Carantathraiel

Wanderers

Sid, across from him, froze when Daryll addressed her, nodding quickly to confirm her name before resuming her meal. Ruli folded his arms and leaned on the table as the group caught Daryll up, his eyes trained on the table. When the scholar said Kire hated to be outdone, Ruli's mouth twitched slightly, noticed only by Sid, who gave him a passing glance.
His second of amusement failed when Daryll mentioned Envy, the sinking feeling of failure washing over Ruli like a shower of ice. His thoughts spiraled again; he should try another scrying. Should try it with a few different ingredients, maybe. He could try it with more blood. Rabs, and maybe his own. Rab was half Kartaian, but Ruli was what his ancestors had called Solaralai Blessed, if there was such a thing.

"How did this girl get this power if she's no where near here?" Sid asked, setting her fork on her now empty plate. She raised her hand to offer Daryll a casual wave as he departed, turning her head toward Myka. "What magic would you have if you could pick that sort of thing?" She wondered, changing the subject. "I'd ask for healing magic. Just to touch someone and stitch together skin or ease a headache."

The conversation circled around in hypothetical magics; all participating but Ruli, who kept silent, his head down as he leered at the table. He only opened his mouth to translate for Rab, who said that his chosen magic would be to change his appearance. Clearly, he had reservations about the stares and winces he got walking around his his half-breed form. It was different here, he signed. They don't look at him with fear and disgust, but with simple wonder.

Kire's scent filled the tent, which spurred Ruli into raising his head at last to glance at her. He could smell the priestess's incense on her, albeit faintly, which made Ruli want to instinctively recoil away, but he refrained. Beyond the incense, he could tell she was anxious and worried, struggling to pull her focus away from what was happening outside the tent.
He held her gaze without blinking, not sure what she could read in his expression, but when she touched his hand and squeezed it, Ruli felt a whisper of comfort. For just a few seconds, the ice in his belly melted.

It was gone as quickly as her hand, and Ruli looked back down to the table, ignoring the dark gaze that rest upon him from across the way. "We're considering using you to counter the Goddess." Sid said, tearing her eyes from Ruli to look at the Empress. "Our idea is to offer the people effected tokens of magic suppression, possibly bound to an Amrian coin. Which bears your face."

She fell silent as Gavin offered more information, though Sid once more stole a glance to Ruli, itching to kick him under the table and get him to speak up. But Ruli just seemed to leer at the wood in front of his crossed arms, his eyes shifting in subtle movements as if he was reading invisible writing etched into the surface. It was impossible to tell if he was trying to plan out their next steps, or if he was struggling to move beyond Envy.

Kire joined them at the table to discuss their options, circling around the suppression magic, the way they could adhere it to coins, and, Sid insisted, on Ruli managing to find a way to get the magic to ebb when this was over. Allow it to slowly drain off the coins so that those who could potentially become addicted to it wouldn't be struck with any sort of withdrawal symptoms. Ruli, rubbing his forehead with his fingers, promised to put an effort into managing such a thing.
Honestly, to him, it seemed an impossible task. But he knew Sid wouldn't let it go. She had a history with addicts, he knew, so he wouldn't begrudge her for it.

Wanderers

Ruli nodded as Gavin explained how a happy memory would backfire. With Solaralai messing with their heads, who knew if she was forcing the idea that she was a happy memory, a salvation in a life broken by hardship. Not so unlike Gavin and Ikegai; the lad had wanted something better, and Akuma and Ikegai latched upon that like parasites.
Magic was finicky. "There's also no promise that placing magic summoning and attaching to a good memory would somehow set off alarms, or create some adverse effect." Ruli explained between bites. "Last thing we want is to hand someone a happy memory anchor and for the Goddess's magic to coil and strike, feeling its threat. Its better just to offer something to subdue surrounding magic, and create the effect of peace. if, for no other reason, then perhaps they won't let the item go or set it aside."

