Hunter Or Huntress

Chapter 154: Role Reversal

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It was not a long flight, but, nonetheless, Saph could see the sun getting low on the horizon as she made for Yldril’s camp, pushing rather hard.

‘That stupid fucking piece of shit. ‘Eeeh, he can’t be trusted, he’s dangerous, he’s the key to everything.’ Dumb bitch’

“WELL DON’T FUCK HIM UP THEN!” she shouted out in defiance, taking a moment to catch her breath again afterwards.

‘Honestly... the hell do you think you’ll learn… and what does it matter if he goes completely cuckoo afterwards… can’t really trust a crazy person, now can you… hang on… no no way… Is she trying to drive him insane? No, she’s a mind reader... She could do that with ease… yeah like the guy in the capital… but if she did that we would know… but she still needs him right? Yeah she needs him. Or she wants him for a collection or something. Lock him away for hundreds of years in one of those vaults of theirs. Yeah that’s probably it.’

‘Arrogant, self-righteous, incredibly dangerous woman with trust issues it is then… Fuck me,’ she cursed to herself. As the camp came into view down below, Saph pitched into a fast dive and aimed for a group of people standing just outside of snapping range from Yldril.

The large black dragon was lying on her side, looking away from the people who seemed to be discussing something as the sun was setting. As Saph came down she could make them out as Fengi, Paulin, and Jortun. They all three turned to look as she came down, Fengi tilting her head, clearly confused what Saph was doing out here at this hour.

“Everything okay, Saph?”

“No, not really,” Saph replied with a pained smile. “Tom’s getting worse. Quite a lot worse.”

“That isn’t possible, the effects always recede afterwards,” Paulin protested, crossing her arms in defiance.

“Well he is. When I left he was busy talking to his dad, who has been dead for quite a while last I checked, not to mention buried on another world.”

Paulin didn’t counter that statement, though she looked far from convinced at what Saph was saying.

“While that is certainly bad news, why are you out here?” Jortun asked, also sounding a touch skeptical. Saph’s eyes turned to Fengi who shrunk just a little, shaking her head.

“Uh uh, I am not gonna try and mess with his head. I’ll just mess it up more.”

“I must concur,” Jortun added with a nod. “Does Joelina know you are out here?”

“Not aaas such,” Saph had to admit, feeling the eyes of Paulin burrow into her but refusing to look at the investigator. “She was busy attempting to contact someone far away. She apparently didn’t think we should know she has something that lets her talk with home, so to speak.”

“She is an Inquisitor, her arsenal includes the finest of equipment,” Paulin said after clearing her throat. “Huntress?”

“Yup?” Saph replied, turning to face the investigator.

“Does Joelina concur that Tom’s condition is deteriorating?”

“I believe so. She went to see him then she decided to contact home. Esmeralda came up with the idea that maybe Fengi could help, since it is Tom’s mind that is producing all these strange illusions.”

“How? You want me to just tell him ‘Stop seeing things?’ Even if that works, it will only work for a little bit, you know that. And what if it makes things worse?” Fengi protested, clearly not happy with the idea in the slightest.

“Please, Fen. Just, you know, come back with me and ask Joelina if it’s a good idea,” Saph replied, doing her best to keep a straight face. “He couldn’t even tell which Jacky was real when one of them was actually Essy. Maybe it will work for just long enough for him to get some sleep. He hasn’t closed his eyes since the mindreading.”

Jortun cleared his throat, seeming a touch uncomfortable all of a sudden. “That is certainly… a difficult position to be in.”

“Exactly. Besides, the inquisitor has many more questions for him…” Saph threw a slightly guilty glance at Paulin. “I-i mean she is clearly in a hurry and such. Maybe we just need a short-term solution.”

“But what if I make it worse, Saph? Yldril is not exactly having a fun time because of all this!”

“I know I know, but the dude is gonna go completely cuckoo if we don’t do something… is there anything wrong with Yldril though?” Saph asked, really hoping it was at least nothing like what Tom was experiencing.

“The dragon is perfectly fine,” Paulin interjected. “She is simply struggling with having lost her freedom of will.”

Fengi shrank even further at that, throwing a shameful glance at Jortun, who for his part just gave her a conceding nod. “It is what it is, Fengi,” the old major tried in a comforting tone, eyes quickly darting to Paulin and back to Saph as he straightened his back. “I believe Inquisitor Joelina Hashaw is the only available expert on the effects on the mind in regards to mind reading. If she believes such an action has merit, I would obey if it was me. Though of course, any resultant negative effects would also be her responsibility.”

