A Blade and Her Witch

Reforging Her Stolen Wings (Witch)

Content Warnings:

 

I drift into alertness to find our fingers already running through one gerl's soft mane of hair. And from the texture and length and…. Horns? Most definitely our Schatzi.

 

Smile as we pull the opposite gerl close. Xafra, shifted back into this new form sometime in the night and resting so very peacefully. 

 

<Morning Elevar.> Lynette murmurs, like someone deep in thought elseways.

 

{Morning.} I reply, carefully pulling my free hand up to gently curl through Xafra's hair as well. Purposefully keeping my motions slow as to ensure both our gerls remain relaxed. {How've you been this night? And I... Don't sense Adaline or Krahe close.}

 

<Well enough. And our Pack’s been about the grounds. Working on projects and such. And at least one is nearly thrumming with anticipation to see its Mistress' regard toward the outcome.> 

 

I can't help but smirk at the thought of this lot running about, begin to feel one of our gerl's stir to wakefulness.

 

Schatzi squirms awake with an affected yawn that ends with a cute squeak before wriggling around to face us "Mistresses, Warden's Frame is all done and ready!"

 

"Really? And all done in one night?" I can't help but grin in reply to that. But... Look down and about to see myself still tangled in Xafra's sleepy arms. So I glance back up to Schatzi and murmur, "Well... Could I trouble you all to bring this creation to us? I'm still a bit bound to a sleepy headed gerl at the moment, and I'd adore that first thing in the morning."

 

Without opening her eyes yet, Xafra thrums the Quills of her tail and sleepily mumbles "Table. Only an arms length away from you."

 

Schatzi rises slightly and grabs the vacant Frame, carefully placing it into my hands.

 

We stare down in surprise and awe at the knife. The blade is a narrow handspan of a dark gemstone braced between two thin layers of a pale metal. The handle material resembles bone but feels like wood to the touch and is a delicate spiral that ends in a loop large enough to slide a thumb through. There's some sort of mechanism built into the handle but… we can't make it out on just a surface look. 

 

Very gently, we raise up a hand to trace fingers along the shape of the blade and hilt. Find the grip and balance just... perfect. 

 

"This is.... so very impressive." I murmur, letting the bond fill with our adorations of this creation. "A masterful piece. More intricate and deft in these designs than I thought possible for an evening's work. But... wonderfully cast and carved. Befitting of this Pack's Warden." Look up into the eyes of our Doll to ask. "Tell me about the subtle sways of your workings, if you please. Impress me with the muses behind the schema to this."

 

Warden speaks through Schatzi with a blush "Warden is unsure if it is impressive. Sister Adaline let Warden occupy her Frame to carve the pieces with Verbess' help. It is made of pewter, black jade, and tagua, a type of nut. If you twist the loop, the blade can fold into the side of the handle for ease of storage and safety."

 

"Hmmm... " We grin and do as it suggests. Fold and unfold the parts twice, find the motions and locking of the Frame in either position easy and deft and without any threat of it slipping between. Find each adjustment natural and comfortable. "Honestly it's quite a few paces beyond impressive. You've done well. But, this Frame is still missing its most important aspect." I glance back up as we balance it on three fingers. "Did you want your missing members to be called here for your installation? Or... Would you like to greet them next in this new Frame?"

 

Warden seems enraptured by the motions of our manipulating of the knife Frame to such an extent that it doesn't respond, simply staring at our hands.

 

Can't help but grin a bit more at that, feel Lynette adjust something... within. Not in me or us but... beyond? Beneath? From the sway of her I think I know what she's trying to communicate. So I carefully reach out through the bond to Cant a soft yet firm ::Approval/Installation:: directly to Warden.

 

Then relax so Lynette can finish using our Wairua, and the ease of which she manipulates it on these grounds, to weave Warden a binding of Ousia and Physis knit threads to follow into its new Frame. Even a gentle linking of what feels like something akin to fingers to pull it along or give wordless encouragement.

 

"Warden. Let's get you installed." Xafra declares with a push of Quill-song to get Warden's attention.

 

Schatzi giggles as Warden nods and slips under the surface in embarrassment.

 

And then together we pull and push it along the bond. Help Warden slip across the pathway of Wairua and into this new Frame as one might a new outfit. Carefully ensure its roots nuzzle perfectly across and around and within the blade and hilt and part between. Slowly but... not delaying. Letting this brilliantly clever entity set the pace and move as it will. Use the bonds to its Pack Sisters function as handholds and ropes to keep it steady.

 

Not quite sure how long it all takes. Could be two or... mayhaps three heartbeats? But if later we're told it took a few eternities we'd not be surprised either.

 

Then the knife comes alive in our hands, the jade blade vibrating against the pewter to thrum in a Quill-Song of joy and happiness.

 

"Oh, and aren't this little one's melodies already so well tuned!" Lynette purrs, then proceeds to twist the blade within our grip. Adjusting Warden between three different positions with a deftness I... Did not know she had. Even scour my own memories a touch to verify that we've never held something like this beyond very brief, and very clumsy, crafting endeavors. "And of course you considered the weight of your own Wairua when measuring the balance. Delightful."