"That sounds like you want them to form dependencies." Sid frowned. "Addictions."
"Isn't that all religion is?" Ruli asked, his tone flat.

Gavin's quip about Kire had Ruli flicking a bit of vegetable. "Don't bite the hand that feeds you, boy." He answered, though he did look mildly amused. "I meant I needed to know if they like her or not before attaching anything to the coin. If they dislike her, it won't work."
"I doubt they'll grumble too hard about receiving a free coin." Sid mentioned, taking a sip of her tea.
"Kire's help with the boy is a start." Ruli said, still hunched over his plate. "But not everyone was saved by her. If we want this done quick, she'll likely need to address them each, display her help, so that they'll see her as a beacon of peace, at least for now. Hopefully it will be enough to make them temporarily forget about the recent war."

He pushed his plate away, his food barely touched. His stomach felt heavy as though he'd eaten, though it churned and ached enough to remind him he had not. Behind them, outside of the tent, he heard a strangled noise, and turned his head. "In here, Rab." He called, and a second later the half-Kartaian entered, towering over the others. He looked mildly uneasy, but sighed in visible relief upon finding the others. He raised his hands and signed quickly, finishing with a smart clap. Ruli exhaled. "I'm sorry we left you. You were sound asleep, I felt no need to bother you, but, tomorrow, I will. We won't leave you alone again."
Rab frowned at him, but came around to sit himself beside Sid. She wordlessly took Ruli's plate and set it before Rab. Both the males glanced at one another, but when no objection was uttered, Rab bent over the plate to begin devouring.

---

"Simple." Zeltzin repeated, her eyes watching Kire carefully, as if well aware of the skepticism the woman had and was waiting to parry it. When Kire seemed to accept the terms of appeasing the Goddess, the Priestess grinned. "I cannot say, yet, if this is all She will require." Zeltzin answered truthfully. "Her influence, at the time, is like a newly sprouted vine, swaying and searching for something on which to climb. The temple will be the trellis, allowing Her to focus. Once it is made, perhaps She will be able to give more guidance. Perhaps She will be sated and retreat to being ever-watchful, once more. Time will tell."

Silence passed between them again, the priestess waiting for the empress to object, ready to explain in simpler details why she must not refuse, but, again, Kire seemed to decide to move forward. Zeltzin bent her head in a slight bow of thanks as Kire promised her an escort. Zeltzin did not explain that she felt as though it were an unnecessary offer, likewise deciding against objections where this uneasy agreement lay.

She followed Kire out of Solaralai's forest, making her way to the town on sure feet, her head held high. Her eyes took in the people worldessly as they drew near; not all of them were under Her influence, but she could still sense her Goddess here, like a phantom wind carrying a blessed scent. The priestess even inhaled deeply as they came to a stop and Kire gave the order for a tent to be erected for the woman. Not too close to any of the the others, Zeltzin noticed. It was only now that the priestess wondered whose protection the Empress was concerned with.
However, she offered no ill-toned word, deciding to stand still beneath the beneath the sun and observe as the tent was raised and accomodations were brought in; a cot, a table and chairs, a small box full of papers and graphic, a candle, another box Zelztin didn't see but was sure had some purpose.

Whenever Kire looked her way, Zeltzin smiled, her face an example of friendly patience.

---

Rab had emptied his plate when Daryll came in, his pink-hued eyes rising curiously. Ruli, hearing that the priestess was here in the town with Kire, frowned. And when Daryll announced the Goddess wanted a temple, Ruli gave a low, animal-like growl. "Keep her far from the townsfolk." Ruli said grumpily. "Anything we do to keep the villagers calm, she'll undo."
"Are you going with him, then?" Sid asked, unsure of Daryll's name yet.
Ruli shook his head. "I don't like the priestesses. Anymore then I like the Goddess they serve." His lips curled in disgust. He'd told Kire that his tribe had been the one to sell out the rest of the elves to the Sun-Goddess, which, technically, put him in good standing with the Bitch, but he still had no desire to stand in front of one of Her preachers. He wanted no part in any of it.

