’s aware of that. He holds out his hand and presses it to the mage’s wound in a way he can only manage with all of the anger and the injustice and the fear and the blood.

The air is filled with the smell of burnt flesh and blood as the wound is burnt shut and the mage hisses in pain, but cannot pull away.

He stares at Protection for a moment longer. 

The Sun’s servant approaches and his head does not turn but he sees him, and the servant’s clothing ignites and him along with it.

They stare at the other spirit. He looks like Ezra, but not quite. They feel him burn Ezra's wound closed. Rage. He is a kind of rage. The Rage they felt before, an old rage. They are stuck for a second, remembering the Rage that hurt them and lead them to Ezra.

Burning flesh fills the air and brings them back to the here and now. The venatori are burning, this rage is with them. “You've been with them, protecting them, helping them.” They see some of their family coming to them. “We have to get them back to the lighthouse.”

Ezra's mouth fills with ash and that they are conscious enough to know it doesn't come from Nyx. They turn to see their own face, or- sort of their face? A younger face staring at them silently.

Gratitude/Appreciation/Thanks

They feel warm, but also cold as they see Beck and Kalais and Del approach. 

They feel tired but they know it's not- true tiredness and that they cannot sleep here.

He nods to Protection and steps back to where he can be felt but not seen. It’s easier this way. He would rather see than be seen.

He will follow the Protection Who Is Not His Servant and the Mage Who Is Not Her as he always has.

They Mage Who Is Not Her has Protection and does not need him now, but- he is, it is not that he is needed. It is that he wants-

The forest is lively as Kalais strolls through the trees, hand in hand with Beck, with Nyx on their other side. The trio follows behind Vena as she forges ahead through the trees, waving around Kalais’ prototype, listening to the tone to find a suitable spot. Today they plan to test the device’s capacity for measuring the Veil with leylines, rather than ambient magic. Tests at the Necropolis proved it could detect nearby stationary lines at a fixed crossing. Now it is time to see if it could pick up any in a location where the lines might be in flux.

“Are you sure it was a good idea to let her handle that?” Beck leans down to quietly ask. 

Kalais nods in response. “Yes. I trust her, and I have faith in my work to stabilize it. Any volatile spirit energy should be diffused or redirected through to prevent any kind of explosion.”

“That’s sweet that you thought about that for her.”

“It’s not just for her,” they admit. “If it’s going to measure Veil strength, it needs to handle being near all kinds of spirits for places where the Veil is very thin. I…well I did some testing on my own to make sure it could do that.”

Nyx raises a brow at that, glancing sidelong at them. “On your own? You mean alone?”

Kalais’ face turns a little red. Technically, they had originally planned so, but had run into Jerran along the way. “I didn’t do the experiment by myself. Jerran was with me in case anything went wrong.” They don’t mention how it almost did go wrong, and that voice they heard during it. It isn't important. The important part is that no one was hurt and the device survived. 

Since then, Kalais has continued the work on the device, taking breaks as needed (often determined by Beck, or Nyx, or Vena), and had spoken to others who suggested ways in which it could be fixed. Desi suggested a larger battery, a fix which has yet to be tried unfortunately as Desi was focused on his grove, but Kalais feels would be the best option. Ezra suggested eliminating some efficiencies to force the device to use more of what is drawn in. It required some re-wiring and re-directing of how energy flowed through the prototype, but Kalais believes they have accomplished it. They did a brief test in the Lighthouse with some success. Now they are out here and so far it seems to be working, though its just on its most basic function. Once a suitable spot is found, they will set it up and run the device through the next activation steps, hoping it will read the leylines again. And if that works, they will finish the steps to generate the field. All in all, both steps should only need to be active for a few seconds to tell if they have done it correctly. Once that is determined, they can deactivate it and prepare it for a larger battery.

The group continues forward, chatting idly. Kalais asks after Nyx's new paramour, gently teasing but sincere in their interest, causing Nyx to blush when they respond. Vena races through the trees, stopping just long enough for the others to catch up, and once they're in sight again, she's off once more, disappearing between branches. Kalais tries to keep an ear out for her to keep tabs on where she is, in order to follow after her yes, but also with concern for safety. They know Nyx is surely doing similarly, keeping a spectral eye following the younger elf. All in all, Kalais enjoys the time spent with part of their family.

At some point though, something begins to feel off. Kalais stops joining the conversation, slowing down and listening. No birdsong. No small animals rustling in the leaves. The forest is too quiet. Both Beck and Nyx notice, though Beck is the first to check on them. "Is everything alright, vhenan?"

