A bit of a longer part this evening, partially celebratory since I just
officially finished this portion of the narrative!
-Lurkingwolf
___
Balrog was quick to prepare and Nathan, woken by his companion's
stirring, was ready even before the mage under his command.Julian also
notified Alex of the breakthrough, but the lynx took his time to wake
up, and even as Julian left him sitting on the edge of the bed he
wondered if he would simply lie back down as soon as the moondog stepped
around the corner.It was not vital for Alex to accompany them for the
discussion, however, so Julian did not bother to check on his again
before leaving with Balrog and Nathan in tow.
They found Lucy waiting for them, a pot of tea sitting incongruously
atop the wooden cage in the center of the room.She had evidently not
been expecting Nathan to join them, but a fourth cup joined the three
she had already prepared in moments, all filled with the same dark
liquid that perfumed the air around it.Julian and Nathan took their cups
with nods of gratitude, while Balrog sniffed at his skeptically before
taking a sip of his own.He nodded approvingly and echoed the
gratefulness of the others before he stepped back from the table to
enjoy it with the others.
"I heard that you had some sort of breakthrough," he said."What have you
found?"
Lucy explained her theory as the rest listened.Even Nathan seemed to be
able to follow the discussion without much effort, and that allowed Lucy
to finish her explanations very quickly.Balrog took one more sip of his
teas after she finished, thinking through all that she had proposed.
"It does sound possible," he decided."To be honest, however, I had
always thought that the stories of people remaining in their fully
Cursed forms after the countercurse had been cast were no more than
legends.The nature of the interplay between the two spells would tend to
favor the hybrid forms that we all wear."
Lucy conceded his point with a nod and a wave of her hand."That may be
true, yet all of us may adopt the forms that the Curse originally forced
upon us with little more than a simple exercise of will.Perhaps the
magic cast two nights ago forced him into the form of an animal, and
with no similar exercise of will he has remained in that state."
Balrog nodded and twisted his beard over and around his thick
fingers."It seems almost probable," he stated."It is so far the only
theory I have heard that accounts for the lack of magical influence with
more than a way of the hand.The question that remains unanswered, then,
is why his mind was not returned to him.I think we can agree that this
is the case?"
Lucy nodded."I have seen many Keepers take on the forms of animals for
training exercises or purposes of utility, and the difference between
these people and a person whose mind is completely lost becomes clear
after only brief observation."
Balrog nodded."I have noticed the same in my own observations.If there
is no magic beyond what encompasses every other Keeper's form affecting
him now, then why has his mind not returned?"
There were several moments of silence before someone spoke.It was Julian
who finally did break the silence."I do not mean to be pessimistic about
our chances, but perhaps his mind is utterly overcome.Perhaps there is
nothing left."
"Is that even possible?" Nathan asked, looking about the room."Wouldn't
there have been signs before a man's mind simply collapsed?"
"One would expect, yes," Balrog admitted."Still, with so little
certainty about anything, we have to consider any reasonable
possibility.Perhaps..."He sighed, rubbing his forehead to stall for a
few moments."Perhaps destroying Lois' mind was the intention of the
spell.If Nasoj or his allies could perfect such a spell, he could
quickly and totally defeat Metamor without even needing an army."
"No, that can't be it," Lucy insisted."That, at least, we can
confirm.Although Lois was the only one to show long-term effect from the
spell, all of us felt the magic.Whatever was cast that night, it had a
wide enough area of effect that it should have done the same thing to
all of us."
"You failed to mention that before," Balrog noted.He sighed and paced
about the table, venturing closer to the stove that heated the chamber
while keeping his eyes on Lois."That complicates matters even more, but
I would say that it makes your original theory even more likely."
"That is what I was thinking as well," Lucy agreed."If some people
affected by the original Curse did not take their hybrid forms, it would
parallel the effects of this spell among our patrol."
"If this theory is correct, is there anything we can do to save him?"
Julian asked."Lucy, did you ever hear what became of the Keepers you
mentioned after the Curse?"
The girl mage shook her head with resignation."Honestly, I have not even
thought of the stories much since I found out that my father was safe,"
she admitted."I never thought they would be important."
Silence fell over the room as everyone present attempted to think of a
way to apply their new theory.A few moments after it had begun, the
silence was broken by the sound of knocking on the chamber's door.The
lynx on the other side did little more than grunt to Julian as the
moondog opened the door, and took the cup of tea he was offered by Lucy
with barely a look, downing most of it in one gulp before wincing at the
amount of unsweetened spice in the flavor.Lucy chuckled quietly.