 

[Yes Mistress, Warden thanks you for the praise and you both for the prompt installation.] Warden intones with simple pleasure.

 

"Good work. Took about an hour if you were wondering. You were quite deeply focused" Xafra mentions as she sits beside us.

 

"That..." We shift a bit. Flex scales and tendrils and a few joints. Find them without any stiffness. "Doesn't feel right. But mostly due to me being accustomed to a form with a touch more weathering. Now we feel like we could probably crack from a days long stillness to motion in a beat without issue." Then we glance back to her, clicking Warden's Frame shut. "Morning, by the way. How was your first night in that form? Sleep well? Wing and other wounded bits feeling a touch better?"

 

"Still sore but feeling a fair bit better. Didn't intend to switch to this form honestly, it seems like it isn't manifested like the other ones but is instead equivalent in some ways to my spear form."

 

"Hmmm... That makes sense." We reply while moving to hop off the bed and glance about, Lynette rising to speak while I move toward a dresser to consider fresh clothing. "The physical vulnerability, lack of easy healing when wounded, and... increased sensitivity to stimuli. This form is... in some ways. Everything you were denied but were indeed parts of you. Things that needed reflecting. The real question will be if other woven forms have found themselves altered or adjusted after this. Even in small and subtle ways." We turn and hold up a pretty thing of deep purple cloth between ourselves and Xafra.

 

Enjoy how well we think this outfit will look on her. Considering… if it can be hemmed properly before we head out to see what the rest of this gaggle has been up to.

 

"Oh that's really pretty, and it's like the one I found!" Schatzi mentions. "Do you want me to resize it for Xafra while I do the same for myself with the one I found?"

 

"I think that's a wonderful idea. This color will look wonderful about her new shape." I agree, folding it over our arm. "And... You found one you like? Was it from one of the storage Spires? We're curious to see the type of weaving that caught your eye."

 

Schatzi nods and dives under the bed, and comes back out with a vibrant green knit dress and shawl, both with polished and shaped bone shards woven throughout to form patterns of animals. "This this this one! it was in one of the Cradles and it's sooo pretty!"

 

I pause in surprise as Lynette perks up a bit, then murmurs while stepping forward to feel the fabric between our fingers. Bubbling with some odd mix of almost... mangled gleeful thoughts about this lovely dress. “It really is such a treasure of a find. You’ll look wonderful in this. See to it that it fits your Frame perfectly, and this one to our Xafra. If you please.”

 

"Yes, mistress!" Schatzi immediately gets to work, and within the length of time it takes us to make and drink a good cup of tea, both Schatzi and Xafra are in their new dresses.

 

**    **    **

 

The first thing I hear as we approach the battered and broken Spire causes us to hesitate a foot from the entrance in surprise.

 

"Well I'll be. We really just had to let the boy cook." Jezrial replies to someone with an obvious chuckle ringing through her tone. "How did you even spot the mismatch when all our Thaum calculations were theoretical?"

 

"It felt too widdershins, and Girra started laughing when this one was doing the math so it was clearly an issue." Calix's voice responds, heavily muffled.

 

We slip inside quietly, knowing many inside will be aware of our approach but not wanting to interrupt.

 

Curious to hear all the troublesome aspects of Glyph installation and their schemes to avoid them.

 

"Adaline getting tossed upways and out the top of the Spire on a failed first casting would be pretty fun to watch." Krahe cackles from her perch atop a stack of tables and chairs. "Buuut... also not helpful. Good call to make sure the silly sun guy is gonna have to just imagine what that would look like."

 

The main room has been filled to bursting with books, a large schema we recognize as coming from at least three storage Spires, multiple silken thread-crafted shapes hanging from the ceiling, endless test Glyph shards, and... a gaggle of hard working sorts. Adaline, Krahe, Valthirii, and Jezrial. Alongside two Dolls I... can't quite recall the names of?

 

<Riana and Garami.> Lynette supplies effortlessly.

 

{Wonderful. Thank you.} I reply as we look around the little group to find... Calix?

 

Face entirely inside Adaline's abdomen as she lays back across a table. Shirtless save a breastband. Flesh panels folded inwards to allow him to work.

 

"So, do you think we can anchor four, or is three a hard limit, Calix?" Adaline asks with frustration, "I'd rather not have to rebuild my Frame, so we need to get this right the first time."

 

"I still think three is too much a risk." Jezrial murmurs, but thoughtfully and with nothing but polite suggestion in her tone. "If you try to use all at once, or in quick succession without using your highest Giyar fully in motion, you'll crack something important no matter how clever this boy's math is."

 

"Well yes, that would be akin to dumping all your Ousia into a single Einwandfrei. Naturally self-selecting out of the breeding vats... so to speak." Adaline responds icily before she sits up and sees us with a look of absolute horror on her face. She shoves Calix backward and scrambles to cover up while shouting "It's not what it looks like, I swear!"

