Another month passed without the cecaelia's return.
Viren spent the time fighting apathy - going about his days much as he had been before. How strange, he thought more than once, that he felt more tired now when he was less… lively. Aaravos had teased him about being animated, but in truth, that was only in front of others. Alone he was… far more quiet and reserved.
Perhaps that was why he didn't notice two crustaceans until they were almost upon him.
"You!" one called out, jumping up to swim over, "You are the exiled dark mage Viren, yes?"
The mer sighed, pausing to allow the pair to approach. He\d been on his way back from collecting his volcanic soaked kelp, and now stopped just outside the kelp forest. He didn't know what was about to happen, but he was sure it would be tiring.
Crustaceans were born with the Sun arcanum - which was likely what allowed them to live on top of underwater volcanoes. They had two sets of arms - well, one set of claws and a set of arms beneath said claws.
"Yes," Viren answered as they drew closer, "And you are?"
"Who we are is none of your concern," the second crustacean replied, crossing her arms, "We heard you are living in the abandoned grotto near here - why?"
"Why shouldn't I?" the mer replied, arching a brow. He knew why, of course - because it was Aaravos's, and the cecaelia was dangerous. But he saw no reason to share that with carnivores that had clearly come just to hassle him.
"We are asking the questions," the second crustacean said, "You will answer us, dragon killer."
"I have no reason to do that," Viren crossed his own arms, "But if you must know, it happens to be the first safe place I found. That's all."
"One of the conditions of your exile was that you are not permitted to perform the atrocity you call magic," the first crustacean said, narrowing her eyes, "Yet you do not appear as corrupted as we were led to believe."
"I found an old memory crystal with instructions for a treatment," the mer rolled his eyes, shrugging off his bag, "This is part of it."
The first woman took the bag hesitantly in a claw, and reached in with one of her hands, "This kelp is warm… it is infused with Sun essence. How was this accomplished?"
"By leaving it in a volcanic vent for three days," Viren said. He wanted to be difficult - just to frustrate his unexpected and unwelcome visitors - but all that would accomplish was more hassle for him. The mer wasn't in the mood for a fight, anyways - especially when his best defense wasn't an option.
"Where is this vent?" the woman demanded, seemingly debating keeping the bag before tossing it back in Viren's direction.
"About half a day's swim in that direction," the mer replied, pointing back the way he'd came, "The other part of the treatment is a paste made from the sand and sea grass found in the same area."
"And why should we believe you?" the second crustacean snorted, "You could easily be lying."
"Doesn't sun magic deal in truth?" Viren drawled, having learned much about the arcana in the last half year, "Cast a spell, then. Discover for yourself."
"You insolent-!" the second woman started.
"Very well," the first cut her off, seeming the shrewder of the two. She drew a rune in the water, and spoke a word that caused it to flare out brightly.
Viren squinted against the light, holding up a hand to shield his eyes as heat seemed to briefly envelope him.
"Have you used magic since your banishment?" the castor asked.
"No," the mer replied, not able to stop himself from smirking at the other crustacean.
The woman glared, claws clicking softly open and closed.
"How did you discover this dark magic treatment?" the first asked patiently, tilting her head to look down on him.
Viren contemplated lying, but didn't risk it - after all, he didn't know how the spell worked. Aaravos had told him sun magic was intense, and often forceful - it was more likely Viren would suffer for lying while under its effect than the crustaceans would simply be notified.
"I was told it," the mer replied, silently cursing the carnivore's thoughtfulness.
"So you did lie!" the second crustacean said, snapping her claws.
"By whom?" the first woman asked, more interested in answers than vilification.
Normally, Viren would admire that - now, however, it was annoying, "Aaravos."
The reaction to the name was instant - the second crustacean snapped out with a claw Viren barely avoided, though it did cut through the strap of his bag. The first glared, pursing her lips before stopping her companion.
"When did you last have contact with Aaravos?" she asked.
"Three months ago," the mer said, now on guard and slowly sneaking back towards the kelp forest.
"How long were you in contact before then?" the woman continued.
"What does it matter?" her companion asked, "We cannot let a dark mage fall into that cecaelia's claws! We should end him now, before they both do more harm!"
"I don't recall the terms of my exile including zero contact with others," Viren glared himself. He could feel the truth spell dwindling - no wonder his interrogator wanted to ask more questions.
"How long have you been in contact with Aaravos?" the castor asked again, more insistently.
Viren decided not to give her the satisfaction - simply continuing to glare as the last of the heat from the spell dissipated.
"You see!" the second woman said, "No doubt they have been scheming together!"
Her companion sighed - but shook her head, "But he is right - he has broken none of the rules of his exile. It would be wrong to strike him after he has already been punished for his crimes."
"But-!" the second said.
The tip of Viren's tail brushed the edge of the kelp forest - ready to finally leave the unpleasant encounter.
And then he felt it - a surge of powerful magic behind him, likely from the Sanctum. Viren turned in shock, wondering what could possibly have caused it. No doubt the crustaceans felt it as well, but the mer wasn't fast enough to see their reaction.
"He lies!" the second woman said, breaking away from her surprised companion to strike, "He found a way to trick the spell!"