"When Kire's not occupied with her, think you can send her our way?" Ruli asked of Darylll, instead. "We're trying to think of ways to get the magic to lessen its grip on the people, we may need her."

Wanderers

Ruli nodded, struggling to think and focus without any sleep from the night before, his mind still circling around his failed spell and his lost friend. Gavin's words came in and out, Ruli barely catching that their control over the lad slipped here and there, weakening when he had on him that blade of Kire's. Something of an anchor that would tie them to reality, regardless of whether or not they welcomed the Goddess's intrusion.

"It would take far too much work to look at each individual and find some happy memory." Sid argued gently, her fingers flicking toward Ruli. "By the end of an hour of looking from person to person, he'd be too exhausted to work."
"I won't get into anyone's heads." Ruli insisted with a soft shake of his head. "They've have enough violations and unwelcome control."
"What can you do?" Sid probed.
He raised his shoulders, then looked to Myka. "Would a coin work? Amria's got coin currency, yes? Presumably with the empress's profile stamped on it? Er, is she a good memory? I should know that, first. Not everyone takes pride in their governing faction."

---

Zeltzin's expression shifted as Kire explained what she had done, bordering on shock and ire. "You damaged the temple?" She asked, as if hoping she'd heard the Empress wrong. When Kire did not correct her, Zeltzin raised her shoulders as if to shake off a bad feeling. "Even those savage monsters knew better then to touch the temple. It was the only thing that survived in that city, I know it." The priest frowned at Kire like she was no empress at all but a child who had destroyed something precious and had lied about it. Disappointment raked her.
"Your answer is simple, then." Zeltzin explained. But she inhaled, drawing a deep breath as she closed her eyes, calming herself. When she opened them and faced Kire once more, the disappointment and ire was gone. Instead, that passively pleased look was back. "No doubt She shadows you for your transgression. Have no fear. We can build Her a new temple here, so that Her eyes can focus and not spread to your unsuspecting people. I will remain and help in every way I can, of course." The grin Zeltzin wore suggested this was a very generous offer, indeed. "We'll start right away. Show me to a table with equipment, I will begin drawing the plans, and we will make right this grave wrong."

Wanderers

Sleep evaded him. Ruli lay sprawled on his back, his hands tucked behind his head as he stared upward without actually seeing what was above him. His head still felt sun warmed against his hands, and Ruli couldn't remember if that was normal or not. He could still feel the hot sand he walked upon, still feel the dry air as he shouted for Envy.
The taste of the concoction was still in his throat, the odor of it coating every bit of him. When he did close his eyes, he could see a blackness entirely different then the one that had answered the tracing spell.

He'd left. Ruli remembered that with heavy guilt. After Ziad fell, he had left, to ashamed to join the others as they took refuge. All those months away from Envy. Away from home. Time he should have been helping his friend heal, learn how to be without his eyesight. When Envy could have soothed the sharp edges of Ruli self-hatred in the way only that giant elf could.

Ruli hated himself for it.

His thoughts circled around and around, the sharp teeth of self loathing and guilt biting at Ruli hour after hour until the sky began to lighten. As if summoned by Ruli's realization that the night was ebbing, Gavin appeared beside him and nudged him, inviting him to eat. Ruli wiped the emotion from his face, refusing to allow Gavin to see him struggling when he'd told the lad not to allow any doubts in just hours earlier.
"Coffee first, Gav." Ruli said tiredly as Gavin rambled questions about the Moon God.

Not bothering with boots, as usual, Ruli shuffled toward the smell of breakfast, his eyes roaming it to see what called to his stomach, when he heard the pirate woman's voice and he turned his head. "Morning." He greeted, his pale eyes landing on a familiar pair of dark ones.
"You look like shit." Sid crooned at him, grinning far too brightly for how early it was.
Ruli puffed air out of his nose, though he didn't quite feel the amusement he portrayed. "Thanks."