"Rough night?" she asked.
Her commander regarded her with an exhausted glare."Why it should be
easier to sleep in a bed of leaves on the forest floor than in an actual
bed?" he asked.His tone was mournful, but was clearly meant in a very
sarcastic way."At least I'm up now.I'll be more talkative once my brain
joins my body in wakefulness."
He was filled in on the speculation that had circulated about the room
during his absence, and he listened while taking his time to finish off
what remained of the tea in his paw.He nodded in quiet thought as they
regaled him with their theories, finishing his cup of tea just as Lucy
gave the last few words of information.He scratched at the fur on his
chin for a moment before speaking.
"So, if he was forced into the form of an animal and has lacked the
ability to change back, but was not magically prevented from it, could
he not be similarly forced into his hybrid form?"
Everyone in the room fixed him with an incredulous look.Alex noticed
after a few moments, glancing like a trapped deer at an assembled pack
of wolves."What?I know I'm hardly conscious at the moment, but if our
enemy can force Keepers into their most Cursed forms by means of magic,
why could the process not simply be reversed?"
"That actually makes sense," Lucy admitted.
"You don't have to sound so surprised," Alex griped, playing with the
small cup between his claws."I may not know how to cast magic, but I'm
intelligent enough to make logical connections."
Julian chuckled and shook his head."Is that even possible?I mean, it
makes sense, but I've never heard of it being done, or even attempted."
"I don't think it ever has been attempted," Lucy confirmed."It would be
of barely any use to our enemies, and the only people in Metamor I can
see using it would be a prankster here or there, and I doubt any common
urchin would have the magical experience to even consider the
attempt."She paced around the room a bit in deep thought.Lois, still
trapped in his cage, watched her go, likely hoping that she would
provide him with something more to eat before long."If we did attempt
it, it could return him to his hybrid form, but what of his mind?"
Balrog finally spoke up."Well, our theory so far is that his mind was
somehow weakened by the original spell.Perhaps, trapped in the form of
an animal, it is simply more natural for him to think as an animal?"
"I can confirm that from experience," Alex replied."While not to such an
extent as Lois is experiencing, I can certainly say that instincts and
animalistic actions are far more natural when I take on my most feral
form.I don't know if it is related at all, but I cannot see a change of
perspective as a negative influence."
"The question now is whether the attempt could harm him."Nathan, who had
been standing by the wall of the room listening in silence for quite
some time, added his thoughts to the discussion.
"No," Lucy argued with a shake of her head."The question is not whether
the attempt could harm him; the question is whether it would harm him
more than remaining as he is.With so little understanding of the spell
that was used against him, I can only assume that the longer he spends
as an animal, the less likely it is that he will be able to return to
normal.If no one objects, I say that we should make an attempt."
Nathan scoffed incredulously."You admitted mere moments ago that you do
not even know if such a casting is possible.How can you go from that
admission to recklessly creating a spell from scratch within seconds?"
Lucy's confident expression soured as the wolf objected."Just because I
have never heard of the spell being used before does not mean that I do
not understand the theory behind the Curse well enough to conceptualize
such a spell with little trouble.You seem rather intent on preventing
any possible aid to Lois very suddenly.If I didn't trust you, I would
suspect that you stand to lose something from the reversal of this spell?"
The wolf snarled at her implication.Despite the clear difference in size
and the advantage of strength heavily leaning towards the wolf, Lucy
stood her ground.The others in the room seemed frozen, waiting
breathlessly for the two of them to make their moves.Although the
moments stretched uncomfortably long, Balrog finally stepped between the
two hostile Keepers.
"We gain nothing from this argument," he barked, staring at the wolf
particularly."We need to take action, or Lois could be lost for more
than a few days.I will not allow that!"
Nathan cooled slightly, but made no move to apologize.Instead, he spoke
tersely to Balrog."We need to discuss these matters privately," he said
in a growl.Without waiting for his friend to acknowledge his words he
turned and stalked through the door.
Balrog sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose."I am sorry," he said,
turning to the rest of the company in the room."I do not know what he is
thinking, but I assure you he means only the best.I will go see if I can
determine why he is so agitated this morning.Hopefully the matter can be
resolved quickly."
As the human stepped through the door to follow the wolf, the three
remaining people in the room looked towards each other.
"Should we follow him?" Julian asked.
Alex hesitated, but slowly shook his head."I believe you two have a
casting to prepare?I suggest you begin, and leave the tension to the men
who actually know each other."
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