Lyra Karant
Soul-Bound
Given the insane amount of adventuring that Lyra Karant had been undertaking lately, she needed a break. Between wishes, losing friendships, tangling with natural disasters and generally running all over Fiore just to ensure that she could pay her bills and keep herself afloat, it was all starting to become a bit much. Exhaustion setting in was a very real threat for herself, as well as the unfortunate looming potential of burn out. This was something she would have to strive to avoid, which Lyra could absolutely do by ensuring that she looked after herself well during the periods that she was not fighting off shadow demons and protecting her fellow guildmates at the same time. This was a very basic thing. Lyra could in fact take care of that herself.
To that effect, she would do so.
It was a beautiful morning at the guild halls of Luminous Rose; the sun had been up for a little over an hour and Lyra had already seized the day with both hands to make the most of it. As part of her usual routine, she got herself out of bed, had a snack and dressed, then went for a jog every morning that she was home - a quick one from the guild to the township itself and into some of the well-traveled forest paths that she knew contained no danger. This was quickly followed by a shower and a proper breakfast, where she could sit down with a wonderful cup of tea that she brewed herself and ensured that she took the right steps towards performing good self-care. At that point, she could sit down with a good book, or invite a friend over for a chat. She had plenty of options, all of which she availed herself of. This part after breakfast was the sacred time that she always had whenever possible. Its sanctity, and importance to the entire ritual, could not be overstated. This was the time to unwind. In fact, she was sitting at the table in her studio, book in hand - nothing important, just a novel about some young adult protagonists that were trying to save the world. Mindless drivel, to an intellectual, but at least a good read to someone like her.
However, there was a nagging feeling that was starting to pester her in the back of her mind this time. There was something that was unbalancing the daily ritual, something that Lyra could not quite place; it wasn’t a physical thing, that was for sure. She’d scrubbed up after her shower quite nicely and, in her opinion, looked really nice in her jacket and top and skirt today. Her long locks of pink hair had been brushed to precision and pinned in place just the way she liked it. There was naught about her physical appearance that was causing the problem, especially considering all of the wounds she had sustained during her last encounter had healed nicely. So what was it? What was causing all of this?
Hey kid. How you doing?
Ah. There it was. Her constant companion and quite likely the source of this problem.
”Oh, hi, Rhett. Good to hear from you. I hope you aren’t too bored back there.”
For those playing along at home, Rhett had come to Lyra just before she had acquired her flame demon slayer powers from Au’tori the demon that he himself had assisted her with signing the contract to acquire his abilities. He was, by rights, a cunning warrior and a wonderful teacher to have constantly in the back of her mind. After all, their souls were conjoined at this point in time, with an event that neither of them had either asked for or actually truly understood. At the end of the day, he had been flung-- seemingly-- across space and time and junctioned upon her being. It was not an effect either of them were familiar with, but the result was clear - they were bonded, highly likely for good. This was not something they had asked for, but it was something that they had learned to live with. Rhett had initially begun her training into combat, for she, a young girl with no previous fighting experience and budding magical powers, needed that type of learning rather sorely. However, as she had progressed in the understanding of her arts, acquired a second slayer magic and learned to fend for herself rather efficiently, he had found himself becoming quieter and quieter in her head as a voice of reason.
This was something that Lyra had noticed. Normally, he would have piped up at just about every interaction she had when she was first discovering herself as a legally guilded mage. Now, though, it was usually far longer periods that he did not comment for.
This, unfortunately, could not stand. One lesson he had imparted to her was that you should actually solve your problems, facing them head-on and not shying away from difficult conversations. It was almost like he could sense the internal dialogue that she was having-- enough so that the spirit gave her all the time she needed to speak.
”You’ve been awfully silent for days at a time, Rhett. Is everything okay back there? Is something going on that I should be aware of?”
There was no reply for an extended period of time, while Lyra sat and held up her book to start reading - then, finally, after what felt like minutes, there was a reply in the back of her mind that told her that, for now, everything was fine.
Yeah, everything’s fine. Look, Lyra, to be totally honest with you at this point, I haven’t been saying much because I don’t feel there’s much to really be said at this point.
”How do you mean?” came the reply, genuinely curious. There was a tinge of worry in her voice, too. This did not sound as if it would bode well, because no discussion that started this way ever went right.
You do a lot of your own work at this point, Lyra. Your training is progressing with the assistance of those Faulkner girls and what little I can offer every here and there. Your martial talents have progressed to a point that I am sufficiently happy with such that I can leave your training to others. You’re proving that not only do you have a reasonably good head on your shoulders, you’re doing the right thing by the world around you.
There was a pause, as the pink tinge of a blush rose to Lyra’s cheeks. She wasn’t expecting such honest praise from her first magical teacher, let alone someone who was stuck to her literally twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. This was not what she was expecting to hear from him, not at all. This kind of thing was typically reserved for… well, other times. And yet, there was something that reading between the lines told her clear as day. This was something that was being left unsaid because, as far as she could tell, there was something that Rhett did not want to tell her. She could tell that he was holding back on her, which while she appreciated the fact that he had his own thoughts and feelings, there were two of them stuck in this soulbound vessel and they had to share.
”But?” came her reply, with a hint of finality.
Damnit, girl. I feel useless as a sack of bricks back here now. You don’t need me, and I’m kind of stuck in the body of a young woman - which, frankly, I’m sort of lucky you’ve not told a single person about, considering that if a regular person were to hear that, they’d probably jump to every single wrong conclusion in the book.