Viren was just fast away to avoid most of the claw - but a gash opened up on his side, and he hissed as he darted into the kelp forest. Part of it had cut into one of his gills, and it throbbed with a molten hot pain.
"You will not escape me, mer!" the woman called after him, but her hard shelled body hampered her in the kelp.
"Wait!" her companion called after her, though Viren lost the rest of what was said.
The mer went straight for the Sanctum, and down to the lower levels. Perhaps if he could hide long enough… no, he should keep swimming. He would need to take a few basic survival items with him, but he now had a decent head start and at least a few minutes to grab them.
Even with one of the two carnivores appearing relatively reasonable, Viren didn't trust the pair to leave him be - even though he had done nothing wrong. This time, at least he could be completely sure of that.
He was cursing under his breath when he darted into the mirror suite for his smaller bag, and paused.
The mirror. It was… whole.
The shock overruled his better judgement. He approached it cautiously, frowning at the clear surface - which still showed Aaravos's grotto on the other side. As he reached out to touch it, a voice stopped him.
"You shouldn't carelessly break things, little fish."
It was all the warning he had before he was seized from behind by four hands and many black, star studded tentacles. One of those hands clamped over his mouth, and no amount of attempted thrashing made the much stronger carnivore budge.
Aaravos - in the flesh - looked down at the mer with his usual smug amusement, "Especially not yourself."
Viren would have screamed as the cecaelia pressed a hand against the gash, white dots dancing in his vision at the pain. His gills fluttered, making the injured one flare with yet more pain as the mer went limp in the carnivore's grasp.
Damn him. Viren was a fool for falling for the man's charms - and twice one for remaining in a location the cecaelia already knew.
Aaravos looked up as the barrier on the Sanctum broke, snorting, "Ah, unexpected guests. I suppose I should greet them properly."
Still, the mer found it in him to roll his eyes - though he was no longer very worried about the crustaceans.
"Stay here, would you?" the cecaelia asked, rolling the mer around and depositing him in the sleeping alcove, "I need to play host."
Viren was about to protest when he felt a prick against his neck, and had to blink several times at a rapidly spreading natural heat, huffing as he sank against the bottom of the cubby. Bastard poisoned me, he thought, dimly able to hear the cecaelia confronting the crustaceans in the amphitheater.
Still, it meant the carnivore thought him perfectly capable of leaving with only a side wound - which was… oddly complimentary. He had no fear that the venom was lethal - Aaravos planned to come back, after all.
Viren huffed, and dragged himself out of the alcove with one hand, the other pressed to his wound. He needed to leave while all the carnivores were distracted dealing with each other. How had he not seen this coming? Of course Aaravos would arrive once he'd successfully seduced Viren - otherwise, what was the point in doing so?
The mer had no idea what game the cecaelia had planned, but he knew he wasn't about to be toyed with.
So slowly, head full of static and limbs soft and heavy, he half pulled, half swam his way outside through the kitchen. Viren knew it was taking much longer than it should, and doubted his chances of actually escaping, but he was still going to try, damn it.
"What are you trying to accomplish?" Aaravos asked, appearing at the mer's side in the midst of the kelp forest.
Viren huffed, but speaking seemed like too much of a chore at the moment.
"Do you think I came to harm you?" the cecaelia went on, licking something blood off his fingers. He seemed unbothered by the other man's escape attempt, almost lazily pulling himself along beside him.
The mer shot him a glare, and realized it was blood. Carnivores, he thought, though he couldn't suppress a shiver.
Aaravos chuckled, shifting to get more in front of Viren, "I was only making a point - though, even without injury, I expected you to run."
That gave the mer pause, and he stilled, gills fluttering anxiously.
"I had hoped you trusted me at least a little," the cecaelia continued, shrugging nonchalantly - though his grin gave him away, "But I understand if you find me too intimidating in the flesh. I only came to open the portal, anyways."
"Portal?" Viren huffed out, annoyance at the smug challenge warring with his common sense.
"The mirror," Aaravos specified, tentacles creeping slowly but loosely up the mer's tail, "It was not always solely a viewing glass - it is also a portal between here and my home. When the Sanctum was abandoned, I sealed it from both sides for my own protection - I assumed if any mer came wandering in later, they would be able to unseal it from their end. But of course, you won't do magic - so I had to come myself."
Viren looked back to watch the cecaelia's thinly veiled attempt to be sneaky, but the motion made him dizzy. He closed his eyes, letting his head fall back.
"Imagine my surprise to find it broken," the carnivore's grin widened, "I wonder how that could have happened."
The mer sighed heavily, no longer having the energy for mental dueling, "You win."
Aaravos easily scooped the other man against his side, heading back to the Sanctum with what felt like mildly alarming speed, "It was not meant to be a contest, but I understand you are partially impaired at the moment."
And whose fault is that? Viren thought, but found it was without bite. Sleep was fuzzing the edges of his consciousness as the carnivore carried him back through the kitchen entrance.
"I am not going to harm you, Viren," the cecaelia said, "There is no need to fear me."
The mer grunted in response, closing his eyes against the light as Aaravos did pull him through the mirror, "'M not… afraid."
"Good," Aaravos chuckled, "Then sleep. All will be well."
Viren wasn't sure he could have stayed awake if he'd wanted to.