Kalais shakes their head slightly. "I don't know. It's too still. Just wind." They have learned from years in the forest, when everything is quiet, something is about to happen. Usually something bad.

They start moving again, then Nyx freezes up, all eyes wide, and wings popping out. Kalais' heart plummets into their stomach. "Vena. This way!" Nyx takes off immediately. Kalais and Beck follow after, with Kalais grateful Nyx didn't just teleport. If they had, Kalais is uncertain if they would be able to find where Vena had gone. Thankfully, she isn't far.

They find Vena in a small clearing, but she is not alone. Six Venatori are in the space as well. One holds Vena in his grasp, holding her arms tightly behind her as she struggles weakly against his grip. Parts of his robes look singed. She had clearly tried to escape herself. The Venatori must have done something or given her something to keep her in their hold. Four of the Venatori stand behind, knives and swords out and ready, looking to the one in command for instruction.

The final one, the one leading this group, stands in front, holding the device in his hand, inspecting it. "Well isn't this interesting?" He looks at Kalais, Nyx, and Beck. "What a fascinating instrument. Something extra to bring with us." He looks back towards his compatriots. "Take the elves, kill the qunari."

A bolt of necrotic magic whizzes past his head and slams into a tree behind the group, splintering bark from the trunk. "You're not taking anyone," Kalais says firmly, hand still outstretched after casting. "That was a warning. Let her go." On either side of them, Beck and Nyx stand with their own weapons out and ready.

The leader smirks while some of the others laugh. "No, we won't. And you know what else, we'll take this thing she was carrying as well, when we grab you all. Maybe it will help in the upcoming event." He looks over the device as he muses about it. "Of course, we'll need to figure out what it does." He glances at the trio. "Would one of you care to enlighten us before we gag you all?"

Kalais glares at him. Beck shifts slightly beside them. Nyx is motionless. But then tension is palpable.

"Very well." The Venatori reaches for the switches on the device.

"Don't do that." Kalais takes a step toward him. He stops and looks at them with a brow raised. "If you activate it wrong, it could be disasterous."

"Then, maybe, you should tell me what it does."

"Let us all go. I'll tell you what it does and you can have it—"

Beck looks at them incredulously. "Kalais—" she whispers.

Kalais puts a hand out to their side to stop her. "—You can have it, as long as you let us all go, including her." They hold their hand out toward Vena.

Without taking their gaze from the one holding Vena, Nyx whispers to Kalais. "You can't trust them." Kalais glances at them out of the corner of their eye. They know they can't trust them. But they have to try, if it gets them all away and to safety without injury.

The Venatori stares at them, then smiles. "What does it do?"

Kalais looks between Vena and the venatori. "Let her go first."

"What does it do?" he snarls.

They glare at him, jaw clenching. "It measures the Veil," they answer, tone tense and words clipped. "Finds places where its thin."

"Was that so hard?" His smile is back. "Of course, you could be lying so just to make certain-" He activates the device before Kalas can say anything else, flipping each switch in quick succession.

The artifact begins to glow and hum a loud high pitched tone. Kalais moves, dashing towards Vena. Several names are shouted, and Kalais hears their own and Vena’s from both Beck and Nyx. The artifact builds up energy, the excess crackling and shooting off bolts into the air. Kalais reaches Vena, placing their hand upon the arm of the venatori restraining her, focusing their magic on that connection point and pulling life force from him, inflicting necrosis that spreads up the venatori's arm. He screams in pain and releases Vena, and Kalais pulls her to them. The artifact sparks even more and with a loud crack, the energy explodes outward. Kalais wraps themself around Vena, summoning a shield around the two of them, hoping its enough. They feel a blanket of warmth settle around them, as Nyx's protection shelters them from the outburst of energy. The Venatori all scream.

Kalais' hair whips around their face in a way it shouldn't in this part of Arlathan. They glance over their shoulder. The burst of energy ripped a tear in the Veil. The venatori are all dead, having been too close when it happened. They're certain the only reason they survived, both Vena and themself, is due to Nyx. Kalais looks around, searching for Nyx and Beck. Both of them took cover a little ways away it seemed, as Kalais spies the two of them several meters away. Beck's mouth moves but Kalais can't hear her over the sound of the wind and pure magic. Signs that the tear is unstable.

"Da'len."

Their eyes widen and they slowly look back over their shoulder. Their hold on Vena loosens, and the shield drops.