 

"Oh, however will I endure with the memory of you fetching Calix to help with handling the endless complexity and calculations that come with knitting Glyphs into a Frame?" I place a hand over our heart in mock pain, but wear a crooked smirk to ensure she absorbs our teasing tone as we move to lean against a table near Krahe. "Especially since the notes I gave you nudged at the need of finding a brilliant sort to run these numbers, as we are quite… bad at all math related to Framework."

 

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaa" Adaline yells for a few heartbeats before deciding to stand perfectly still and pretend nothing is wrong.

 

Calix climbs to his feet and looks around seeing Xafra's new form and immediately dashing over. "Woweee, You look so good!"

 

"Doesn't she?" We chuckle and push off the table and move to Adaline's side. Glancing over the physical schema before nudging my wife with an elbow. "It seems you've made quite the leaps and bounds forward in this. Already all tangled up in the Ousia leakage metrics and physicality costs after just a single half-night of work."

 

Adaline relaxes with the nudge, grasping that she will not be punished for whatever imagined crime we must have assumed was occuring. "I gathered a very effective team to help. Truthfully I would not have been able to do it without them."

 

We look over the gaggle. Grinning as we consider all the specific skills they bring to this endeavor. "Hmmm... not as quickly. No. But it's impressive how fast you all took my mess and turned it into something that seems nearly finished. Already hunting for placements and pushing the limits I thought were fairly extreme already." Shake our head as we take all that in. "Four anchored Glyphs. Should have assumed you'd try to squeeze in an extra without hesitation."

 

"Using only two at a time, of course. Four would permit the usage of nearly every basic physics spellweave as well as both the Blasenplage and the Gnadenhalsband."

 

"Hmmm... That is a tempting collection of spells to ensure are kept close." We agree, tracing fingers over the smooth parchment of the incomplete Schema of Adaline's form. Then ask while our other hand gently brushes the new Frame at our hip. "Warden, dear one. Would getting your Sister here a lungful of the Breath from below change these metrics? Allow for a flexibility uncalculated for?"

 

Xafra cackles as Warden clacks, snapping to action and Adaline gapes in surprise at the knife that simply zips and levitates out of the Spire.

 

"Oh, and I think that one adores its new Frame." We grin over at her. "Didn't expect Warden to take such bold initiative but... am delighted to have it impress us."

 

"I believe that it took your question as a subtle request." Xafra mentions.

 

Can't help but chuckle in reply. "Oh... Warden is going to spoil us worse than ever I think. Leaping past our current request to have the next piece or tool ready for our hand."

 

"So... Jezrial, Would the Allagaí provide the necessary tolerances for you to deem this safe?" Adaline asks in a surprisingly contrite tone as she pulls a shirt back on. "I'm sorry for snapping at you. It was uncalled for."

 

"You're fine, girl. One of the first rules of being a Curanos is not to take anything anyone says when they're on an operating table personally." Xafra's mother replies with a tired wave of a hand, stepping back to pull a chair from the wall and sit. Seems to look past us all and think on that for a few heartbeats before carefully replying. "As the Curanos I was? No. The Allagaí is just adding another unknown to an already messy Chart. I watched countless freshly Resheathed run off to battle with impressive new parts only to come back injured by their own misunderstanding of those new abilities. But... now? With the extra knowledge from my daughter?" 

 

She leans forward, resting elbows on knees and looking pointedly at Adaline. "Possibly. Test things every hour of every day. Find your Frame's and these Glyphs limits before they find you. Be ready to remove one or more the second they start to Function wrong. You may have bits that are easier to replace, but I'll tell you what I tell every patient I had anyway. Your body is your most important asset. Treat it right or be ready to pay a debt ten fold.”

 

Adaline nods slowly, clearly considering the words. "Thank you."

 

Calix looks over at Xafra with a hint of nervousness before speaking up, "Well, this one thinks the prototype for the four Glyphs are worth testing, and you all have the plans... So this one is going to go now. He'll be available if needed."

 

"Actually, Calix. Could I have a word before you scurry off?" I ask, stepping toward the exit. "Outside would be lovely. We'd delight in your perspective on something involving the grounds?"

 

He smiles and follows quickly. "Yes, Mistresses."

 

As we leave, Jezrial pushes up from her chair to eye Xafra. "Now... What's this about you cracking a wing? Guessing you didn't have anyone look it over and make sure you didn't sleep on it wro–"

 

Can't help but chuckle when the last of her words are cut off as we lead Calix from the room and out onto the grounds. But need to take a deep breath and glance about before asking. "I'd... like to ask a bit of a personal question. About you and Rufus. Nothing prying but... with the whispers of some changes in living arrangements I wanted to know if the two of you might enjoy a Spire to yourselves. A... a gift, I guess. Or would simply permission and resources to build atop and out of this new one we're shoving Xafra into be preferred? Or..." Let out a sigh and glance over to him. "I'm terrible at giving gifts, Calix, and I'd like to make sure my oldest real friend and his special someone feel as though I'm actually trying my hardest. Is there a better offering I should gift instead?"

