Chapter 174: The Sheep and the Goat

Rosalyn sobbed quietly as Bren held her head still, looking closely at the two empty sockets. Kat had bolted for him as soon as whatever the hell this was had started.

Ann was sitting with her girl in her lap, arms wrapped protectively around Rosalyn. Nothing in the world was going to make her move from this spot. Her heart raced as she watched Bren work. He looked absolutely exhausted, but he worked intensely. She wished he’d hurry up and tell them what happened, but impatience wouldn’t fix things. Gods above, she hated feeling so goddamn useless. She couldn’t punch this. Couldn’t heal this. Couldn’t talk this down. All she could do was comfort Rosalyn while they figured out what to do next.

“All is clear. I see no signs of damage, no signs of any sort of injury. They just… fell out?”

“How?” Rosalyn wailed. “I need to see to do things! I… I can’t do anything like this.”

Ann sat there, thinking. Then, she put the two Legos together in her brain. “Give me a minute,” she said, closing her eyes.

Bitch. Answer me. Have things started for her?

No response.

Waheela, I swear I will ask Orenous to add a goddamn muzzle to those restraints and a spiked dildo up your ass if you don’t answer me.

A rumbling of dissatisfaction came from within her mind. What makes you think I would know?

You know about Kat’s dragon. You’ll know if something’s happening with Rosalyn. Don’t feed me lies. I will make your existence suffering.

What’s in it for me, pup? Waheela snarled. I hold the knowledge here. The chips, as you would say. Or was it cards? I already take your excess. What more will you offer?

Fine. Time to go get Orenous. I don’t care if she’s busy with the most world changing shit, she cares about us enough to handle this.

Waheela sighed a frustrated sigh. Fine. I sense a stirring. Not yet awakened. It has begun for the little prey.

See? Was that so hard? I’ll get you a dog treat next time.

Waheela snarled at the kind of cruel joke, but shut up.

“Rosalyn? Hey, listen to me,” Ann said, leaning protectively over the smaller woman in her lap. “Waheela says whatever changes you’ll be going through are starting. That’s what this is. “

“Already?” If Rosalyn could blanch, Ann thought she would. “I’m not ready. No no no. I don’t want to change. I still like me.”

“I’m so sorry,” Ann whispered. Her heart clenched as she said those words. She was doing this. Just by being close to Rosalyn, this was happening. She felt the urge to run. To just get away and not let her curse hurt anyone else. This made her hold on to Rosalyn even tighter. She wouldn’t let go. “You’ll still be you. We don’t even know what the Warped or whatever you’ll have will be like. Maybe they’ll be friendly?”

Rosalyn gave her a choked laugh. “After Waheela and the Dragon? I’m sorry, not really putting much hope in that.”

“Let’s just see first. Everything is so fucked right now. I’m so sorry.”

Kat was pacing, wearing a groove into the stone floor as she walked barefoot. Neither Rosalyn nor Ann had bothered dressing, but Kat had to get Bren. Lucia had shown up shortly after, probably sensing the turmoil through Bren’s bond. She looked even more haggard, with her black hair flying everywhere.

“Is like Ann. Full eye out,” Lucia pointed out. “If no injury, maybe more?”

“Maybe?” Rosalyn whimpered. “Oh yeah, maybe I’ll get my eyes back. Maybe I’ll be able to see Kat’s face again. Or Ann’s. Maybe I’ll be able to go on adventures with everyone.”

“Oi, none o’ that,” Kat cut her off. “If this is permanent, we’re findin’ a feckin’ way fer ye tae see another way. Wendyl might be able to figure somethin’ out?”

Bren picked up the eyes. Hazel, beautiful. The long red optical nerve hung off them. It was just like Ann’s when she changed her eyes. That was the only thing giving her hope that something else was coming.

“My healing is doing nothing,” Bren grumbled. “Gods I feel useless. I could barely heal Kat’s face, and then there’s the King. I couldn’t do anything about that if I tried.”

