I grieved.
Tomix was gone, in an act more heroic than any I have ever done. And the worst of it was that he hadn't even left a body, simply vanished into the void core. Not that I haven't been to funerals of fellow warriors that were simply memorials before, when the method of their death left no body, but this time it was different. We still don't even know if he's actually dead, and it galled me to think that he might still be alive in the void, beyond my reach, beyond any help. And he isn't in the plane of elemental spirits, Aegis had reported; which only made it more likely that he lived in some way. I refuse to accept the possibility that he isn't there because even his soul was gone, destroyed with Envy.
Not that I'd loved him romantically, but the SoulWeaver was one of my best friends, and I miss him.
Veritas remained silent beside me, violet wings drooping. He'd liked the SoulWeaver too. Tomix had always had a treat for him, and had been one of the few who liked me for myself, not for what I have done as his rider.
Sighing, I remove the fireproof tie from my ever burning hair, letting flaming strands cascade down my back, and buckled on the looms, claws inactive. Time.
Danyel had given me a sharp look, seeing me clad in the leather armor of a SoulWeaver instead of my usual Riftwalker garb, but I can't bring myself to care. He was not his brother, and I wore this to honor my friend. Now I stood alone before the grave, grieving still for the one who had been closer to me than even Ash, my little brother figure. Rage burned in me too, but not at him. Never at him. All his brother would say was "you didn't keep your promise," to me, at Tomix's funeral?
Some brother.
I felt the cold bite of Aegis' agreement, sorrow, and grief in the back of my mind. How I, primarily Fire and Poison aligned, had bonded so tightly with a spirit of Ice and Valor was a mystery to most of the world, but we are alike in many ways. Such as this.
Later we will hunt monsters, Aegis and I, taking out our grief at the loss of a dear friend-ally-brother on the few remaining void creatures, and leave him their tribute, and honor his memory by continuing what other things he had begun. But now here we stand.
Danyel left, and I finally spoke.
"Hey... You know... I'm not good at goodbyes either. It's not that I wouldn't be able to find the words for it. I just... I just don't really like them." I paused. "It's strange... right now, memories are flashing by my eyes, flooding my mind. A flood so strong, it hurts. But I'm not about to die or anything. And it's not my life I'm seeing, it's... It's our adventures. Like that first Mogloween... you appearing out of nowhere just as troubles were starting. Ten seconds later, you tell me to die."
I smiled, sad and fond. "That was a good one. And then... we kicked Greed's butt for the first time. Hah! The look on his face when we had foiled his plans for Falconreach!" I remembered Greed's face, and the thrill at a new ally, a new battle partner, one who matched my preferred tactics without any talk, fitting together seamlessly, as ifwe'd fought together before. But that was impossible… wasn't it?
And why were Kordanna's long ago words about a Reset tickling my memory?
"But that wasn't even the beginning, wasn't it? I...I only actually got to know you when we met again... in Ravenloss. Spelunking through Ravenloss was completely crazy and dangerous.
Running through alleys and places filled with angry half spider, half human Chaosweavers out for our blood..." finding keys in unexpected places,I thought. "But at the same time... so many interesting things happened. For all of Ravenloss' darkness, it did have plenty of curious mysteries and stories to uncover." I remembered the letters we'd sent back and forth, trading news on possible key locations and my latest adventures. "Embodiments, traces of Vaal and Murk at many turns..."
Aegis had something to tell me about Murk, I learned at that moment, but he would pass it on later. It wasn't urgent.
"We met and made friends. First Riadne and her—" a snicker escaped me, "...feisty personality at the Weaver Emporium. And then you reunited, and I met Izaac at Mystlyk Museum. And before I knew it... you and your SpiritLooms had become a familiar and friendly sight. Your hijinks with Riadne... Your determination to see your mission through..." I remembered in a quiet moment, on the ship, telling him he was like a brother to me, a dear friend. That had been just before we'd arrived at the core. Tears burned again, and I closed my eyes against them. Feeling the encouragement of Veritas and Aegis, I spoke again. "That wasn't our last adventure though. I never told you, but… I bought a house in Ravenloss, just so I could visit you more easily. I meant to move in after our last adventure… One that was just as crazy, adventuring and dangerous if not... more so, that any of our others. And now... it's coming to a close. That's why..."
The tears won out, and I sobbed.
"T-That's WHY... I-I want to s-SAY… THANK YOU!" I cried.
"It was fun..." I whispered. "It was so very, very fun to go on adventures with you...
Thank you. Thank you, Tomix."
Three months later I opened Izaac's letter, gasped, and used a skill all Rifterwalkers had, even when they chose set aside their rifting in favor of other skills, as I had for SoulWeaving, to open a portal to Ravenloss. If Izaac wanted me to come immediately, even going so far as to send it by one of Aria's personal message-birds, it must be important.
Landing with ease before the inn, my boots absorbing the slight shock of impact on the hexagonal cobbles, I swiftly caught my balance and hurried to the Equilibrium gate, where Izaac had said to meet them.
But as it came into sight, beyond Ellial's Card Shoppe, my steps slowed.
There was Izaac, and Ridane next to him, but between them was third figure. His hair was crimson, but streaked through with white, as if someone had dipped their fingers in white paint and run them through his hair. He wore something knee length and ragged at the edges, that looked like it was made of the void, and even at this distance I could see that his eyes were a familiar, warm amber. His soul felt familiar too, to my weaver's senses, and his face was the same as I remembered. Izaac and Ridane were hanging on to him, both looking as if they were reassuring themselves that he was actually there.
"Tomix!" I cried, and tackled all three of them against the gate. There were so many things I wanted to say in that moment, but none of them would come out, so I settled for hugging him.
Aegis curiosity and concern at my sudden emotional spike prickled at my consciousness. I sent back along our bond what I had seen. Elation sang into her mind, and my Ally flashed into being beside me. "Welcome back," he said.
I pushed myself off them, and Izaac and Ridane looked slightly annoyed by the tackle, but I knew they understood. I narrowed my eyes at Tomix. "Next time you go into something knowing it'll kill you but you have to do it, tell us first."
He answered sheepishly, "I'll keep that in mind."
I felt my hair burn higher with my elation as he spoke, and the fact of his return thunked into my mind, latching back into the net that bound me and my friends and allies. The net he had so easily fit into when they first met, as if there had been a space waiting for him.
He was back.
My BattlePartner-ally-friend-brother was really here.
A rewrite of Really Here, which was inspired by "Still Here" by: Tmae3114. Posted today for the Anniversary.