 

"Oh uhm. errrmmm... This one isn't sure he can say because it would be really good but also maybe embarrassing but also this one is relieved to not be getting magic so uhm.... erm." Calix stumbles over his words and sits down, poking at the dirt.

 

"I did promise you that. Back in my Spire when we first all spoke about it." I reply softly and move to sit next to him. "Was surprised to see you helping this gaggle at all, honestly. Even with how much you've healed lately. You've enough Good Function to see to without dealing with this project."

 

"Adaline deserves to be happy and this one has the ability to help... Was honestly more worried that Xafra would think this one was poaching after what happened previously with Adaline." Calix admits.

 

"Poaching?" I smile and tilt our head curiously. "What in the world are you talking about?"

 

"When um.. Adaline did the bad thing and Mistress Xafra was really upset, Adaline propositioned this one to see if he could help her get over her... hesitancy, and um.. well... It's pretty obvious that Xafra also finds this one attractive but isn't interested in men, and erm... You know?"

 

"Aaaaaaah. Can see how that would cause some worry now." I nod carefully, but not overly seriously while pulling up a knee to rest an elbow over. "But honestly, I doubt Xafra would be anything but supportive if you both were interested in each other and comfortable. Wants to see those she adores happy. Even if that happiness doesn't include her in every motion." Nudge his shoulder with our closest one playfully. "You know?"

 

Calix thinks through my response carefully. "This one doesn't have any gender preferences in partners, but Adaline does, which is why this one refused her... And It's likely that Rufus would become distressed if he isn't given enough attention."

 

"That was so very kind and thoughtful of you. Thank you for looking out for her." I murmur softly, then let my soft regard turn into a smirk as I push us to stand. "And yes. Rufus would tangle himself in knots over the extra lead if you give his leash too much slack."

 

"Oh that's not an issue, it's only a metre... Wait, you were being metaphorical. Ignore that."

 

"Didn't hear a thing." I giggle and offer him a hand up. "But speaking of metaphorical leashes... I should probably check on my Pack. Tell Rufus I said hi and good morning, would you?"

 

"Will do." Calix takes my hand and whispers "A food bowl with his name on it." before running away, nearly colliding with Warden's floating form as it returns.

 

"Hello, dear one." We greet, not letting our grin at Calix's suggestion fade as we hold out our hand for Warden. "Attend and Inform. If you please."

 

Warden's Frame snaps into our palm as it intones to us [Breath collection successful with minor complications. Warden does not have blood. Warden did not consider this fact when it departed.]

 

{Oh? And how did you overcome that little problem?} I ask while wrapping thumb and three smallest fingers about the hilt.

 

[Lynette's doll was down there and offered to assist Warden.]

 

<Ah. Such a kind gerl. I... Trust Dämmerung was somewhat polite to you both?> Lynette replies as we turn to begin moving back to the cracked and riven Spire.

 

[She provided a saucer of blood and left before this one began. Dämmerung acted unexpectedly. They spoke like Warden, with layered intonation of sound. Was polite, yes.]

 

"Really? Well, aren't they becoming more and more the fascinating sort, this Godthing below." We muse together, tip-tapping fingers across Warden's hilt as we reach the door. "Someday, when the Summer Storms have long passed most like, it'll do us some good to have a long sit down and chat with them."

 

We step inside to find Xafra's dress folded down about her hips and her mother's hands move gently over the sprained wing. To the side, Adaline carefully rebandages the wrist Xafra tore at during our communion with Dämmerung.

 

"Cold Physis laced working every few hours when you're up and about. More if the pain doesn't fade. Give it a good stretch at least twice a day, but don't roll it all about for at least another week." Jezrial instructs while guiding Xafra's wing back into a fully folded position. "Lucky your wing is sturdy enough to cut the Spire a bit, else you might have shattered this joint all to pieces.

 

"Yes, Mother. Thank you. I'm definitely going to practice from the ground for a while first once it heals." Xafra responds. Wincing in a little pain but also preening at being cared for.

 

"Always running before knowing how to stand up straight. Skipping steps like others skip rocks across a river." Jezrial huffs, but with a grin any listening can hear. Then moves to help lace up her daughter's dress with Adaline's help.

 

"I thought I'd be able to, since I can do the weird levitation thing, which isn't even supposed to be possible." Xafra explains.

 

"Ha. The first step would have been to ask why that works instead of assuming and leaping from a Spire." Jezrial fully lets herself chuckle, stepping back after a final gentle tug and clean tying of a knot to give such a pointed look to Adaline. "Always through the nearest window with this one. Eh? You made the right call running the numbers before she takes a look at those Charts."

 

"Thanks though... Uhhhm. I also have a habit of jumping through windows, quite literally, but I'm fully aware of my capabilities first." Adaline responds with a chuckle. "It's a good question though. We should try and figure out exactly how you can levitate, Xafra. I know you were able to simulate it with Elevar by making a platform under her heels but this is quite different."

 

"Not a bad scheme. Relying on winds and other such when there are none could be a problem." We interject while stepping up to them. Setting the knife Frame to balance on the tip of our longest finger. "Warden can probably help with that, as well as gifting Adaline a bit of the Breath."