‘Like that’s gonna help Fengi’s conscience,’ Saph all but snarled to herself, struggling to keep a straight face.

“Will she force me to do it?” Fengi asked almost pleadingly, looking up at Paulin.

The investigator took a second to think, opening her mouth twice before speaking, which was clearly all the confirmation Fengi needed. “You don’t need to lie,” the young huntress let out, looking down at the ground.

Paulin for her part just remained silent for a bit longer, then looked toward Saphhire. “I believe Inquisitor Hashaw has the best intentions in regards to our work here. Tom is an important piece of her plan. She would not waste him like this.”

“Waste?! He’s a fucking person and you know that!” Saph finally snapped, immediately regretting it, swallowing once and looking down as she took a half-step back. “Sorry Investigator, I-”

“Pay it no mind. I am quite aware these are difficult times for you all.”

“Then how about not continuing to make it worse while filling our ears with how much you need us?” Fengi broke out, Saph looking at the young woman worriedly.

“Do you blame us for everything that has happened here, Huntress? By the sound of it, we arrived just in time to provide you much-needed security.” Paulin retorted though to her credit with no venom in her voice.

“I believe what Fengi means to insinuate is that she and the others do not feel much safer after your arrival,” clarified Jortun.

“Despite not having done anything wrong?” the investigator questioned turning her attention to the major. “How long do you believe an inquisitor would live if she was not utmost careful and vigilant, hmm? Our profession is a most dangerous one, and our enemies have never been above using deceit to get what they wish.”

“But we aren’t the enemy! How much do we have to do to prove that?!” Fengi protested. “What even could we do!?”

“Yes oh, wise investigator. Whatever should they do?” Yldril joined in, sounding almost amused for the first time Saph could remember as her head rose up to look down at them.

Paulin for her part did not seem pleased in the slightest, gaze darting around at them all and up at the dragon. “Cease this insubordination this instant to begin with.”

“Well, that will definitely make them feel safe.”

“As if you contributed to that, dragon” Paulin retorted with the familiar venom starting to peek through. “I will not be lectured by a brigand like yourself.”

“And I not by some tiny woman throwing around weight she does not have.”

“Yldril… maybe that’s enough,” Fengi let out, clearly having had just a second to think about what she just did.

“Indeed it is,” Paulin snarled in reply. “Petulant whelp of a dragon. Knows more about the mines than the world outside them.”

“Please let me snack on this one, Fengi. Just one word and she’s not a problem anymore,” Yldril let out with a dark chuckle, looking down at the investigator. “I promise you I would enjoy it.”

“No. Sit down… go over there or something,” Fengi snapped in reply, pointing away. “You are still not allowed to hurt anyone without my express permission. Not even a damn field mouse. Is that understood?!”

“You know it is,” Yldril snarled in reply, getting up gingerly and moving herself a bit further away before setting down.

“Well that was interesting,” Paulin went, glancing around between the four of them, seeming to calm right down in an instant. “The dragon is no use without Fengi, i shall be accompanying you.”

Saph tried real hard to get a read on if the investigator was even showing an emotion right now, but she was blank as a slate.

“Of course, Investigator,” Saph went, doing a quick, sharp bow before turning to more or less run off, stopping in her footsteps turning back to Paulin. “I do apologize.”

“It is quite alright. I understand your frustrations and doubts. But do please let us do our job, even if you sometimes don’t understand why our job is necessary.”

‘Honestly, just a little people skills wouldn't’ hurt, woman,’ Saph sighed to herself. “I will try to keep it in mind. Come on, Fengi. Let’s try to see if you can at least give him a little sleep.”

“Coming,” Fengi replied, almost squeaking then running past Saph and taking to the wing in a hurry. Saph gave another quick bow to the investigator before going to follow, beating skywards hard as the sun set in the distance, the soft red glow casting long deep shadows over the hilly terrain as they headed for the keep.

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‘Okay, I think I’ve got the hang of this,’ Tom thought to himself hopefully. More wishfully, if he was being entirely honest. He had no idea if this whole situation was a blessing or a curse, but it was certainly an opportunity. His dad had just sorta appeared by accident when Essy was being a little condescending but since then he had managed to make even more people he remembered show up by just sorta imagining the people in front of him as someone else. he did feel quite bad about Linkosta ending up a german shepherd but he really wanted to see Tajs again.

