hey all! not a huge fan of A/N's, but just wanted to say thanks for all reviews, faves, follows nd all! makes me happy

15. Inconsiderate

The moment the blue shield dissipated, Ifan shook away the numbness in his limbs and stood up. He turned to face Lorelai, who had removed her tattered cloak and was slumped in front of a tree a few minutes' walk away from the Seeker's camp. Ifan was furious, both at the Seekers and at Lorelai, but he calmed himself for the moment. There were more important things to worry about.

Lorelai was inspecting the weapons embedded in her bones. One of her ribs was cracked, nearly all the way through, and it looked about to snap off. Lorelai tried to reach for the bolt, but another bolt in her shoulder seemed to prevent her arm from twisting far enough. Her other arm was jammed by the sword whose hilt was stuck in what looked like curled antlers between her ribs. Her collarbone held another crossbow bolt, and Ifan could not see the final bolt that was in her back. The worst was the knife; it had formed a spiderweb of cracks across the top of her skull and was forcing her head to tilt at an awkward angle.

"I should have stayed in the bloody damned forest," Lorelai repeated. She glanced up at Ifan and Sebille with difficulty. "Again, I apologize for using such magic on you," she said pleadingly, sounding as though she were about to burst into tears.

"We can discuss that later, darling," Sebille cooed, but she could not disguise the worry in her tone.

"Agreed," Ifan said briskly. He strode forward and knelt in front of Lorelai, who hung her head. Ifan hoped field medicine would be relevant here, but he had no idea if Lorelai's bones would regenerate like skin. He hoped they did. He was not enjoying his current feeling of helplessness.

"I thought you were a tad more invulnerable than this," Sebille commented as she sat cross-legged at Lorelai's side. She tilted her head to the side and blinked curiously.

"Someone did their bloody research on the bloody Undead," Lorelai muttered. "A couple of the bolts seem to be poisoned—the opposite of poisoned, I mean. Health… potion-ed. Believe it or not, it bloody hurts. I can feel the bloody liquid burning through my marrow, and I must say that I am feeling rather…" Lorelai trailed off with a moan.

"Which of the bolts are poisoned?" Ifan asked. When Lorelai's head lolled to the side, Ifan drew her skull towards him again. "Lorelai," he snapped. "Can I remove the weapons, or will that cause harm?"

"Go ahead," Lorelai said. "I do not bloody bleed."

"That does make things easier," Sebille said before standing up and wrenching the knife from Lorelai's head. She inspected the blade carefully, then frowned.

Ifan pulled out the bolts from Lorelai's rib, collarbone, and shoulder. It took more effort than he would have thought, and he half-expected Lorelai's bones to split under the force.

"Okay, Lorelai," Ifan said with false cheer. "I've spent more time breaking bones than healing them, but I can guess that a sword and a crossbow bolt are not too good for them. Mind leaning forward so I can reach them?"

Lorelai huffed and bent forwards so far that her forehead touched the ground. Sebille drew a finger along the cracks on Lorelai's skull and inspected the entry point from the knife itself.

"Okay, surgery time," Ifan muttered.

Ifan grasped the crossbow bolt that was stuck in one of her upper vertebrae and tore it out in one quick stroke. The sword was more difficult, as Lorelai was not keeping her arm taut. He had to hold her arm tightly and keep his elbow locked before he could drag the tip of the blade from the bone. Ifan carefully untangled the hilt from the antlers and drew the sword from her body without nicking any of her other bones.

"Poison," Sebille abruptly snapped, gazing intently at Ifan. "She needs poison. Regular poison. She said it healed her."

"Of that, I have plenty," Ifan said with a strained chuckled, and Sebille murmured her agreement. They both rifled through their packs and began pulling out various illicit substances. Once there was a deadly arsenal on the ground, they both looked to Lorelai. "Does she drink it?" Ifan asked slowly.

Sebille shrugged and tipped back Lorelai's skull before pouring a bottle of poison into her jaw. The liquid disappeared when it hit where the entrance of her throat should have been, and Lorelai made a small noise.

"I am by no means dying, dear ones," Lorelai muttered with a note of amusement. "I am simply… recovering. Thank you for the poison, however. It shall speed up the recovery process exponentially."

"Darling, I am disappointed with your fragility," Sebille scolded. "How have you lived for so long when you break like an eggshell?"

Lorelai chuckled. "I am… unused to protecting other people instead of only myself," she admitted in a stronger voice as the poison seemed to run its course. "I could not fortify myself while also keeping up the frost spheres. The combination of degenerative health potions, a lack of defense, a bombastic display of telekinetic magic, and two frost immobilization shields took a touch of effort on my part. I am… tired."