 

Warden manifests its ethereal blank doll shape to speak "Warden has acquired the Breath and can advise that while channeling the Physis of Sister Xafra, levitation is not subject to the same rule as it is not sourced from oneself."

 

"Hmmm... That makes sense. Considering Xafra's origins and such." We muse, tip-tapping the table with a fingernail while thinking. "It could also have something to do with what you said about Wairua. How you perceive reality. And how that tips backway to affect you. But there are also no metrics for Physis channeled from others that I've read, so there being new rules and limits there also makes sense."

 

"Well... let me try something then." Adaline says while climbing up to stand on the table she was laying on earlier.

 

After a careful look over at the Glyphs chosen, Adaline closes her eyes and begins weaving physis in the simple method for lifting an object, focused through a pair of Glyphs. While we watch, her Frame rises into the air like a giant hand has clutched her waist like a child's toy.

 

We can't help but grin as we take this in. “This... opens up so many more interesting possibilities." 

 

"Could also mean we should be rethinking how this Pack should channel certain spells. The lines between what needed Ousia and what needed Physis were well defined, both now and before. But this moves that divide. Or... at least blurs it." Jezrial agrees, then asks. "Guessing it all feels pretty natural?"

 

"And how easy is a mid-casting adjustment?" We interject.

 

"I don't think I could adjust this mid cast as I'm not focusing through the Glyphs just channeling them. It's... odd." Adaline sets herself down with a minor stumble. "Using Xafra's Physis like this requires me to fully externalize the spellform and treat my Frame as a separate object from myself, which is a bit distressing. I'm even more curious now as to how the Ousia Wells will function with the embedded Glyphs once we put them in... Can we begin?"

 

"Calix's calculations were the last adjustments needed." Jezrial agrees. 

 

We step back and move to sit. "Curious to see how you tackle this step, actually. It's the aspect I have little expertise in."

 

"Garami, do you have the four Glyph Shards ready?" Adaline asks as she lays back down and pulls off her shirt.

 

"Sure do." She replies and steps up to the table.

 

"And Jezrial, are you ready to set them in place?" Adaline confirms.

 

"Yeah." Xafra's mother nods and cracks her neck, then steps up across from Garami.

 

"Verbess, Would you assist Jezrial if she needs it? your claws are quite steady and deft."  Adaline follows up once more, seeming like she's psyching herself up for this.

 

With a more silent crack than I've heard the fury of our Doll use in quite some years, Verbess moves to loom over Adaline's head. Unshifted hands to either side of its Pack Sister's face. Only changed enough for Quills to dance such an odd tune that makes Krahe giggle from the corner.

 

Adaline rebuffs it with a gentle intonation through her own Quills.

 

Verbess' song is an almost... prickled thing. Dancing between the same three notes 12 times in quick succession before settling as it leans down to bump heads with Adaline before pulling away.

 

With a nod to the Sister above her, Adaline speaks again. "Jezrial, you may begin when ready."

 

"Alright." The Curanos murmurs, but... seemingly more to herself as she glances down at the schema at her side. "First we gotta fold up these chest plates. Reveal the inner workings and clear me a path to work."

 

Takes up a tool I don't recognize and tip-taps Adaline's Frame in four spots. And without even a second of hesitation the plates adjust and twist and fold upways and inwards. 

 

"Okay. First step inside is to gently use your Frame's natural flexibility to get these... whatchmacallits to shove aside." She murmurs while leaning down, moving to slip her hand into Adaline's chest. Eyes remaining locked on the Schema. "Weird name. Doesn't matter. What does is to get this... big part, and all these little ones to gently wiggle this way. Good. Great. Easy as cooking a pie with one hand. Garami the first Glyph please." She pauses as her free hand is handed a shard, glances down to catch Adaline's gaze. "You ready? This'll tickle or sting. Not sure which. Need to brace or get Valthirii to bind you."

 

Adaline looks to Valthirii and blushes as she waves her over and quietly asks

“Would you restrain me for this?”

 

Valthirii hovers nearby, her eyes narrowing as the moment draws near. "Give me and Adaline a moment. Just long enough to ensure she is comfortable for what is to come."

 

Her face splits open, an excited chitter sounding as the spider-like doll descends upon Adalilne. Inner mandibles seize her hand, pressing it into place as threads spin and weave articulate patterns. The moment she is satisfied, Valthiriii's outer face closes tight, leaving doll lips tenderly closing around Adaline's fingers.

 

"One…"

 

Valthirii's eyes flitter with visible delight.

 

She skitters down to bind the legs. Mandibles grip, bindings are artfully applied, and lips reward good behavior before parting. 

 

"Two and Three…"

 

Adaline moans slightly while Quills dance in enjoyment. Valthirii responds by working her mandibles up and down each finger. Her outer face snaps shut, doll lips closed more gently around the tip. "Good gerl." She says before finishing her work. Threads weave around the shoulder, elbow, and wrist, binding Adaline artfully in place. 