Some of the amusement faded from Sid's eyes as she sidled up to the blond and nudged him affectionately, a silent offer of a shoulder should he need one, before she helped herself to the display of food. Ruli silently followed her example. He sat beside Gavin, while Sid joined Myka across from them. His head propped on his right fist, he toyed with his food while he listened with one ear to Myka's thoughts.
"Elva isn't wrong." Sid said, seemingly toeing the line between digging into her plate with complete animalist hunger and trying to hold a shred of dignity and grace. "Without being able to rest their minds, it won't be able to tell their bodies to begin recovering." Her shoulders raised in a shrug. "Only thing I can think of that will help while this sort of magic torments them would be to render them unconscious, but even then, there's no promise this won't haunt them while they slept."

She turned toward Ruli, who stared at his plate with bleary eyes. "Could you make wards for them? Smaller ones, I mean?"
His eyes rose after a few seconds, and he went still as he backtracked to recall her question. Then he blinked. "I could." He realized. "Small things. To negate magic. Without knowing precisely what I'm dealing with, there's no promise it would work the way we want."
"Even a dimmer would help." Sid offered, trying to meet him half way. She knew he was preoccupied, and knew why. But she couldn't ignore the people around her that needed help.

---

Zeltzin lowered her head in gratitude when Kire allowed her to get closer, the priestess's chin low as she watched her foot, mindful not to step on any vine or plant of the Goddess's creation. It was slow going before she reached the tree nearest her, and Zeltzin raised an apprehensive hand to touch the rough bark.
"Oh, yes." Zeltzin purred. She didn't turn around to look at Kire, her head craned back so she could look up the length of the tree. "She is everywhere. Her magic coating this place. I can taste Her in the air, as if it is full of Her tears." Her fingers stroked the tree, then Zeltzin looked away and slowly began her trek to the next tree. "I hear Her whispering to me." The woman said, her voice light with joy; a mourning widow hearing her beloved's voice from the afterlife after too long in silence.

More silence from the priestess as she came to the next tree, placing her hand upon it as she did the first. "There is anger here. Her anger." At last, she turned toward Kire, her eyes colder then they'd been a moment ago. "She's been wounded. How have your people offended her, Empress?"

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Wanderers

Ruli shook his head somberly. "Envy never let any of us give up anything." He sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Remember when Callha tried to give up meat because some boy she liked refused to eat it? No, that was probably before you joined us." Ruli sighed. "He paraded around eating meats of every kind; dried, roasted, smoked, until she caved."

"Envy isn't a diet preference, but he's family. To all of us. He took us all in when we didn't have anywhere else to go. So we're not going to give up. If I have to tear Amria and the Gods apart to get him back, I will."

---

Kire's sharp answer did nothing to wither the eager expression on Zeltzin's face. She did, however, noticeably bite her tongue when Kire mentioned her actions were to prevent further harm. Zeltzin very much believed that the Goddess had not done any harm at all. She nodded complacently when Kire set down her terms, and smiled warmly when Kire said this was a delicate matter.
"I understand completely, Empress." Zeltzin said patiently. She turned and bent to Ysaryn, who ignored her almost completely.
"Be well." Ysaryn said instead to Kire, stepping away from the two as Kire warned the priestess of their abrupt departure.

Zeltzin, to her credit, handled the portal exceptionally well. Beside going rather pale and swaying for a moment on her feet, she appeared to be unbothered. Clearing her throat and patting down her robes to rid them of wrinkles that weren't there, she turned and offered Kire a small grin. That was her thanks for the means of travel, perhaps, as the priestess said nothing else before she turned to take in the forest.
She was silent for a long time. Her hands clasped gently before her, her eyes wide as she took in tree after tree, studying each one as if wondering if it were the Goddess in disguise. After perhaps five minutes, she turned toward Kire. "May I step closer, Empress?"

