35 Ravalor X

17.08.2024

Ravalor was afraid, though he wouldn’t let it show. At least he thought he didn’t.

Once more he felt like his presence was the very reason things started to fall apart. Based on his lived experience it didn’t feel like superstition and more like an inevitable fact of his existence.

“He needs to die.”

Ravalor had known that, he saw it in the hard and feverish determination in Zenozarax’ eyes. And it was bad. He had not forgotten the reasons why it was a bad idea. Zenozarax was turned on a path that had him lose access to important information, resources and tools just because… Ravalor was in danger.

“Don’t do anything rash, I beg of you,” he said carefully as he let go of Zenozarax’ shoulder. There was something in Zenozarax’ eyes he couldn’t quite place as he looked at him, like memories that passed by, veiled and vague like the barges crossing by in the morning mist above the river Elba.

Why was he thinking of Treva now?

“If what you say is true, and Quadirymir won’t attack them directly, trust in them. If the Warrior is with Aeven and the Hammer, he is much safer than I am. Aeven is a good man and he is capable.“

It gave Zenozarax pause, he saw the flame of impulsive restlessness calm before his eyes, in the way Zenozarax’ expression changed, his brows relaxed and shoulders loosened.

“Of course…” Zenozarax muttered as if he had completely forgotten about the Hammer. “That piece of shit…“

Ravalor wanted to object, because while he could understand Zenozarax being not particularly well disposed towards the prince, he didn’t want him to talk about Aeven that way, but before he could diplomatically express that Zenozarax added,

“I think you’re right. He’s not attacking you out of consideration for me, but because he can’t beat Aeven. Not while the Hammer is protecting him,” making clear he was in fact not talking about Aeven but Quadirymir — and that made a lot more sense. Zenozarax also seemed surprisingly pleased about it. It was probably the first time in the existence of time that a chaos wizard was happy about the Hammer existing.

“Alright — here’s what we’re going to do,” Zenozarax said, “I have to focus on finishing the work on the Warrior — I made good progress. It won’t be long now, that will give me back some flexibility to act.“

“Is he safe now?“

“Yes, Moakatar is with him.” Zenozarax nodded  “You’ll keep your head down and keep doing what you’re doing. Your progress with Aeven is remarkable.“

“You know about that?”

“Even if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes I can feel it. Something has changed within him. For the better. Though I’m not sure it is wise to set him on a path of war he can’t win. Don’t give him false hopes.“

“I’m not,” Ravalor said, hoping he was right. “But he needed to understand why all of this has happened to him.“

“Given the result I do not disagree,” Zenozarax conceded. “Concerning the rest of you, I’ll talk to Sukatar. If anyone can find out what is going on there while not only avoiding the Order, but also yourself and Quadirymir, it’s her. I’ll not ask of her to take on this risk while she isn’t whole, but she might have means to get it done sooner nonetheless. Inside information will be hard to come by without using Quadirymir, but she has a few contacts of her own. At least she used to.“

“Sounds good.” It would be comforting to learn what exactly was happening to the rest of himself. He felt comfortable with this course of action, it seemed relatively safe.

“Alright.” Zenozarax held both hands before this body, one wrapped around the other as he thought. Then he looked back at Ravalor. “While I’m still here, please tell me of your vision. Clearly. What did you see?“

“Of what I saw almost nothing was clear. I saw shadows and figures, I saw you too, others I didn’t know,” Ravalor said slowly, recalling the visions moment by moment. “I was killed by magic.“

Zenozarax shook his head. “That’s too broad. Tell me about the details. The place? The shape of the shadows? The kind of magic?“

“I didn’t recognize where I was. I think it was a ship, or industrial site. No windows and dark. Of wizard design I would say.  I saw you too there with me, but I’m not sure you truly were there. But it wasn’t right. It felt — dangerous.“

“My presence?” Zenozarax asked tensely.

“I don’t… know. But I don’t think so. I don’t see who attacked me, all I see is that flash of light, blinding me to the figure behind. I think it to be the shape of a man. He was very close.“

“Short? Tall? Broad?“

“I really can’t tell. It’s like the figure itself isn’t really a figure yet. Like a stand-in.“

“Does the spell destroy your ward?“

Ravalor blinked. “No? There was no ward. The blast hits me right here — uninterrupted.” He tapped his chest. “And I feel my entire self burn through.”