 

"Four…"

 

She circles round to loom over Adaline's head, her lips a pleased smile threatening to split and reveal her more arachnid face at any moment. Her back arches as she descends ever lower. 

 

Fingers draw gently against Adaline's neck. Threads are loosely bundled up and threaded through the shoulder bindings, linking them over and under the stretch of doll flesh between head and torso.

 

Valthirii's lips close the distance, speaking now with the occasional brush of lip against Adaline's forehead. "There, all properly restrained. You may proceed." She gestures with an extended hand before withdrawing her arms to rest snug atop Adaline's shoulders with intent to remain intimately close at hand.

 

Jezrial lets out a huff to restrain an obvious chuckle, "Perfect. Now let's see if this first one will latch on..."

 

Slips this free hand with the shard and odd tool into Adaline's torso alongside her other. "My first..." Xafra's mother tilts her head and gazes down at the Schema, seems to count something under her breath. Then a resonating pop sounds. "Try? Huh. Well that wasn't in the Schema. Good to know."

 

And without pause Jezrial begins to adjust to pull a hand free from Adaline's chest, reaches back to take the second Shard from Garami's waiting hands.

 

Adaline's eyes widen for a moment as a smile grows on her face.

 

"So far so good it seems." Xafra quips to us.

 

"Started with the simple one." Jezrial murmurs, adjusting her posture and reaches back up and into Adaline's Frame. 

 

Takes much longer for her to even begin to slide the hand with the shard up inside. Mumbling little things in a language I don't recognize but... makes Lynette cackle a few times through our lips. I consider asking her to translate after she conveys that most of this is a mangled mess of curses and disgruntled insults toward the cunt who wove the Frame, but... decide to avoid agitating that mess of emotions.

 

Eventually though, and with a much louder snap crack from Adaline's Frame, Jezrial lets out a sigh of relief. "Alright. Second installed. That should be the most..."

 

But she trails off, goes still.

 

Then lets out a sigh and glances down at Adaline. "Girl, need you to relax a bit. Something decided to grip the tool and isn't letting go. Carefully, please. Don't want your Frame to bite my hands off."

 

Adaline squirms in her binds and sighs softly as she relaxes "Sorry. Not used to this."

 

"You're fine." Jezrial carefully slides both hands free, and flexes one while examining the tool. "Wish this was my first time two fists deep in a girl who's insides could break my wrists. Like dealing with a gutter full of hungry, stone-toothed, frogs."

 

"I'm pretty sure I'm not supposed to flirt with you but lines like that make it a real challenge." Adaline deadpans as Xafra splutters beside us.

 

"Ha." Jezrial barks out, then turns and deftly shoves both hands at completely ridiculous angles. One hand seeming to curl in and about the spine while the other wraps around where a kidney would be. Both twisting upways toward a spot on the lower spine. Eyes no longer on the Schema and instead off and squinting at a wall.

 

"Old habits and all that." She murmurs while seeming to need to wiggle her way up through Adaline's Frame. "Every other time I've operated like this. With a poor sort awake and feeling everything, the patient needs to be given something to laugh or sputter out at to deal with the mess of it all. But as you're not in mind splitting physical pain we-"

 

A resounding snap-crack cuts off her words, a ripple of force causing Adaline to jerk against her bonds and Jezrial to wince and become stiff as stone.

 

Krahe is already half jerked to her feet and hovering close, tails all unraveled and twisting about in anxious patterns. Verbess closer still and with four arms cracked free.

 

"Well..." Jezrial sighs into the long pause, glances to Adaline. "Good news or bad news first? Patient's choice."

 

"Bad. Might as well."

 

"Clever girl. Always do the bad first." Jezrial nods. "My left arm is stuck till you fully relax. Right arm... probably lost everything above the wrist as your core linked up the three Glyphs. "

 

"Xafra, I'm going to need you to immediately repair and reconstruct in 5 seconds to prevent any soul damage, synchronized through Quill-song." Adaline snaps out as she flicks a hand out to pull Warden into her abdomen. "Warden, Retrieval."

 

Xafra leaps to her feet and strides over, Quills thrumming low to the countdown.

“Some kind of... Frame wide spasms we didn't know would kick. Not your fault. If we had your Schema we'd probably have caught that you had these lodestone chunks I just found. Guessing that's some kind of illegal or rare or stupid.” Jezrial mumbles, face starting to twist a bit at what is probably rising pain.

 

We rise but remain back. Watching and waiting to see if we will be needed.

 

Krahe and Verbess move about like circling prey or... additional limbs to Xafra and Adaline. Their own Quill's matching the tune perfectly but also adding a sort of additional clarity to it.

 

"Now." With a jerk, Adaline relaxes and shoves Jezrial back with a focused pulse of Physis, freeing her remaining hand as Warden extracts what's left of the other.

 

Xafra weaves a rapid connection between the living stone as Warden raises the cracked hand up to the stump. The weave swells and twists, disappearing at points from our sight as the stone just... Grows back. 

 

"Please let me know if it still works properly?" Xafra asks in desperation.