“Doing best,” Lucia said, placing a green hand on his shoulder.

“My best, apparently, is not enough. I need more.” He looked grim. Even through his exhaustion, Ann saw determination in his eyes. “I will find a way. Get more powerful, do something to be able to help. Be that uncovering an ancient secret to help regeneration, or just growing more powerful myself. I need to be able to heal this family.”

Lucia gave him a squeeze on the shoulder, then started rubbing his back gently. “Good goal. Do best.”

“For now, let’s just calm down,” Ann said. “If this is Rosalyn changing, it’ll probably take a little bit of time. Could you make some tea, Bren? That might help.”

“Yes. At least that will occupy me. Be back in a moment.”

“I don’t want to be blind,” Rosalyn stammered. “Ann, where’s Kat?”

“Right ‘ere, lamb,” Kat said, grabbing one of her hands. “I’m right ‘ere. Ain’t lettin’ ye go fer nothin’.”

“I know. Just… want to feel you, you know? Can’t see, so gotta do that. I guess.” Rosalyn’s hands reached up and gently stroked Kat’s face. She flinched when she got to the still tender flesh on the right of Kat’s face. “Oh, sorry. Did that hurt?”

“A li’l, but nothin’ terrible. Hey, at least yer eyes will probably grow back. I’m just down one. Depth perception is gonna be a feckin’ bitch.”

“Better one than none,” Rosalyn pouted.

“Maybe other sense stronger?” Lucia suggested. “Heard stories. Hearing better, smell, touch. Something?”

“I don’t feel anything different. It’s still just me. Just me. Little bumpkin me.”

“Rosalyn, I know it doesn’t help, but you’re not just anyone to us,” Ann tightened her hug. “No way are we letting this be the end.”

“But we don’t know, is my problem. Big ol’ nothing in front of us. We’re doing stuff no one’s done before! You two have Gods watching over you, but what would one want with me?”

Ann flicked Rosalyn’s forehead. “We’re not doing that. Got it? You are as much embroiled in this as we are. I will bitch Orenous out, give her a good punch, if she doesn’t help with this.”

“Heh, you would,” Rosalyn giggled weakly. “Sounds like a Kat thing, though.”

“Maybe we just agree when it comes to our lambchop.”

“Definitely,” Kat said. “I’ll give ol’ Illdall a piece o’ me mind, too.”

“Opening window. Stuffy,” Lucia said. She ambled over and pulled the glass panes open. A gentle breeze wafted in. “Better.”

“It does feel nice,” Rosalyn sighed.

“So the first thing we do is go get Wendyl? Are the guards even going to let us out?” Ann asked.

“If they don’t, they’ll be answerin’ tae a lot more than me,” Kat grumbled. “Not after all o’ this.”

Ann nodded, listening to papers on the bedside rustle in the wind. “All else fails, we sneak out. Or maybe summon Wendyl? That might work.”

“So long as we’ve got ‘er cleared, she’ll be fine,” Kat agreed.

“Here is the tea,” Bren announced, re-entering the room. “My, is it a bit blustery in here?”

“Yeah, do we even get wind underground? I don’t remember it,” Ann thought. It was definitely picking up, starting to whip her hair around. “What the hell is this?”

“Lucia, shut the window!” Kat shouted.

Lucia bolted and strained against the open portal. “Can’t! Too strong!”

A howling gale swept through the room, tossing papers and anything not held down.

“What’s happening?” Rosalyn yelled.

“I don’t know! Hang on!” Ann shouted back, arms locking around her protectively.

Rosalyn Losenska

Things went really quiet all of a sudden. She couldn’t feel Ann anymore, nor the bed under her feet. The wind had gone quiet, and everything was as black as it had been before. Where was she? Eyes. She needed her eyes, or she’d be lost.

Oh, and what do we have here? A high-pitched voice called from nearby.

“Who are you? Show yourself!”

I am showing myself, silly. What’s the matter? Open your eyes.

“I can’t. I don’t have them anymore! They… they fell out!”