"Mir enansal. Come here." Over the roar of magic and wind, soft and gentle tones call to them. Memories of what she looked like were long gone, but Kalais would never forget her voice. They still hear her in the lullabies they hum to themself some nights.

Despite every warning sign, despite Ezra's warning as well, Kalais turns and faces the rift. There is something, someone on the other side. Ezra warned them, reminded them of the danger, but they also said there was a chance. Kalais needs to know. "Mamae?"

"I'm here. You won't be alone anymore."

“Kal?” Vena’s shaky voice reaches their ears. “Kalais?” 

They answer without looking at her. “It's my mom.” As Kalais stands there staring into the tear, they see her, a light shining through, a hand reaching out to them. 

“Look at how you've grown! I'm so proud of you!” 

Kalais smiles, eyes tearing up. It's all they've wanted to hear from a parent. "I've missed you. I've missed you so much!"

"Mirnehn, come here. Take my hand and we can be together again. Forever."

They take a step closer, hand half raised toward the rift and their mother. A different hand grabs their other, stopping them in their tracks. "Kalais, don't do this." Their name jolts them back into some focus. They haven't been Mirnehn for a long time. She doesn't exist anymore. But their mother wouldn't know that. Kalais can forgive her that.

"Together?" they ask the spirit.

"Yes. You will never be alone and never forgotten with me."

Never alone, never forgotten, together with their mother forever. If it's their mother. Kalais' grip tightens on whoever's hand holds theirs. The offer is tempting, but it sounds lonely. Even with all their fears and worries—maybe the reason those anxieties exist—Kalais isn't lonely anymore. They have love, family and friends they have found and surrounded themself with. "I can't leave my family. They need me," they say quietly. The wind whips harshly around them. In the back of their mind, they vaguely recall that as a sign the rift is becoming more unstable.

"I am your family!" The words are harsher. A tone of voice their mother never used with them. "Don't you want to see me again? Don't you want to spend more time with your mamae?"

They do. Kalais must admit to that. They always wished they had more time with her; wished that she had not become sick, that she had lived and they never transferred clans, never met their father, and lived a good life full of love. But that's not what happened; and as awful as their lonely upbringing was, Kalais would live it all over again knowing the love that waited for them.

Kalais steps closer to the rift, their hand slipping from their sister's grasp. The wind whips wildly around them, almost dragging them toward the tear at times and they plant their feet firmly to fight against the pull. "You can't give me that," they say, feeling tears fall down their cheeks. "You're not her, as much as you sound like her, as much as you pretend to be her. You can't be her."

The form of the entity flashes and snarls. The rift grows more and more unstable. Kalais recognizes the beginnings of a collapse, the Veil's attempt at fixing and righting itself after a violent tear. They need to break away soon or they won't be able to get far enough away to avoid serious harm. They focus back on the entity, who screeches and tries to lunge for them. Kalais stands tall and faces it for a final declaration.

"You're not my mom."

Kalais breaks away, cuts off the connection, just as a strong arm grabs them and pulls them away. The tear collapses in on itself, as the Veil rights itself with a final expulsion of energy in the area. The wave of it knocks Kalais and their protector to the ground, as a protective aura envelops both of them once again, keeping them safe from additional harm.

When the air calms, the arm around Kalais lets go. "Kalais, vhenan, are you okay?" Beck's shaky voice reaches them, as she looks over them.

Kalais sits up, gently pushing away her hands, wiping tears from their face. "I'm fine." They glance around the area, looking for Vena. Their sister stands next to Nyx, wide eyes watching. Nyx's arm holds her close as they, too, watch Kalais, worry evident, but Kalais is uncertain if its for them or Vena. "Vena…" their voice shakes.

"Kal…" Kalais cannot decipher the look on their sister's face as she grabs Nyx's clothes.

"I'm sorry," they say, trembling. They know they made a mistake, believing even for a second that they could trust whatever that was, and they all saw it. It was a mistake to even bring them out here, to put them in danger like that. "I'm sorry," Kalais repeats again, glancing up at Nyx. "This shouldn't have happened. I didn't mean- the Venatori and- it was activated too quickly- and the spirit-" They have trouble breathing as they try to explain. "I didn't think- I didn't know- I'm sorry."

Beck's arm wraps around them, pulling Kalais against her. Her hand gently grabs their chin, turning them to look at her. "You didn't know, and that's okay. We're all alive. No one is injured besides some scarps and bruises." She kisses their head as Kalais clutches at her armor and clothes, trying to calm their breathing and focus on her words. Her presence, the gentle pressure of her arm holding them, helps ground Kalais, and even after a short moment, they already feel calmer.