 

Jezrial flexes her hand a few times. Rolling it over and sideways in slow deliberate motions before nodding in satisfaction. "Course it does. Probably better than before even. Good work."

 

Then turns to Garami, "Fetch that last shard, please."

 

The gerl nods and rushes over to a side table, fumbles about till finding a fourth shard and handing it over.

 

"I'm glad." Xafra anxiously sits down as Warden floats out of Adaline's abdomen.

 

"Okay. Verbess, wake me after." Adaline says before dropping into Giyar Null preemptively.

 

Jezrial sighs and turns the shard over in her hand a few times before murmuring another string of words I don't understand but make Lynette sigh within like she's rolling her eyes.

 

<A prayer to the Cracked and Riven Moon, of all things.>

 

Then Jezrial leans down, and with only the regrown hand, seems to place this last part up somewhere beneath the sternum. When she pulls her hand out she has the tool from before. And after a tip-tap of Adaline's outer Frame causes the plates to gently slide back into place.

 

"All done." She huffs and sets the tool atop the Schema beside Adaline, then moves to all but collapse into that chair from before. Rolling that new hand all about like before. "Easy. No problems. Wake the girl when you like." 

 

Verbess thrums a little tune of calling without cracking forth while it and Krahe move just a touch closer to Adaline. Much more relaxed now though but still anxious.

 

Adaline rouses once more and strains against her binds for a moment before they snap under her strength. 

 

She rises back up slowly, glancing around before settling her gaze on Jezrial with an apologetic look. "I'm so sorry about your hand."

 

"Was my fault, should have stopped when I felt the hum of those lodestones pitching upwards. Just lucky this form is so easy to put back together." The Curanos replies, meeting Adaline gaze. "And the fourth shard went in without a hiccup. Would still recommend taking things slow. But..."

 

"Yes, of course, will definitely start by trying out one at a time. Thank you so very much, Jezrial. And thank you, Garami, Riana, and Valthirii... I uhm. Might come visit you later in private, Valthirii, if that's alright?"

 

"Looking forward to it." Valthirii says, preening.

 

"You're very welcome. This one is glad we got to help." Riana giggles while Garami nods. The two start to move to gather up a large stack of tomes and writing tools from a side table.

 

"Do a spit of a little test before everyone scatters." Jezrial suggests, still rolling and flexing her hand as she gestures her other at Adaline. "Let's see if our night molded something workable."

 

"Of course. I'll use the fourth Glyph we decided on, Uatha." Adaline responds, "We need to get the Ousia Wells set up but that's a minor thing for afterwards, in the meantime I'll still be utilizing Xafra's Physis."

 

She snaps her fingers on her right hand and a ball of fire forms and floats above her open palm. "Ignition works." The sphere shifts from red to blue "Concentration works." The sphere swells to the size of her Head "Amplification works. Mistresses, are there any tests you would suggest as well?"

 

"Hmmm... Root Shaping is mostly delicate physical workings when you get down to it." We muse. "Sympathetic Arts might be important, and should be possible with the Glyphs you've installed. If not a touch more expensive without the core workings on hand. And... of course those Einwandfrei, yours and ours both."

 

"Mmhm. But two-Glyph workings should wait, I think." Adaline answers.

 

With a nod, Adaline snuffs the fire out. "Thank you again. I really appreciate you helping and um... Yeah."

 

"Course. Glad I could help out with this." Jezrial actually lets herself smile a touch while moving toward the door and pulling at the string that holds her hair up in a messy bundle. "This group did good. Shout if you need me to help out with anything else."

 

"Thanks Mom." Xafra calls out as Jezrial moves to leave.

 

She hesitates for half a step, then turns back to pull Xafra into a quick hug. "Morning kid. Enjoy your day. Gonna go collapse for a bit but you holler if something comes up."

 

"Will do." Xafra beams.

 

And with that this Curanos leaves, with Raina and Garami close behind with their big stacks of books. Valthirii being the last after helping Adaline tug off the remaining webbing that still dangled from her Frame.

 

"So, how does it feel? Casting through the Glyphs?" We ask Adaline from where we've returned to sit while watching this gaggle move about.

 

Adaline thinks hard before responding. "It's comfortable. More structured than without obviously, but honestly it feels surprisingly natural. Once we get the Wells in, I'll be three parts of the way to being a functional Witch again and that's... Intimidating?"

 

"We'd debate you on the only three parts a functional Witch. But... understand the weight of looming aspirations fulfilled." We muse, leaning an arm on a table and eyeing her. "But what is that final aspiration beyond the Wells for you?"

 

"Oh, that's simple enough, especially once I take in the breath that Warden has acquired for me. The ability to replenish myself. I cannot help but think that with how... perfectly it interacts with Ousia that it is how Witches were always supposed to be. My theory is that something went wrong with the very firsts of these H.A.G.s that were sent down from the Moon. I refuse to accept that this entire world was set up as a place for a proxy war or something stupid like that. It makes more sense if... the correct structure is more... merged. That the end goal was to create not a master race or something foolish like that but one that could survive anything and slowly expand the reach of the Divines across other worlds..." Adaline rambles.