"Yes, speaking of the shields," Sebille growled, "why didn't you let me slit the throats of those hypocrites?"

"Sebille, if I slit the throat of every hypocrite in the world, it would likely be populated by nothing but the Undead—and only because they have no throat to be slit," Lorelai said with another laugh. "This is my fault," she said cheerfully. "I grew careless and forgot that all people are not like you strange creatures. Careless, careless, careless."

"You are not meek, Lorelai," Sebille growled. "Stop pretending to be."

"I am not meek," Lorelai agreed. "I am, however, opposed to harming people when I can simply leave. I have many advantages that mortals do not possess, and any fight would be simply unfair."

"I wouldn't call a couple dozen people against three a fair fight," Ifan growled.

"I can survive much more," Lorelai replied with infuriating calmness. "Now, if you do not mind, I must heal my skeleton."

Ifan and Sebille watched quietly as Lorelai summoned a hot blast of steam that she clenched into her fist. She opened her hand just slightly to allow a concentrated stream to jet into one of the wounds. The bone itself seemed to melt, then fill itself in until her skeleton was as smooth as it had been. She repeated the process with the other contusions except for her skull fracture. For that one, she took one of Sebille's poisons and dumped it over her head. The liquid was absorbed into the cracks, and they instantly disappeared. She filled in the scour from the knife with a large blast of steam.

Lorelai dissipated the steam and shuddered. "Manipulating the shape of my own bone is a strange sensation," she sighed, "but at least it is possible. Dominik was very invested in my well-being; he made me to survive for a long, long time."

"This whole situation isn't right," Ifan muttered with repressed anger. "It doesn't sit well with me at all."

Lorelai laughed and glanced up at him. "I appreciate that," she said warmly. "I do not recall a time in which someone has felt thus. Perhaps it has happened before, but I cannot remember."

"I suppose we simply are not ordinary, darling," Sebille replied with a dramatic flick of her hand.

"You are not," Lorelai agreed delightedly, "and I am the luckier for it."

"Lorelai," Ifan snapped, irritated at her blasé attitude. "Don't you dare ever keep me out of a fight again." Lorelai grew unnaturally still and turned her face to him, her eye sockets fixed on Ifan's face in a manner that looked disturbingly cold. For the first time, Ifan understood that he was facing an old, powerful creature, someone whom he had no authority over.

"I shall promise no such thing, Ifan," Lorelai said in a voice just as icily calm as the one she had used to address the Seekers' camp.

"This is non-negotiable," Ifan retorted with a furious glare, forcing away an uncustomary bolt of fear. "Either you promise this or I leave."

Lorelai inhaled sharply, and even Sebille paused to give Ifan a disbelieving glance. "I…" Lorelai glanced away, but Ifan did not allow himself to feel any pity. "Do you realize just how short your precious life is?" she asked hoarsely. "Decades, Ifan. Decades."

"Yes," Ifan snarled in response. "Yes, and I will not waste it standing on the sidelines while my friend takes damage. Now, do you understand that?"

"But I cannot die!" Lorelai cried. "Not like—"

"Lorelai!" Ifan roared, successfully cutting off her next words. "Do you understand?"

Lorelai gazed at him for a long time, long enough that Ifan grew worried that she was about to send him away, but she eventually nodded. It was a sharp, curt nod, but it was a nod.

Ifan let out a deep sigh of relief and dropped down onto his haunches in front of her. He gave her a smile, an affectionate and gentle one that Lorelai had given him many times, and placed a hand on her head. Her skull felt smoother than he had expected, the polished texture only interrupted by the grooves of her tattoos. The area where the knife had been embedded was free of the ink it should have had, and Ifan felt a stab of rage at the people who had caused this.

"Lorelai," he said in a soft voice, looking straight into her face. "Do you understand why I am asking this?"

"I do," Lorelai said just as quietly. "I do understand. I simply wish…"

"I know," Ifan stated when she trailed off, "and I appreciate the thought." He gave her a brisk pat on the head, and she laughed.

"I apologize again," she said warmly, "and thank you for… your kindness, your trust, your friendship… everything." She glanced to Sebille on her left. "Both of you."

"Mm," Sebille hummed, "you're welcome, darling, but know that I do intend to eviscerate anyone who tries to kill us again."

"And I shall never forcibly stop you again," Lorelai vowed. "Are we all still… friends?"

Ifan rolled his eyes and stood up. "Humans might be short-lived, but our memory isn't that bad. Of course we're still damn friends."

