Legendseekers Part 2: Mending the Broken

It had been a few days since they’d dragged their dusty selves back to the castle, both looking worse for wear, with Ragna being even more disheveled than Rune. It was no surprise, really: Not only had she dug up an old stump to get to their findings, but she had also carried the broken artefact back to Moonreach. Rune could grumpily admit that the vexyn had done a good job. Well, at least her muscles were worth something, if not her brain.

Speaking of muscles… She groaned, slowly turning to the side. Rune swore she could feel every single one in her body. They had power-marched quite a distance. The Selune Woods weren’t exactly around the corner from the capital, but with the unknown threat hanging over Lunerest, they both had felt the push to return as soon as they could. Now she was lying in a bed in the castle’s guest wing, trying to calm down her racing mind. There wasn’t much else to do except wait for Oberon to work his magic. Rune would have offered to help, but she knew him well enough to not interfere with the scientist.

Still, it was hard being idle when she felt she could DO something. Sighing, she rolled out of bed. 

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Ragna was pissed. That wasn’t new, but it was rare that she couldn’t channel her anger towards a certain target. No, she was pissed at the SITUATION and that she could do nothing but WAIT. She wasn’t good at waiting, dammit.

After she had been walking in circles on the training grounds, her former instructor had kicked her out, yelling she should go on someone else’s nerves, he was WORKING, for moons sake. So, she went to Eden’s room. Once again walking in circles, her nervous energy made THEM nervous as well and they ended up kicking her out, too. Finally, she found herself in Oberon’s lab, looking over the scientist’s shoulder, quietly - and not so quietly - urging him on to work FASTER, ending in yet ANOTHER kick-out. Moons, she was PISSED.

She was still wandering around in front of Oberon’s lab, making the servants, who were trying to work here, very nervous, when she noticed a new xyn out of the periphery of one eye. Ah. Seemed the “forest witch” had found her way downstairs.

“Had a nice rest?” she asked through gritted teeth, not trying to hide her animosity.

Rune only spared her a fleeting glance, before the smaller moxyn turned her attention towards the lab’s closed doors.

“Nothing new yet?” she asked.

“NOTHING.” Ragna spat. “It drives me crazy. I HATE waiting!”

One corner of Rune’s mouth went up in a half-smile. “Really? I couldn’t tell.”

“Spare me your smartass-ery, witch! Lunerest is DYING and we are nothing but spectators!”

Rune hesitated. Ragna had a feeling she was biting her tongue, trying to hold the insults in. She half-hoped the witch would engage her in some verbal sparring, she was wound so tight, she could use an outlet. But to her surprise, nothing came.

Rune took a deep breath. “What do you suggest?”

Ragna blinked.

“Not sitting around for starters. You’re a prodigy yourself. The famous forest witch. Why don’t you come up with a suggestion?” The words were harsh, but her voice sounded pressed from trying to stay calm.

Rune took a deep breath but remained quiet, still regarding the closed doors. Ragna could almost hear the gears in her head turning.

Finally, the moxyn spoke up.

“Lunerest is losing more energy by the day and xyns are getting restless. It’s not in my nature to sit still, either, so if we cannot help in the castle, what can we do outside?”

She turned and looked up at Ragna.

“If the source for this threat cannot be found in Lunerest, maybe it’s in another dimension?”

Ragna regarded her, expression calculating.

“Sadly, I cannot help with dimension hopping. I never learned it.”

“Neither have I.” Rune admitted with a sigh.

“Plus,” Ragna continued, “I think the knights are already on it.”

“Good.” Rune nodded, absent-mindedly. “That’s good.”

They fell silent once more.

It was weird, standing side by side, not fighting. Even their way home from the Selune Woods had been full of bickering. Ragna didn’t think they were suddenly getting along. It was more a testament of how tired they both were.

“We could still get out and help with the disruptions around Lunerest. Maybe we find something along the way.” Rune suggested, but she didn’t sound convinced.

Ragna dismissed that suggestion immediately: “It’s not exactly my style to stumble around cluelessly. Point me towards a certain goal and I’ll go.”

Finally, Rune’s temper came through. “You told me to suggest something. Here I am, suggesting.”

Ragna smirked. “Well, maybe your suggestions are shitty.”

Rune bristled.

Ragna bared her teeth. Oh, she was so ready!

Suddenly, someone cleared their throat.

They both slowly turned in unison, looking at the newcomer.

It was another vexyn, tall and collected, with strong disapproval in his eyes. Ragna thought, a stain on the floor would be regarded the same way and she didn’t like it one bit.

The prissy vexyn wrinkled their nose.

“If you could refrain from your childish antics for just a moment and listen to me”, he said haughtily, “then I will GLADLY inform you that the captain of the lullay knights has sent for you.” His eyes met Rune’s.

“Or more precisely you, honored forest-witch. But for the sake of my and the castle staff’s sanity, I’ll ask you to take your… companion with you.”

“HEY.” Ragna snarled, but Rune quickly pushed her forward. Completely surprised by the action, Ragna let her.

“Thanks, Belvedere.” Rune said to the stranger, while they passed him. “I apologize for disrupting your work.”

Belvedere’s aloof expression never left his face. “I’ll overlook it this time.” He pushed a folded paper into Rune’s grasp, and she took it on instinct. “There seems to be a new lead to follow concerning our… worrisome situation. Hush should have more information for you.”

“I see. Thanks again!” Rune answered and continued to push Ragna ahead of her. Belvedere disappeared out of sight.

“What… who?” Ragna asked, planting her feet into the ground to stop Rune from pushing her and the moxyn ran into her with a soft oof.

“Just go!” Rune whispered. “That’s Belvedere, the head of the castle’s staff. Trust me, it’s better to get out of his hair.”

She looked at the folded paper, then around to see if they were being watched. Then she carefully opened it. Ragna leaned over her shoulder to peek.

“What’s a Moonsearch spell?” she asked.

Rune’s brow furrowed. “I don’t know”, the moxyn replied. “But if Hush thinks it might help, let us find out.”