 

"Hmmm... What an interesting thought. The followers of the Divines aren't their patrons, and it is far to easy for stupid sorts to adopt harmful ambitions."

 

With an inquisitive look at Xafra, Adarine continues "I think that... while the Breath isn't compatible with the original Witches, and likely not with Sun-blessed humans... We've seen that Dolls can become Sun-blessed, and use the Breath. I want to try and combine them. And it's likely that Lunargent is a part of it as well. All these substances that are poison to each of the other groups, they're all usable or integrable by Dolls. It sounds crazy, I realize but... It feels like it might be the solution to a problem we don't even recognize yet."

 

While I pause to absorb her words, the divide between myself and Lynette only becomes apparent when she murmurs. "It's fascinating, really. How much energy and suffering and dreams can fit into a Frame. Feel like I can't consider the Threads below without stumbling over another Archived tome on the topic. Will have to see about finding a new gemstone to get them above for you to consider, Adaline. Maybe you'll see things I missed. Or... can't."

 

Adaline steps up and wraps her arms around us. "Thank you. I know you don't think it, but... You're better than the Lynette I remember."

 

"I... Wish I could understand the weight of that." Lynette goes a bit stiff at those words, but after only a heartbeat leans into the embrace. "Still need to ask you those questions. About the Before, during, and after. Not just for you and Elevar but... other things. Need to see what traps that old cunt was falling into. And... and If she started to consume things she well should have left alone."

 

I let us stay comfortably divided. Close and able to speak and move but... memories and thoughts quiet to avoid anything dribbling into her and messing up any of this.

 

Because I've not a clue what she's talking about. The Old Cunt wanted to turn Adaline and myself into a pair of deadly combat Dolls. At least that was the little I'd been told. Spoke a bit of wanting to get revenge on her enemies. But... traps? Consuming? I assume she's talking about Estate thing but... Lynette handles all that. And I've just guessed that Yselda didn't need some kind of prickly new friend planted in her head but... did I just miss the signs? What would it have been like for her to not have some kind of intermediary between herself and the Estate?

 

I shiver at the thought. Have to push aside the broken fragmented memories of my brief yet horrid mental communion with this beast. 

 

Can't help but begin to worry what it must be like for Lynette.

 

"You can ask whenever you are ready." Adaline assures her.

 

"In the meantime, We should get the Ousia Wells set, if you're still up for that. Just have to change out your fifth dorsal Iphodian gear, add a resonator sphere, and have Warden pass you the breath to finish it all off." Xafra interjects abruptly.

 

"That won't take long." I agree as we both see and feel Xafra's nervous worry around these topics. Not just the consumption of Sun-Blessed Spores but... anxiety over Lynette trying to navigate topics that could hurt her. "And we'd love to spend the day helping you both do that. Everything we need should be in the workshop Spire or a Cradle below."

 

**    **    **

 

“Okay.” We huff while sending another pulse of energy through the resonator sphere deep within Adaline’s core. “Warden, if you please, go ahead and gift your Pack Sister the Breath so we can ensure her translations and tunings of consumed Ousia work as needed?”

 

Last steps before another test. These parts installed with far less anxiety since Verbess’ deft talons tended to any dangerous bits. Able to easily pull free if Adaline’s Frame seized up or even withstand the pressure without breaking if it needed to keep something steady.

 

Neither happened, of course.

 

And our tendrils aren’t things she can hurt without Quill or magic. So here we stand, running the final numbers as we pulse little bits of rewoven Physis and Ousia through this part.

 

Warden floats in front of Adaline's face and releases a sphere of dark iridescence that adaline breaths in with a wash of contentment.

 

Adaline chitters softly as she flexes her talons and manifests an aura of Ousia like Xafra often maintains. After a moment she retracts it completely and collapses into a sobbing mess, all the while her Quills scream of relief and fears dispelled.

 

We carefully tug our Physis tendrils free of where they latch, then gently wrap everything about her. Murmuring soft nothings of support and love and admiration as my own tears bubble up. "My Witch of a wife got back her stolen wings. Forged from nothing but dreams and stubborn focus. Better... better than before even. If you ask us. Crafted more deftly than any birthed or brewed nonsense could manage."

 

Free to soar now. That which anchors her given all the slack needed to let her explore life's possibilities.

 

"I– I didn't think it would be possible. I hoped. I fantasized about it, but I didn't really believe it would work. I went from being so very alone to gaining more than had I lost in family, friends, and the ability to make a difference. We need to do some testing but then... I need to talk to Dämmerung. Give them my thanks and ensure it's replicable and not a one time thing. How long until the official meeting with the Grove Envoys? It should be soon, yes?"

 

"We assume they'll be arrived and assembled to send their formal request for our first meeting in no less than two weeks. Which we'll be expected to step out within no less than two days time." We reply. "Gives more than enough time for tests, speaking with a Godthing, and our trip to meet with the Sun-Blessed."

 

 

 

 

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