They take a deeper breath and look up at Beck. "Thank you, vhenan. You can let go, now. I would like to stand." Beck nods and helps Kalais to their feet. Once they're steady, Kalais turns their attention back to Vena, taking a small step towards her. Beck had said there were only minor injuries, but that might not account for everything the Venatori could have done. "Are you alright, Vena? Did they hurt you? Do anything to you?"

Vena looks over them with that same indecipherable look, then takes a hesitant half step towards Kalais, though still loosely holding onto Nyx's arm. "Is it you, Kalais? You're still you?"

They nod. "Yes. Yes, I'm still me, Ven."

"You rejected it? The spirit and what she offered? You're staying?"

Kalais nods again with a small smile. "Of course I'm staying. We're family," they say, motioning between themself and Vena, but also to Nyx and Beck. "You don't abandon family."

Their sister smiles widely and runs toward them, wrapping her arms around Kalais in a tight hug. "I was so worried, Kal," she confesses, voice slightly muffled as she buries her face into Kalais shoulder. "You said it was your mom and I was so scared you would leave."

Kalais returns her embrace, holding her just as tightly and resting their cheek on her head, closing their eyes for a moment. "Never. Never by my choice am I leaving."

A hand settles on their shoulder, and Kalais opens their eyes to see Nyx with a soft smile on their face. "We stick together and rely on each other." Kalais nods to them as well, wrapping an arm around Nyx and pulling them into the hug. "I don't know if that entity was attached to you or the artifact, but it is gone now, at least for now. Please, let us know if it comes back," Nyx says, pressing a kiss to Kalais' temple.

"I will. I promise," Kalais replies. They hope whatever it was doesn't come back. Resisting the temptation once doesn't mean they could succeed a second attempt. They will be vigilant for any sign of reappearance, and inform someone the moment it does. Kalais' hold on their siblings tightens as they bury their face against Vena's hair and the fabric of Nyx's clothes.

Behind them, Beck speaks up gently. "Kalais…the artifact…" They release their siblings and turn toward her, spending a moment just gazing at her with love, until they see the device in her hands. She holds it carefully in her hands as she brings it to them. "I'm sorry, vhenan. It's…broken." She holds it out to Kalais, who gingerly takes it. The dark stone orb is detached from the base, and a few of the thin metal plates swing loosely in directions they shouldn't. "I couldn't…there wasn't enough time to grab it and you." She tucks a strand of hair behind their ear, which flicks slightly as her fingers brush over it. "You are my priority."

Kalais nods, still looking down at the artifact in their hands. It looks bad, but the more they look over it, the more they already see opportunities to improve it as they rebuild. Like everything, it will just take time. "I know. I'm not upset about that. People are always more important than things." They look up at her with a small smile. "Thank you." They gently pull her in for a small gentle kiss. "It's not beyond fixing. Just a little more work."

Beck cradles their cheek, thumb brushing over their skin, admiration in her eyes as she gazes back down at them. "If there is anything I can do to help, just say the word."

They lean into her touch. "Having your love is already enough." They take a deep breath and step back, looking around at all of them. "Um…I suppose we should head back. This…was unexpected and I don't think it very safe for us to continue, and we should inform others."

"I've never seen them in such numbers in the forest," Vena says, shifting from foot to foot. "And he said something about an event."

Nyx places a comforting hand on her shoulder, and looks to Kalais. "I agree with Kalais, we should head back. We can inform the leader of the Veil Jumpers at the camp before we head through the eluvian. We will make sure others are informed to be even more cautious if they must visit Arlathan and to never go alone."

Beck gently takes Kalais' hand. "Then we shouldn't stay here. The longer we delay, talking about this, more people might be sent out without knowing how dangerous it is."

"Then let's go," Kalais says as they begin moving. "I know the quickest way back. We stay together, within clear eyesight at all times." They fall back onto the same rules they've had with teams on expeditions before, stepping easily back into that lead role.

Together the group moves, weaving through the trees, careful and cautious of any other threats, keeping an eye on each other. Kalais constantly looks back, checking that everyone is still following and no one has fallen behind. Eventually, the camp comes into sight and Kalais breathes a little easier. They allow their family a moment of calm and rest as Kalais informs Strife of their encounter, though deciding to omit the rift and the spirit. After, they regroup in front of the eluvian and step through, the group heading home to rejoin the Veilguard and the rest of their family.