Lyra gave him a minute to breathe, or so it went. Not that he needed to, given a total lack of a corporeal vessel, but that was still a lot for him to have to actually admit ‘out loud’. For one, she respected Rhett’s honesty. Lyra knew full well that it was not easy sharing a body that was not by rights his, and could absolutely be misconstrued as something else were it to go horrifically awry. Yes, he’d taken control sometimes, but only with her permission and only when the situation called for someone with years of expertise and control of the martial arts. However, now that Lyra was experimenting with her own combat style - and, yes, someone that intentionally eschewed combative and offensive magical arts still had their own combat style, for the record - there was only so much advice that Rhett could give as a backseat driver when he felt like he was out of his comfort zone to begin with.
There was a certain irony that Lyra could suddenly appreciate. He, in his experience, wisdom and teaching, was purely combative. He was a destructive force of nature, as those who knew him best would have always said; Rhett was a powerful warrior who focused only on the manipulation of elemental powers and the striking power of weaponry. Conversely, she, as the rose angel, had taken on the mantle of defence, healing and recovery. These were two diametrically opposed views, considering the nature of the way they approached battle; one intended primarily to engage opponents directly and head on, while the other not only ensured allies could perform optimally but also engaged indirectly and ensured that the enemy could not function at their best. The greatest irony of this was that, were they two physically distinct and separate entities, they would become a highly charged, dynamic and wonderful pairing of combatants, with one able to engage at long range and the other engaging the foe in melee combat - and they knew this. The stinging regret of being unable to actualise this cause had come up more than once in the past.
Now, however, it appeared to be driving a slow rift between the two as one of them could not give rise to the physical actions that they wished to take. Rhett had come into Lyra’s life incredibly suddenly, after all. There was no warning, and no recourse other than to take it on the chin and continue on living life. Rhett had come here with no warning to self either - this was not a willing action on his part. He had been torn from… well, wherever it was he came from, and forced to inhabit Earthland as if he was a native here. There was no way around this sudden and extremely unpleasant change. This was not a situation he enjoyed and, in all honesty, he wished to be back in his own lands, in his own body. Were he able to sunder himself from Lyra and let her lead her own life without his interruption, then he would gladly do so in a heartbeat in order to restore the status quo.
This, however, was not the problem that either of them required to address at this point. The discussion was the sheer fact that, well, Rhett was trapped. Trapped in a body that he could not use consciously, stuck being second fiddle to someone who had the right to use what was absolutely, unquestionably theirs. The more Lyra pondered the problem, the worse it seemed to become, and rapidly so. She could not offer a solution that would please either of them, considering that… well, honestly, she intended to use her body. It was hers. She was her own separate person, and a soul sundering was not something that she was either versed in, or brave enough to try. Soul magics were not her area of expertise, nor did she plan on becoming versed in it. It was dangerous at best, suicidal at worst, and highly likely to backfire horrendously should something go even slightly wrong in any part of the process. Destroying your own soul just because you cast a spell even a quarter of a millionth of a percent wrong was not an acceptable outcome here.
Yet, could she in good conscience let someone that she considered a friend suffer so?
She gave a long, slow sigh, and set her book aside on her table. This was not an easy conversation to be having, but this one was important.
”Look, let me clarify two things for you,” she started. The one good thing was that she had nobody to make eye contact with. Gods, that made this so much easier; she could just stare out the window to the beautiful pink river. Actually, better yet, Lyra rose from her seat and placed her hands on the windowsill, her emerald eyes gazing out over the meandering pink that wandered its way through the canyon around her.
”First - you are so important to me no matter what. You’re a part of my life, come hells or high water,” she told him. ”You’ve taught me so much, all of which I still use. You can’t just remove that so easily overnight. Secondly, you’re here whether we like it or not, and like I told you months ago, I still like it. You’re a friend, which as far as I’m concerned is the end of that particular discussion. You are not a burden. If anything, I’m way more worried about you these days than you are me, which I think is rather telling, don’t you?”
Oh yeah. I used to stress the hell out over you and your head first rush into danger. Or your social ineptitude. Or lack of fighting skills before you picked fights I didn’t think you could win.
She gave a wry smile. ”Yeah. I know. And I’m very thankful for the guidance you gave me to stop me making dumb mistakes like that ever again. But… look. I get it. You’re stuck here with me. I wish you weren’t - and not because I want you gone, because I’m worried about how difficult this situation is for you. I get a ride along, someone to keep me company and someone I know who is watching out for me. You get the sucky end of this deal.”
She could hear Rhett’s sigh. It was long, drawn-out and defeated; a man who had been thrust into a situation not of his own making and forced to accept its cold, harsh reality. I won’t argue with that. You’re right. But I also don’t want to be the one inconveniencing you, and I would never ever dare ask for face time with what is rightfully yours. I just wish that I could do something substantial to make this situation better for you.
Finally, Lyra took her seat again, running her fingers over the cover of her novel. She paused before she answered this time. ”I know. I get that you care a lot, and I’m so thankful for it. But you deserve to be happy too.”
This time, the wry smile was his. I wish that was an option right now, kid. It’s okay. I’ll deal with this for a bit longer. But maybe we can look into an option, at some point. Consult an expert, maybe.
Naturally, given her earlier thoughts on the matter, Lyra’s wry smile turned into a frown. Her brow furrowed at the idea, but he was right. The only true solution was his release. One way or another, Rhett was going to have to depart back to his own place in space and time. As much as she didn’t want him to go, it was the only honest answer.
One day, maybe, the solution would prevent itself, and the two friends could allow their paths to diverge for eternity.
MEL @ WW