After having put together a congregation of the people he remembered quite well, and that he trusted most, at least in some areas, he had them all sit down in a nice half-moon to hopefully interrogate an answer to ‘what the hell he was supposed to do now’ out of his own brain, or whatever he was talking with. He honestly neither knew nor cared anymore.

“Right. We are gathered here today because you are all here and I don’t know what to do about that.”

“Hear hear,” Tom’s dad went with an agreeing nod from his chair next to his, by now, probably dead wife.

“You do know we’re not actually here, right?” Vigo sighed, Fengi playing her role nicely. Vigo had always been a touch shy when he was not in work mode after all.

“Yes yes. It’s all a bit strange, but I wanted to see you all again now I had the chance. Isn’t that what everyone would want to do?”

“I guess so,” Morten grumbled, leaning back in his little folding chair. The poor thing groaned under the weight of the hulking man even if his head was mostly missing, meaning Tom was actually taller than him now.

“Now, first of all, I want to thank you all for coming and for playing along. Let’s do some quick introductions shall we. Starting from the right, Morten, my squad leader in Afghanistan, played today by Jackalope Furlong. Next we have Vigo. One of my friends all the way from bootcamp till the murder hole, played by Fengi. That is Torben. I actually knew him back in primary where he was a bit of a bully. Then we met again in the army. Quite the coincidence really. He is being played by Sapphire Rayland. Next is our old family dog Tajs. Say hello, Tajs.” “Woof!” the old and very obedient german shepherd replied, tail wagging enthusiastically. “Good boy. I’m so sorry, Linkosta, but I really wanted him here. I haven’t seen him in a long time. Now next is my mother Vibike, played by the lovely Essmeralda, she really is a sweetheart, and finally we have Jørgen… my dad.”

“Hello,” the old gray man waved to all of them. “I am played by some bitch named Joelina, apparently. I have no idea how any of this works or what is going on… But then again that’s nothing new”

“Yes. Thank you, dad.”

“Tomas, who is the nice woman playing your friend there?” his mother Vibike asked, pointing at Morten. “I heard you thinking about her earlier. Is she someone special?”

“Oh I guess you could say so,” Tom snickered, looking away, a little afraid he was blushing.

“Fine work, son. I still remember when we were scared you were actually gay,” Jørgen went with a proud dad nod.

“Jørgen! We weren’t scared. We simply wondered,” his mother corrected, the old gray man letting out a bit of a huff before looking back at Tom apologetically. “You were just quite lonely, that’s all.”

“Sure didn’t seem gay at the club.” Torben added in with a chuckle, rubbing his beard. “Then again, you did once visit Thailand. I remember you talking about that,” Vibike looked downright horrified at that, while Jørgen just pulled a sly smile and a deep chuckle.

“Dude, not in front of his damn parents, you fucking miscarriage,” Vigo added in, shaking his head as he leaned forward on his remaining knee. “You sure this is smart, Tom?”

“Well, my thinking was maybe one of you would know what to do. You are some of the smartest people I know after all.”

“Cause we died?” Morten questioned, confused. “Doesn’t seem like the best council to me.”

“I mean I wish I had been smart enough to do so back then,” Tom replied with a wistful sigh.

“Tomas Hansen! I will not hear such talk! Especially not in front of your new girlfriend,” Vibike interrupted.

“Indeed you’ll scare her with such talk, son.” Jørgen agreed with a stern expression.

“Eeeh… I don’t think so, dad. She’s more man than you, that’s for sure,” Tom retorted with just a bit of sass in his tone.

“I find that unconvincing?” Jørgen replied with a grumble crossing his arms again.

“Yes. She’s a flying warrior with a set of magic armor fit to fight an army and has killed more by weight than you have ever eaten, and that’s saying something.” Tom retorted, sounding just a little bit proud.

His dad just looked like he didn’t quite know how to take that one, letting out a bit of a huff while his mother swallowed once.

“D-d-do d-does she like cake?” Vibike stuttered a touch of real fear on her face as she looked at Morten.

“Yes mom, she loves sweet things and she is even sweeter, she’s the one who has been staying with me in bed all day long. Yesterday too for that matter.”

“Yeah, I kinda want a piece of candy right now,” Morten went with a nod. “Damn strange.”

“I just want a carrot,” Vigo went with a sigh. “But I don’t have one.”

“Hey can we congratulate the dude on landing a warrior princess or something?” Torben laughed out smacking his knee. “Little Tom the housewife.”