"I suppose so," Sebille said cautiously.

"Sebille, your dice are truly exceptional," Lorelai said with a delighted clap of her hands. "I am the luckiest creature I know." She ruffled Sebille's hair before the elf could flee, then reached over to give Ifan's hand a tight squeeze before drawing her arm back again. "If you do not mind waiting just a tad longer," she added, "then I would like to repair my tattoos as soon as possible."

Ifan nodded. Sebille scooted closer to Lorelai and watched intently as she began dipping her sharpened fingers into jars of ink she retrieved from her pack. Ifan was curious as well, but he kept an eye out for anyone who might have gotten any ideas to finish off Lorelai.

Any of those people would regret taking one step out of their little camp.

xXxXxXx

"I assume you are another one of Braccus Rex's experiments?" Lorelai asked the strange old man of shimmering blue.

"Hah! I can't believe you fell for that!" was the man's response.

"Another illusion," Lorelai muttered as she poked her skeletal hand through the man. "Bloody Braccus Rex and his bloody games."

"It's not satisfying to kill illusions," Ifan complained as he poked one of the boxes in the cave with a stick. The box turned blue and translucent, so Ifan moved to the next box.

"Are you certain this is the correct place?" Sebille inquired, inspecting the walls of the cavern. "It seems rather tame for the work of Braccus Rex."

"I am guessing that the old skeleton man was cursed by the dear Source King," Lorelai replied, "and the skeleton created the illusions to accomplish whatever task Braccus Rex forced upon him. Poor man."

"Any way to free him?" Ifan asked distractedly. He was poking at the other boxes with his stick and seemed to find one that was real. He grinned and began rifling through it.

"Perhaps," Lorelai said, "but I do not know the nature of the curse. If the real version shows himself, it may be possible."

"Then let's find the real version," Sebille stated. "These illusions have lost their charm."

"It is an interesting blend of light distortion and aerothurge," Lorelai commented as she inspected the illusion of the old man. "There seem to be some elements of polymorph magic as well… This is brilliant work…"

"If we find the real version," Sebille said, "then you can ask him all the questions in the world, darling."

"I would thoroughly enjoy that," Lorelai replied happily, starting to feel more like herself.

Lorelai had not replaced her mask or even raised her hood since leaving the Seeker's camp. Neither Ifan nor Sebille had pointed it out, something for which she was grateful. Lorelai did not want to discuss the attack, and the idea of masking herself currently disgusted her, even though her new beautiful blue cloak was now riddled with holes. To busy herself, she had discussed tattoo techniques with Sebille while Ifan led them to the location of a presumed Vault of Braccus Rex.

Once they arrived at the Vault, Lorelai had taken the lead. She had been instantly fascinated by the ancient cavern whose entrance had been disguised using some sort of illusory magic. Lorelai had never seen this complexity of illusion before, and she was delighted to distract herself with the prospect of studying it. She was always looking for a chance to expand her vast repertoire of magic, and Braccus Rex, as much as she despised him, had attracted all kinds of brilliant sorcerers and unique magicks. As long as she was in this blasted place, she might as well study along the way.

Solving these little puzzles and illusions was rapidly restoring Lorelai's good mood. She never expected to be able to thank Braccus Rex for anything, but she was thoroughly entertained. From sentient statues to lost souls in dry wells, this place was filled with intrigue. Lorelai was conscious of the horror, of course, the pain that these souls had suffered, but she felt a sense of accomplishment in that she could at least give them peace by breaking their curses.

"Ooh, a series of disconnected floating platforms!" Lorelai squealed when they made it into the next room.

The cavern floors were now replaced with worn stone surrounded by crumbling walls with no seeming way across the chasm over which the stone floated. Lorelai rushed forwards and began using a tentacle arm to search for hidden solid ground. She quickly discovered a series of staircases and platforms that connected to another archway, but she was disappointed to find that the next room was filled with treasure. A room filled with treasure meant the end of the Vault. Just in case, Lorelai tapped the coins and chests with the tentacle to see if any were illusions, but it was not to be.

"Ah, now this is more like it," Ifan laughed. He rushed ahead of Lorelai and ran his hand through a pile of gold. "This was a good idea after all."

"I suppose Braccus Rex did not expect people to see through the illusions," Sebille commented. She flitted to one of the treasure chests and expertly picked the lock even faster than Lorelai could have.

"Braccus Rex expected me to do a better job," the old man's voice echoed through the Vault.