---

Sid glanced up when Myka 'knocked', grinning softly. She'd taken her hair down to sleep, her sandy blonde hair in a twisted, crimped mess over her shoulders as she laced her boots. "The cots are oddly more comfortable then the bed I have at home." Sid offered. "That, or I was too exhausted to noticed." Despite the implication, Sid smiled proudly. Like she was glad to be busy and needed.
Finished with her boots, she raised her arms and went for her hair, twisting it up and out of her face, making sure to gather every single strand. "Do you know where we can find breakfast? I'm famished."

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Wanderers

Ruli bent low into a crouch beside their workspace, his head in his hands. His head spun, his anger and despair at war with one another. "There is no 'try again'." He said bitterly to Daryll. "This was it. It was done correctly. And there was no answer." He inhaled, pressing the heels of his hands to his eyes.
Daryll replied that this wasn't it, and Ruli swallowed the urge to shake the man. His mention of rest wrenched Ruli's thoughts off track; the idea of leaving this space to rest while Envy was missing, suffering through fuck knows what. He growled into his hands and rose again, staring down at the table, once more recounting and recalculating.

Somewhere, through the numbers and volumes, he heard Gavin reassure Rab. Blinking, Ruli turned his head toward the two. "You both did well." He reassured as well, then he frowned at Gavin seemed to panic. "Gavin. Hands above your head." Ruli said firmly, turned to crouch before the young man. "Whatever just went through your head, don't let it through again." Ruli said fiercely. His blue eyes pierced into Gavin's, his attention latching onto the lad in vain hope to escape his own inner dread. "I need all of that brain in your skull. I can barely do this, but I can't do it at all without you."

He stood up again, watching Rab sign quickly. Ruli shook his head. "No, Daryll's right. Rest." Ruli sighed, having no intention at all of doing such a thing. Once more, his eyes fell on the table, replaying it all in his head. Every ingredient. Every turn of the pestle. The pronunciation of every word of the spell. The length of time he waited until he was sure it had failed. Something had to have gone wrong. Maybe Daryll was right. Maybe they should try again tomorrow. Minds refreshed.

The sudden embrace around him pulled him from his thoughts, and Ruli blinked to find Kire. His shoulders sagged slightly, his hands wrapping around her waist. She smelled of sea salt, and smoke, and that same, fresh clean air he always sensed when he Touched her mind. So lost was he in her comforting embrace that he was confused when she mentioned the temple, not quite sure what she was speaking of. Vaguely, he could recall mention of it, but it seemed a pointless thing at the moment. All he could think of was that he didn't want her to go. She stepped back, and Ruli opened his mouth, the words to ask her not to leave him on the tip of his tongue.
But he nodded instead, turning away from her. "Right." He said, feeling strangely uncomfortable. Cold, in an unfamiliar place, without his longest friend. He moved his feet, following to where the others had lay down. Passing Gavin, he flicked the young man's shoulder gently. "Speak your mind." Ruli demanded, once more using Gavin as a distraction.

-------
Ysona was eating in the caves, spooning a thick mixture of something that reeked of fish and seaweed, mixed with cooked rice. She glanced up as Kire appeared, one of her pink eyebrows raising. "Busy." She observed, going back to her eating as Kire filled her in on what had happened so far. She nodded as Kire instructed her to inform Zeltzin that she'd be needed, making a note to send word up to the priestess. Risa would be beside herself, losing her priestess to some foreign empress over some ordeal she was not involved with. The thought amused the elf as she cleaned her spoon with her tongue.