“Yeah yeah, laugh it up tough guy. You’re the dead one here.”

“Touché, touché.”

“Now let’s get to the matter at hand. I need to first work out if I should trust the inquisitor who put me here to also fix this. Or go with the option set forth by my new friends here at the keep, mainly Linkosta. Keep in mind that the Inquisitor is an expert on this stuff, and Linkosta has only read about this somewhere a while ago and then a bit more after this whole incident.”

“I told you already, son. I believe you simply did not cope well with being ripped out of the reading so… violently,” Jørgen added, giving Morten the stinkeye.

“Joelina, play your role! My dad would not say it like that, just let him speak.” Tom snapped looking back at his father as sternly as he could manage.

Jørgen let out a far more characteristic grumble, gritting his teeth just a bit. “You got fucked in the head ‘cause you hopped out the car at 80… happy?”

“Much better, thank you Inquisitor,” Tom replied with a happy smile, turning to the dead soldiers. “You four have a different idea, right?”

“Well I just wanted to tell you to stop being so weird and hope you get better,” Vigo added cautiously. “It should still go away, right? With time and all that.”

Tajs just barked, tail wagging, looking like he thought a treat was in order.

“Jup. So those are the options.”

“I vote for actually trying to fix it rather than applying a bandaid,” Jørgen went, raising his hand. “You too, Vibike.”

“No, you don’t get to order me around,” she huffed, glancing at Vigo and Morten, clearly conflicted. “Fengi is it?”

“I think so, yeah,” Vigo replied with a nod, looking at the older woman.

“Your… thing that you can do… Have you done this before?”

“Uhm… Oh this is trippy… I have apparently told a dragon what to do… and she is now my slave… I think that’s a yes?”

“Yldril, yes. Though that did take the power of a unicorn,” Tom clarified helpfully for them only, receiving a strained expression and shake of the head from his dad for his troubles. “What? Look, I can’t explain half a year’s stuff in 20 minutes or however long this will last before the dark knight under the bed and in the dresser finds us.”

“Don’t forget the darklings you ordered to sit down in a corner in the round tower,” Morten added with a reassuring smile.

“Heh classic,” Torben chuckled, sticking a finger through the hole in his chest. “You know… that really hurt.”

“Mine didn’t… but I’m never getting laid again,” Morten joked, waving a hand where the top part of his head used to be. “Still smarter than you though.”

“Could you all concentrate please?” Tom pleaded. “I need to work out what to do.”

“Oohh, I don’t know,” Vibike let out, fanning her head with a hand. “It’s difficult to say. What about the unicorn? I know those, they are good, right? I think it was the Scottish who came up with them you know.”

“They are indeed mum.” Tom replied with a warm smile mulling it over for a bit. “Problem is I don’t think we know where she is and we certainly can’t just summon her here.”

“What, the narwhal pony doesn’t have a cellphone?” Torben chuckled clearly trying not to laugh too much at his own joke.

“I don’t think there would be cell reception here” Vigo added with a sigh, shoulders sagging as he looked away from Torben who just leaned in close.

“You don’t say.”

“I trust in friends,” Morten went, looking to Vigo.

“This.. Fengi woman seems nice… I think she’ll do the right thing. But she seems damn scared to do it.”

“Dad?” Tom asked, looking to Jørgen “... Can you tell what the inquisitor is thinking?”

“Nope. This bitch is cold as a corpse on Svalbard. Just like my arse back home.”

“Dammit!” Tom snapped, before sorting himself back out again. “I really wanted to know if she could be trusted. She’s been so busy trying to test me. For all I know she’s a dark knight in a glamour or something.

“Dark knight?... That doesn’t sound that original, now does it?” Jørgen chuffed merrily. “Sounds like a bad 80’s crime series come to think of it… might have watched that actually.”

“Isn’t that the Batman movie?” Vigo asked, looking around at them all, Morten nodding in assent.

“As I said, 80’s crime series,” Jørgen retorted, receiving a fair few stares from around the room.

“Dad please. I need you. Just give me anything here,” Tom pleaded, ignoring the soldiers’ staring. “Just something.”

“What do you want me to do? I don’t know how any of this mind malarkey works?”

“No, but you are stubborn as a mule. I’m pretty sure that has something to do with it.”

“Our son is right about that one, Jørgen. I am still mad you didn’t go and get that mole checked out for 4 years after I told you,” Vibike interjected, clearly not happy. “It could have been cancer, you know.”