“So either you are caught off guard completely, or it is someone you trust.” Zenozarax concluded with a deep frown on his face. “Which throws a wrench into my assumption that it’s Quadirymir. By now, if you ever were to meet him, you should know better than letting your guard down.“

“So far I don’t even know how most of him looks. Xaronzul showed me only one of his parts,” Ravalor reminded him.

Without another word Zenozarax raised a row of panels from the magic in the room and three pictures taken straight from his memories appeared on them.

The first was a young man with combed back black hair. The second a young woman with similar hair and some similarities in the face. The third was an older man, clean shaved with ashen hair wearing the uniform of the Knights of Amunthon.

“These are the three I currently know of. I am very certain there is a fourth, but how he may look I can not tell. Also, I can only speak to the appearance of these two” he nodded to the young man and woman. “He used the old man to infiltrate Charon. I haven’t seen him since. But he is an envoy and he does change his appearance frequently, often taking the face and life’s of those he killed.”

“Charming,” Ravalor muttered.

“Yeah, the ugly side of the whole Envoy business.” Zenozarax murmured. “Come to think of it, it all sucks.”

Ravalor raised his brows slightly, picking up the implication that this was a normal thing to do — for all Envoys. Those in Mezchinhar too. But when he considered it closely, it didn’t even surprise him. Just another dreadful “It has to be done” everyone accepted as fact, he was sure.

“Anyways. I doubt that if you run into him on his terms you won’t recognize him based on this. But just in case - stay aware. And watch out closely for any further changes in your vision. What happened here today, all you now know, might have changed it. Or stopped them all together.“

Ravalor nodded. There was hope in that. Opening himself up to the uncertainty of not knowing was a lot more preferable when the predestined alternative prophesied his own death.

He saw Zenozarax hesitate, halting his words before he said them.

“Must you go now?” Ravalor asked.

“I do. I should.” Zenozarax answered. He didn’t want to, his own body seemed to fight him and the conviction in his words. “It won’t be long now.”

“Be careful,” He hesitated, and held out his hand with the palm turned up.

Zenozarax smiled and took his hand. And even though  the fine gloves prevented the connection between them he missed so dearly, the act itself was a small comfort. “I always am.“

“Like hell you are,” Ravalor muttered and despite the tension, or caused by it, Zenozarax actually laughed lightly. He had missed that sound and could help a slim smile himself. “Come back.“

“I will.“

Then Zenozarax vanished before his eyes and left an all too familiar silence behind. Ravalor sighed and sat down on the bed, thinking about what had just been said.

He took the moment to watch himself and especially his mind very closely as he let his memories replay. Just waiting for either void or vision to take him.

But his mind stayed his own.

A low chime got his attention and he immediately remembered where he was supposed to be right now. His shift in engineering had started over an hour ago. As he opened up the com channel however, it was Xaronzul’s voice.

“I know you’re probably tired as all hell and I’d love to just let you sleep and all, afterall sleep is quite important and especially with the lack of some parts it really drains — and with what you’ve been through—“

“You’re not sleeping well either now, are you?” Ravalor assumed with a thoughtful and mellow tone in his voice as he felt a strangely newfound acceptance of his new situation.

“Of course not,” Xaronzul murmured. “But that’s besides the point. I would — well actually Moakatar suggested it — we think it would be good if you stay with me for a little while instead of being alone. You know  just to be on the safe side.“

There was also a newfound respect for the people surrounding him. Who did care about him and each other. Who tried to live their lives and make this existence work. To be safe.

And acceptance that these were also people that had led to the death of countless people. And so had Mezchinhar. And he was part of it.

“I understand. It’s reasonable. Just let me notify Wolla and I’ll be on my way. Are you in the CC?” Ravalor stood up again.

“Ayep.”

“I’ll be there momentarily.“

“You better.” Xaronzul chuckled, he sounded relieved.

There was no going back now, nobody could undo what had happened. The only thing he could do was to move forward and try to make a difference. To change it. Even if only a little bit. Because that was all he could reasonably hope for.

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