Kire's demand for information, however, made the dark elf pause, her eyes roaming Kire's face. "Fine enough." She sighed, setting the empty bowl and cleaned spoon aside. "My Father is not so forgiving of men. He sees them and still desires to slaughter. Envy was ... sort of wall. Father would not cross. 'At least an elf is in charge.'" She mimicked with an eyeroll. "Envy gone, so Father will burrow through to slay. Only, now is me." She gestured to herself as she reclined in her seat. "He will not slay daughter. Unless I give him reason to. I remove the girl who heals, as she would be one of the first target. Zeck, Father eyes, but respects. Rulitus is threat. Rulitus is dumb." Ysaryn wrinkled her nose apologetically, but her gaze was steady and determined. "I take town so Father cannot. If ..." She paused, thinking. "When Envy is return, job is done."

She gave Kire a dangerous smile, her pointed canines showing. "I may like the bloodshed, but only against enemy. Not against family and friend." Waving a hand, Ysaryn seemed to dismiss the empress. "Go and rest. Tomorrow, the priestess will be waiting."

True to her word, when Kire returned in the morning, Zeltzin was standing uncomfortably beside the dark elf, her arms folded. Perhaps it was the cool, underground chamber, or the armed elf beside her, or both, but Zeltzin looked relieved when Kire appeared. "Well met, Empress Akire." She bent into a polite bow. Ysaryn eyed her curiously, then looked back to Kire.
"Risa ever so delighted to spare the woman." The elf said, smirking. Even Zeltzin chuckled beside her.
"You have taken up my offer on my assistance with the temple?" The priestess cupped her hands over her heart. "I am delighted beyond words to be able to help spread Her influence."

Wanderers

Ruli inhaled again at the thought about leaving for the Tower. Leaving this place, where he'd last seen Envy. Despite the fact that it was to help find his friend, leaving this place felt like turning his back on his foster father. His relief when Kire said she'd leave him here and bring what was necessary for the spell was enough to make him exhale heavily, relieved.

"What?" Ruli asked about sunstone. It felt as though only seconds had passed, the topic change so sudden, but looking at Daryll and the arrival of supplies told him he'd been lost in thought for a lot longer than he'd originally thought. "Oh. Yeah, I do. Envy would send us now and then while working underground.
"Zeltzin?" He blinked at her. He curled his lip, shaking his head. Clearly he had his own opinion of the woman.

Slowly, feeling as though he were chained to the earth and the tether strained against his neck, Ruli rose. Even as he approached Daryll and Gavin, he felt guilt strike him for every step. He struggled to focus on Daryll's words, frowning at the entirety of the idea that Solaralai had to separate them in order to kidnap. This weakened, cowardly goddess, if that was even what she really was.
He glanced over his shoulder into the forest, as if he's see the deity crossing her arms at his blasphemy.

When Gavin spoke about Envy's restrictions on teaching, Ruli turned back around, feeling strangely disappointed the goddess wasn't there. "Right." He said about the blood magic. He couldn't think straight. Gavin's words about altering the spell to fit Amria's atmosphere both sounded ignorant and smart. But he couldn't decide which.
Crouching, he rubbed at his brow. "Rab." He said with a sigh. "If you'll allow, we'll only need a drop of blood. You're the best bet we have of finding him, considering you're the only other Kartaian descendant here."
Rab nodded enthusiastically, even if the anxiety in his eyes didn't quite match.
"Whatever the bitch is trying to hide from me, I don't care about right now. Our focus is Envy. I-"
Daryll's words interrupted his thoughts again; why they'd been separated, each given visions, and why one led them to a woman with psychic powers. Why Zeltzin was pushing for a temple. Why Kire wanted the same stone to be used. He rubbed his face again. "One thing at a time, please!" He snapped out loud.

Rab glanced uneasily at Gavin, then back at Ruli. With a sigh, Ruli shook his head. "Sorry."

When the tent was set up and they went inside to begin their work, Ruli had them run a few test spells first, especially after finding his wards around the palace had been a lot stronger than he'd intended, originally. Gavin was at least right in that they needed to recalibrate for Amria. Though he was glad Gavin seemed happy to take charge there, as Ruli was too impatient to focus accurately.
Daryll helped them with dosage, explaining how much of what he used to achieve certain results, and when compared to what they used for the same results in Persis, they worked to sort out an appropriate amount.