“Well it wasn’t that which killed me, now was it?” Jørgen grumped looking away from his wife indignantly.

Vibike just looked at Tom with a slightly annoyed ‘I told you so’ expression.

“Come on, old man. Show a bit of backbone for the boy,” Morten added in, puffing out his chest. “Can’t be that hard.”

“Alright alright. I’ll try something… Uhm woman? She is a woman, right?”

“Yes, Dad. She is a woman.”

“Hmpf. Right listen up, woman. You apparently messed around inside my son’s head. Now you better fix it or I’ll show you my collection of-”

“Jørgen!” Vibeke shouted out. “Don’t you dare!”

“What? I needed a threat, didn’t I?”

“Not in front of people!”

“Dad, I think you can just think it. You don’t have to say it aloud,” Tom explained, swallowing once, starting to wonder if this really was a memory or if he had something really repressed somewhere in the back of his skull.

“Oh… Well you could have said so sooner.” Jørgen retorted, leaning back in his chair and closing his eyes.

“Dad, we are already just inside my head… I think… I’m actually a little confused on that one, but mostly at least.”

“You have always been very smart dear,” his mother went with a big smile, rubbing her knees, clearly agitated. She glanced at Jørgen, who was clearly concentrating hard right now.

“What are you doing, dude?” Vigo asked tilting his head.

“I’m thinking loud so she can’t ignore me.” the old man replied as his face contorted even more.

“About what?” Tom had to ask with a raised eyebrow as Vigo shook his head.

“I don’t think you want an answer to that one, Kiddo,” Morten went from next to him. “Have I ever told you, I like you a lot… like really a lot… are you free on Tuesday?”

“Jacky, not okay! No making Morten gay. He has a wife and kids.” Tom snapped at the squad lead before turning back to his father. “Dad, what are you thinking about?”

“Abba… It’s psychological warfare, son. I have had to listen to it for over 30 years. If it can drive me mad, she doesn’t stand a chance.”

“You’re thinking about Abba songs?... This is a trained inquisitor, Dad. Music won’t faze her.”

“You don’t understand, Son…” his dad groaned, pinching his eyes shut harder as he clearly struggled to ‘think louder.’ “30 years of Swedish pop music and finally someone to share my pain.”

“Dude, Abba ain’t that bad,” Torben protested.

“Yes it is… Especially the Christmas CD.”

“I quite like that CD,” Vibike added in, sounding a little hurt. “It brings out such a festive atmosphere.”

“Yes… and I am playing it all at once…

“This has to be against the Geneva convention or whatever you boys were going on about.”

“It does state that audio-based torture is not allowed,” Vigo added in sagely.

“All torture is not allowed, squirrel brain,” Torben snapped in reply. “Okay, that was odd…”

“You never said that before,” Morten chuckled. “Was that… uhm… the blue gem one?”

“I think so, yeah… Trippy. Is there one called Diamond too? She’s a play on Emerald for sure” Torben replied pointing at Vibike with a chuckle. “I think they sound like strippers if I’m honest.”

“Oh my gooooood. People come on, take this seriously, please,” Tom went, squeezing his temples and dragging at the bottom of his eyes. “Gods, I’ve got such a headache. Right, while dad works on that, any other good ideas?” he pleaded, looking around at them, really hoping someone had something better than Abba torture.

“Why don’t I just tell the inquisitor to spill the beans?” Vigo shrugged.

“I don’t think you’re… allowed?”

“Well what’s she gonna do, open your head to pry me out? If it’s me doing it, then it’s not Fengi if that’s what you are worried about.”

“I don’t think it works like that… But I guess we can try… just don’t kill Fengi.”

“Wait, what?” Vigo asked, clearly confused but suddenly on his toes.

“It’s her magic. Using it drains… I guess life force. Run out and, well, that’s kinda that.”

“Oh… so what do I do then?”

“Just go slow. If she faints it should be fine.”

“How the fuck do I ‘go slow`?”

“I have no idea,” Tom admitted a touch guiltily. “Maybe she’ll manage that part herself.

“Maybe?!”

“Talk about an abusive relationship,” Torben snickered. “What can mine do?”

“She’s telekinetic,” Tom replied trying his best to think right now.

“SWEET! I’m a fucking jedi!”

Then there was a flash of light as Jørgen seemingly just vanished from existence, being replaced by a panting, wide-eyed Joelina Hashaw as she sat on her chair staring around at them all.

“What the fuck is that thing?!”