The Way The String Goes - Dungeons And Dragons

A Memory Wormhole

Evangeline took a few steps closer into the room to discover the horror inside, mentally freezing but her feet took her right beside her fallen companion, everything went silent as her mind slowly dragged her back into her memories.

— Mr. Facilier, I found some books and stories scattered around the library but they talk about the same thing... more or less, at least I think they do, seem like old tales and folklore but it seems oddly detailed once you put them together, do you think it's worth following this trail? —  I remember my awkward teenage years when I started to feel at home at the library and with enough authority to rearrange my teacher's books, he seemed to appreciate this, though not so much when he saw the books I was talking about.

— Put those back where you found them, that ain't nothing but an old wives tale to scare them, little kids, as if this damn world wasn't scary enough. — Mr. Keith usually was a cheerful, kind, and easy-going man but for that whole phrase, he was as stern as I'd ever remember.

So I did as told and went back to my regular studies, or research I think is more accurate, I told Mr. Facilier that I wanted to know all that I can so I can make up stories to tell to anyone that would listen, I remember he laughed and took me to the part of the library where the history books were, and told me that fantasy had to have a bit of truth so it can capture the audience.

That became my favorite hobby and time became a quick blur, I'm ashamed to admit I didn't think much about my older sister or baby brother, maybe I convinced myself that my parents had abandoned me and so, it felt less awful to never look for them, in time they actually came looking for me.

— FIX HER! — She heard herself scream as dark swirling lines started appearing on her face and body deep and black, making her skin look like treebark, her eyes were turning white and her jaw seemed to unhinge, though it was for a split second Evan'geline managed to stop and control herself once she saw Abel's frightened face as he raised his hands as a sign of surrender and also to shield himself from her.

— I-I-I'm so-sorry Evangeline, I... I can't! I don't have the means to do magic that strong... I-I need diamonds and...and... I'm sorry.— He stumbled his way through the words pitifully feeling like he was about to wet his trousers, he knew they were travel companions to that point but that murderous aura was too upsetting to ignore.

Only once she looked at his shaking hands and that clear face of a person about to cry she sighed and looked down, there it was, Eilrath's headless body, only then could Abel see the woman start to sob tough making a great effort to stay calm and reasonable, for a second he thought she was going to snap and just go insane just there and then, he stayed silent and watched as her hands seemed to work on their own, trying to fix their fallen companion, to make some red magic threads that had fixed so many things before, maybe now he thought, would fix Eilrath, but he knew it was for naught, she wasn't a thing, she was a human being and Evan'geline wasn't a healer.

— We can't leave her like this. — She said slightly in a trance, looking like she was on auto-pilot.

Evan'geline got up and looked at Abel, both of them looked just wrecked, covered in blood and only the gods know what other substances or dirt, the fight that almost took their lives left them exhausted but they still had mysteries to uncover, and information to deliver to their employer, though the white-haired woman made the desition on what to do next and the course of action they were going to take, without knowing if their friend understood her in this form she turned to him.

— Meeeeheee. — Said Sirdan the goat as she stared.

— Go look for Rajeem, tell him we lost Eillrath and we're going to bury her.— She said it more like an order than asking before stumbling past him.

— Meeeheeee.—  he replied and started running towards the closed front door and hitting it with his horns and mostly his face, gladly he was too drunk to feel anything.

She looked around the part of the house that could've been the living room, though it only had a couple of big tables with blood, a severed hand, and two swords, one rusty and one that seemed to be pure silver or silver-plated, they belonged to one of the corpses they found upstairs, a poor unassuming Blood-Hunter that was sent to help the town fight their "werewolf problem", as she rummaged through the leather rust and rags that were too short for the intended purpose she found one that would allow her to tie Eilrath's severed head to her shoulders. 

Another memory came back, placing my favorite books on a piece of fabric to take back home as my father seemed to be in a heated argument with my teacher.

— You can't just drop her off for two years and come back to take her away, we had a deal! — I heard Mr. Facilier scream-whisper to my father. I think they were unaware I was spying on them from the bookshelves beside them. 

— I'm not taking her away, I need to borrow her for a while for a family tradition and I'll give her back I promise.— my father said calmly. I remember the rising anger I felt in my chest as I heard them talk about me as if I was a piece of property, what was up with that?

— I just find it damn strange, right when she is about to turn of age you come to pick her up... don't you dare cross me, Ray. — those words sounded almost like another language to me but I just took a few steps back and went back to my room. I didn't want to know what those words meant.

The sound of shattering glass snapped Evangeline of her thoughts, it was caused by goat Sirdan, jumping through the window and running towards the Emerald Beetle where they had been staying ever since they arrived at Evermist.

—Meeeeheee. — he bleated as he ran through the streets, getting strange looks from the people he passed by, though luckily for him they took it as a random goat that just got away from its owners.

It didn't take him long to get to the tavern and ran with the intent to ram his face against the beautifully painted door, if it weren't for the ruggedly handsome cook of the establishment, Erick Hangman that seemed to be opening the door that morning, Sirdan slowed down as the redhead turned with a smile.

—Hello there little guy, are you lost?— he leaned down to scratch the black goat's chin.

—Meeeeheeee.— he replied as he felt a strange magical gurgle in his stomach and leaned into the touch.

In the blink of an eye, the hairs receded and his form swelled and morphed back into the shaggy half-elven man that usually was Sirdan, finding himself leaning into Erick's touch and said man didn't even blink at the change.

—Oh I remember you. — He said with a smile.

—Yeah, hi Erick, you're early here.— Sirdan returned the smile as he looked for his cigar on the dirt beside his knee.

—I'm here to open the place for the customers, yes, but this is a nice way to start the day. —the man's smile widened slightly, not moving his hand from the other's cheek.

Sirdan smiled and hummed before he remembered why he was there, —Can you hold that thought? I have some urgent stuff to do.— he said getting up and rushing upstairs.

He didn't even have to knock since Rajeem's nose let him know who was on the other side of the door, Sirdan had a particular odor to him that he'd gotten used to by now, but the strange stench of wet fur that came extra to his usual odor intrigued him and made him open the door.

—Sirdan. — the soft voice of Rajeem greeted the man with a slight show of concern. — What's going on?

— I...— he suddenly found himself at a loss for words. — there's something I came... to say... meeheee — he whispered to himself, just worrying the other man even more.

—What? What happened? — the pale man stepped closer just completely confused by Sirdan's behavior

Grasping his hair and feeling as if he was having the worst hangover ever Sirdan groaned trying to push the words out. — we couldn't save her... she's... hurt... no, she's dead!

Rajeem tensed immediately as he tried to meet the momentarily deranged man's gaze — Is Evan'geline ok?