By the time they were finally beginning the tracing spell, the sun had fallen. Ruli tried to see the silver lining in the delay, deciding that it would be better that it was dark when they found Envy. Not bothering with the Kartaian's careful ban on blood magic around Gavin, Ruli pricked Rab's skin with a blade and squeezed a few drops into the bowl. He instructed both Daryll and Gavin to hold onto his wrist, in case the spell were to show them somewhere either recognized.

But it showed him nothing.

Nothing but blackness; different than the blackness of the shadows in which he Walked, but ... nothing.

It didn't work.

Ruli set down the bowl and leaned on the table, staring down at the ingredients they'd used. Recounting. Recalculating. Everything had been done right. Everything pointed to Envy just ... not existing.

With a desperate roar, he thrust his arm across the table, sending the bowl and its contents flying against the canvas wall of the tent. Rab tensed, sensing easily the failure of their work, his eyes falling to the small wound on his arm.

Wanderers

Rab's brows furrowed as Gavin begen to explain what was happening. Along the flux of armed elves around, and the yelling between Ysaryn and Zeke, he was visibly uneasy, the pink-hued sclera of his eyes largely visible in his anxiety. That they'd be taking him away, even for his help, didn't seem to put him at ease any. He looked between Ysaryn and Kire when the two spoke, his greyish skin paling.

Ysaryn only nodded once. Zeke looked livid about being spoken about but not informed. He turned to round on the elf again, who raised her chin and held her stance, every bit determined not to bend to his temper. Hesitating, Rab followed Gavin and Kire, listening to Zeke and Ysaryn snarl at each other with bared teeth.
But, upon approaching the gate, he grew interested, losing a bit of his apprehension. He'd seen Ysaryn and the others walk through it and disappear. Aeron and Gavin had both explained to him what it was, even if Rab hadn't ever completely understood. Now, he was going through it! What an exciting experience for him to behold!

-Not exciting.
Nauseating and disorienting. Rab bent over before kneeling on the ground, groaning. No, not ground. Floor. Of some strange looking chamber. Kire disappeared again, and Rab signed I do not like to Gavin twice before he felt like he could sit upright again. By then, Kire had reappeared, looking worn.

Another portal, Rab found this one only slightly less disorienting. He only signed I do not like to Gavin once, this time. He could see Ruli, and began to make his way toward the blond on shaky legs.
He looked up as the trio approached, the look in his eyes making Rab feel more anxious. Something was very wrong. He looked around, seeking Envy, or Aeron, only to find Gavin preparing to tell him more.

Ruli watched as Gavin sat down beside Rab, informing him of Envy's absence. Abduction. Whatever they'd decided to call it. Ruli closed his eyes slowly and sighed, squeezing her hand back tightly. His brain wouldn't work. Envy knew more about location spells. "I need Envy." He said hoarsely, his throat dry. Another sigh, and he raised his head again, trying to force himself to think. After a few minutes, he listed the ingredients he would require. The same items used before when they had used the spell in the caves. He wasn't confident. Envy was the one who had been good with the last half of the spell. Ironically, Ruli was the more blind one in the end.

He twisted slightly to glance at Rab again, who looked as well as Ruli felt. "He's our best bet." Ruli whispered to Kire. Despite the whisper, Rab's half-elf ears heard the words, and he turned to face Ruli, looking unhappy.

"Bring me Daryll, too. He and Gavin will need to help. Where is Ysaryn?" He noticed her absence.
Rab glanced to Kire in time to see her shake her head, and he declined in signing his response. As Kire explained that the elf remained in Úvano to look for more items to trace, Ruli shrugged. He doubted she'd find much. Rab was their best bet, he was certain.