Huh, coulda fooled me. Looks like you’ve still got a good set of peepers. Come on, just try.

Rosalyn had nothing else to do but try. She lifted her lids and was met with possibly the most beautiful landscape she’d ever seen. Rolling hills covered in lush green grass dotted with wildflowers. Mountains rose in the distance, and stands of trees dotted the planes. She was currently sitting against a tree in one of those groups, the gentle breeze blowing her fluffy hair.

She was not alone. Turning her head to the side, she saw a… what, a goat man? The creature was androgynous enough Rosalyn couldn’t quite figure it out, so she defaulted to he. He was weird. His legs were entirely covered with fur, hooves capping them off. His hair was curly, brown as the tree they leant against. He had russet skin, and eyes like a sheep. Cute little horns poked up from his hair in small spikes. Nothing as proud as Rosalyn’s horns, but definitely goatish. Leaves and vines twisted around them and through his hair, giving him a wild look. He was chewing on some kind of plant as he looked out over the landscape. No clothes were present for either of them, so she got a good view of the man’s flat chest and toned stomach.

“See? Told ya you could do it,” he laughed. It was a musical noise, full of joy and mirth.

“Who are you? Where are we? I don’t remember any of this? I’ve never been here, and don’t remember seeing some of these plants. What are they? Is that a creature in those branches? It looks wrong.”

“Xirali, and I’m a she. Inside your soul, sure don’t cause it’s not real, not real again, I dunno, yeah, and what’s your definition of wrong?” The now identified woman rattled off the answers almost as fast as Rosalyn asked them. “Not really the big important questions, but interesting enough. Wanna go look at the weird beastie?”

“Do I? Sure do,” Rosalyn said, standing up. Xirali sprung to her hooves, and they both crept towards the creature. It was small, brown, and had a ridiculously fluffy tail. It chittered at them as they approached, sounding almost angry. “Think we’re in its territory or something. I wonder if it’s venomous. Something so small has to be able to fight back against larger predators.”

“Or maybe it’s one of the little type that hides away when something dangerous gets close.”

“With that racket? Doesn’t sound like it.”

“Hm, maybe. Give me a sec,” Xirali stood and walked over to the tree. The little creature kept barking at her until she cupped her hands to her lips and said… something? Rosalyn couldn’t hear the words, but she watched as the creature tilted its head, then scrambled down onto Xirali’s outstretched arm.

“C’mere Rosalyn, take a look! He says he’s friendly. Just didn’t know who we were, so I explained it to him.”

Rosalyn walked over slowly, but stopped a couple feet away.

“What’s wrong, friend?”

“How did you know my name?”

“Hm? Oh, I know a lot about you. Call it the burden of unbridled curiosity. As soon as I figured out who I was, I started trying to figure out who you were. Man, there’s a lot in here to dig around in. Had a pretty interesting life! Who would have thought I’d wind up with a Druid?”

“You’re… you’re one of them,” Rosalyn stammered, fear spiking in her chest. “One of the things like in Ann and Kat. A Warped.”

“Bingo!” Xirali said in a musical tone. “Awful, terrible creature of your nightmares. Come to ruin your day and make you cry.” Xirali bowed overdramatically, then stumbled, causing the creature to climb up onto her hair for a better grip. “Nah. Kidding. Don’t wanna be like those two. I can feel them in… Kat and Ann, you said? Which has the wolf and which the dragon?”

“Ann has Waheela, the wolf, and Kat has the dragon.”

“Cool, didn’t know the name. I’ll get there, just give me time. A lot of information to read in this head of yours. “Alright, so we’ve got a lot to go over here, but I’ll keep it short. Not like we can’t talk more once you’re out of here. Might take me some time to get strong enough to do that, though, cause I’m pretty weak right now.”

“Are you bound? Like the others?”

“In a sense? Really, it’s more that I’m bound by some promises I had to make to your God, but they were pretty understandable, so we can roll with that.”