Lorelai instinctively whipped the tentacle at him, and he cried out in shock when it made contact. "Oh, pardon me!" Lorelai gasped. "I expected another illusion. Are you real?"

"Real…?" The man sighed. "I exist," he said, "but I am bound to protect this place. I have been here for… longer than I can imagine."

"How may I help?" Lorelai inquired gently. The skeleton looked exhausted, defeated, and she was filled with pity. "Is there a way to break your bind?"

The skeleton looked at her in shock. "You… wish to help me?" he asked, baffled. "…Why?"

"No one deserves this," Lorelai told him gently. "May I help?"

"Please, please," the man breathed. "The soul jar." He pointed a shaking hand to the gilded jar atop a pedestal at the head of the room. "Break it. Set me free."

"You shall die," Lorelai said sadly. "Is that truly what you wish?"

"That is the only way I can be free," he pleaded her.

Lorelai dipped her head and gently lifted the soul jar from its plinth. "Trombody," she read the plaque. She looked to the skeleton, who was gazing at her with unbridled hope in his eyes. "I wish you well, Trombody," she said. "Your magic is beautiful," she added before dropping the jar.

The jar shattered to pieces, and Lorelai felt the pure relief radiating from Trombody just before he dissipated into nothingness.

While Sebille and Ifan plundered the Vault, Lorelai collected four other soul jars that were similarly displayed. She read the names under her breath, recognizing Rask, Tamsyn, and Gwick. With only a slight hesitation, she shattered the soul jars as she had Trombody's. As much as she despised destroying them, Lorelai was comforted by the whisper gratitude from each necromancer as their souls departed the mortal plane.

Once completed, Lorelai read the inscription on the final soul jar: Gratiana. She gazed at that one for nearly a full minute before gingerly placing it into her pack.

"I think I found the weapons," Ifan called out, drawing Lorelai's attention. He was reaching into a chest, but he froze when Lorelai called for him to stop.

"Do not touch the artefacts of Braccus Rex," Lorelai reminded him. "Allow me."

"I'm hardly helpless, Lorelai," Ifan warned her with a soft glare.

Lorelai opened her mouth to protest but thought better of it. She had already forcibly encased them in a shield today and wished to impose nothing more. Thus, she nodded her head and simply watched as he lifted a handful of bright orange wands.

"These look important," he said, "and, well, they're the only weapons in here."

"Those are purging wands," Lorelai confirmed distastefully.

Ifan inspected the wands for a moment longer, then tossed them to Lorelai. She caught them, thankful that they still hummed with energy. She did not know how to recharge a drained wand, and that would have ruined the whole purpose of this excursion.

"So, the Seekers' information was correct?" Sebille asked, sounding disappointed. "A shame. I do not wish to return to that camp…" She eyed Lorelai craftily. "Unless, of course, I can allow my needle to whet her appetite…?"

Lorelai laughed but shook her head. "I apologize, dear one, but I would prefer you not."

"Hm. Perhaps," Sebille mused. "I shall see how I feel at the time."

"That is all I ask, dear one."

"You're going back to the Seeker camp with us?" Ifan called out as he approached. "Is that the best idea?"

"Perhaps not," Lorelai said with a shrug, "but I always hope that if those who dislike the Undead see a peaceful Undead, they will at least have a shred of doubt, perhaps enough to begin a change of opinion."

"Or, a nice little arrow sent toward your throat," Sebille offered.

"I took four crossbow bolts, a sword, and a knife only a few hours ago," Lorelai reminded them. "The only reason I felt any discomfort was because I was anti-poisoned by healthy juices."

"Can't argue with that," Ifan said with an approving smirk. "It was pretty impressive."

Lorelai offered him an exaggerated bow. "Why thank you, my dear Ifan," Lorelai said arrogantly. "Shall we proceed to the nest of frightened children?"

Neither Ifan nor Sebille seemed as enthusiastic as Lorelai, but they followed her out of the treasure room. A nearby lever nearby dissipated a force field that led back to the entrance of the cavern. Lorelai sighed at the prospect of leaving this interesting cave, but none of the illusion magic was active anymore. As Lorelai was preparing to return to the Marshes, however, she heard something.

Come close… my child…

Lorelai glanced around, and the others gazed at her expectantly. "Did you hear…?"

"Hear what?" Ifan said asked.

Lorelai felt herself drawn to a statue hidden in a nearby alcove, so she slowly approached. "Curious," Lorelai murmured. Something urged her to reach out, some indecipherable echo in her head that compelled her to act, so she rested the bones of her hand against the stone.

In that moment, everything disappeared.