“Wait, who’s my God? Ann has Orenous, Kat has Illdall, but I never really was that big into religious stuff besides the usual prayers and stuff before bed.”

“Come on, silly, think,” Xirali giggled, poking Rosalyn’s nose. “I’ll give you a sec.”

“Oh, it was the wind! That means Eas? Wait, you talked to Eas? Are they still here?”

“Nah, came and went like the wind. Really strange, that one. Couldn’t even really see them. Just a bunch of leaves and, like, windy stuff? Oh, and they talk in riddles, so, ya know, that’s really confusing too.”

“Sounds like Bren would like them.”

“Yeah, probably, but he’s not here, and we are.”

“So, what? You just gonna give me some things to be angry about? Start making me hate my life and decisions?”

Xirali rolled her eyes. “I said I’m not gonna be like that. I keep my word. It’s kinda the thing with me. I do not tell lies.”

“Alright, so what are you going to do?”

“Now that, little Rosalyn, is part of the fun. I’m gonna help!”

Rosalyn made a confused sound, cocking her head like the little beast had before. This Warped creature was going to help? Sure, she didn’t seem malicious, but they were all trying to corrupt them, right? Mybe there was a catch, but she wouldn’t know what until later.

“Help… how?”

“Well, considering that I am a Warped, or at least a spirit of one, cause that’s its own bag of worms, I’ve got the inside scoop on a few things. You’re looking into us, right? Figuring out how we work and digging through our guts to do it? I’ll help you out with that! Might not be all the time, but just think of me as an assistant. We can do really great things together, Rosalyn.”

“Like what?” Rosalyn asked. She still felt wary. Something in those goat’s eyes of the woman threw her off. A malicious glint that betrayed her sweet words. She was up to something. Nothing Rosalyn could think of, but it was there.

“I mean, I’m always for encouraging someone to follow their dreams, their hopes and desires. Really, it’s so much fun to watch. Come on. Let’s be friends.”

“I… I don’t know. Can I think about it?”

“Don’t see why not? Got nothing else to do in here besides frolic, climb trees, laze about in the sun. Your soul is really nice, by the way. Total compliments. I’m gonna go swim in the brook. Just yell when you’re ready!” With that, Xirali ran off with a loping gait before splashing noisily into the river.

Rosalyn sat down and put her mind to the task of figuring out what to do. Xirali seemed fine, but she was a Warped. None of them were nice. Even the more intelligent ones she’d read about had a twist somewhere. Zidane had taught her not to trust their words and strike first, dissect later. That being said, this wasn’t a creature she could kill, right? It was in her soul. Incorporeal. Lightning wouldn’t do anything. She could still try it.

“It wouldn’t work!” Xirali shouted back. “Sorry! Got a feeling and peeked! You could blast me with a thunderstorm, and it’d just mess up the flower!”

Well, that was out. Rosalyn sighed. Why’d she have to handle this without Kat and Ann? They’d know how what to say to this strange creature. Talking was something both of them were good at. She could ramble on and on about certain things, but not this. Wait, this was a Warped, wasn’t it? A manifestation of the corruption inside her? How many others got this opportunity to remain sane while talking to something like this? She’d have to be careful, obviously, but if she could get Xirali to talk and help without her noticing, then she might be able to get more information on the Warped and what makes them work. Maybe a better way to kill them? Organs or parts of the brain that contained the corruption? She’d need to do some more dissections to try to find the epicentre of the mutations. If it started in the soul, then…

Her thoughts were cut off as a gentle finger tapped her shoulder. Whirling, she saw the outline of a person. A gentle breeze wafted around them, leaves fluttering in place as they stood there. A spectral hand raised to their face in a shushing motion.

Rosalyn stared at Eas, because what else could it be, in awe. The God of the Wind was here.

The Formless One reached out and tousled Rosalyn’s hair fondly, then gave her a nod before disappearing once more. No words were needed. The message was obvious. She would be alright. They were watching out for her.

“Xirali!” Rosalyn shouted. “Come here. We’ve got some stuff to go over.”