Chapter Text
The world goes horizontal with the grand force that meets Norah’s temple. Norah’s head juts back with a loud THUNK that echoes out in her skull, following with everything briefly going dark.
Despite having been in a fight just a moment before, it was as though her sense of urgency had been knocked out of her. The sand under Norah does good to offset the fall. Try as she might to get a hold of herself, her body refuses to so much as respond. Her hands could only clamor into fistful of sand in her want to get back up.
She was tired from the dive in the morning, salt water drying away her bark, and leaving her lightheaded long before the fight began. Her body is asking to be listened to, regardless of not feeling any pain. She had no choice but to listen, despite the will of her soul and the reasoning of her mind.
She lays still, slightly relieved to see no threat hanging over her head despite having been surrounded. Was that a good or bad thing? Bad? Given Lowri was likely fighting off whatever is left of the undead skirmish alone. But then again it is Lowri…
Even from where she lays she can here her cussing out in her usual excited cadence. Ever the adrenaline seeker. And somehow that meant Norah becomes wrapped up in it.
She doesn't know how long it takes until the fight ends. But after the sound of conflict halts, she feels a thump next to her head— a shadow is cast over her. Norah takes a moment before she opens her eyes again, looking at the source of the muffled impact near her head.
The three probed ends of a trident in the sand.
Her eyes slowly drag upward to the source of the shade that casts over her. The figure peers down at her, grip firm on their trident which rests nears Norah’s head.
Lowri.
The color of her bark and the blow to the head makes it seem as Lowri’s face is blending in with the sky behind her. All brilliantly blue. So encapsulating through her bludgeoned mind that she nearly misses the way Lowri’s face is twisted in a scowl. Strangely, she has come to find amusement at the tightly drawn expression on the other's face. Having seen it so often, it’s hard to take it seriously anymore.
“If you're going to follow me into a fight, how about you learn to dodge?” She says it in her usual displeased tone, hand sliding down her trident as she brings herself to crouch over Norah.
Norah wishes to quip back something, given it was Lowri who runs about so recklessly, however her jaw remains clamped. She’d just be deflecting on her own shortcomings.
Instead she turns her head to the side, towards the rest of the beach, where risen bodies are stung about. Norah could only take out four…a new record but nothing compared to the dozen Lowri took care of.
“And look at that. Not a single Warden in sight.” Lowri gloats, a sly grin coming to her face as she looks at the cleared beach. She never misses the opportunity to look down on the Dreamer’s even if she is inadvertently helping them. The said Dreamers were the ones to cry out, climbing a boulder to escape the undead at their heels.
Of course it was Lowri who engaged first, but it was Norah who went chasing after her.
At first they were making due, especially considering the droves coming down on them. Apparently Norah made a better target than the Dreamers that were initially targeted, inadvertently becoming a magnet to the undead. She could only take down four of her own without a hand from Lowri. A new feat however that is quickly overshadowed by her now laying flat on her back.
In the end, Norah received quite a heavy hit over in the head. There is no pain that accompanies the injury. But if she receives a bludgeoned blow to the head by an undead norn armed with a plank of wood, she's bound to go down. Ability to feel pain or not.
Hence her laying on the ground, waiting for everything to stop spotting and spinning. It could have been a lot worse. The plank could’ve had a nail— It could have been a hammer. Then it would be Norah laying dead on a beach rather than improvising a place to nap.
The ground next to her shifts and Lowri is now sitting on the sand. “You don’t have to follow me around you know.” She says flatly, although there is no irritation in her voice. She almost sounds amused, propping up her head with a fist as she watches Norah.
Through her sluggish mind, Norah realizes that she is assessing her.
Head injury, especially with a recipient unable to measure the severity of their own pain, she has to rely on others to gauge her state. Usually that would be Viorrel, his healing being unmatched, but given he is away from the isle for the time being….
In their close proximity, pollen begins to land on Norah.
She brings her eyes to a close, taking it the moment—with the steady rhythm of waves just a few paces away.
The sound of Venrty Bay she has come to the associate the sound to be her home, Albeit her only one in the short time she's been alive. Minuscule in the grand scheme of things.
Especially considering Soundless tend not to stay long in the Weeping Isle.
Much like all sylvari they have Dreams of their own, yet the soundless stray from all influences and callings from it. Their people pride themselves in taking reign of their own lives and experiences, although the pace in their pursuit tends to vary as the adjust to a life away from the Dream’s influence. Lowri especially has struggled, having awoken with an especially strong sensitivity to it.
Norah cracks an eye to look Lowri over.
Lowri and her sister have been at the Isle for some quite some time, compared to most in their village at least. Viorrel has said they awoke in the spring, and left soon after with how burdensome the Dream’s connection became for Lowri. Two seasons later and Lowri still struggles within the grasp of the Dream having to meditate daily on top of taking medicinal herbs to offset its influence. Extreme, even by their people’s standards.
Insistent as it is for her, for Norah, the mind scape had broken away quite easily, if its presence within Norah was even there to begin with. Viorrel had said he initially thought she was one of their own with how faint the dull buzz of the dream was.
“Perhaps it sees nothing of value in connecting with you.” Cadi had said, and she still isn’t sure if it was an insult or not. Perhaps it was one with the warning glare Lowri had given her.
Perhaps Norah had been staring off at Lowri’s face too long, as she frowns at Norah. “Please tell me you didn't get brain damage.” She’s already holding a finger in front of Norah’s face, beckoning her to follow its movement. Norah clicks her tongue, and pushes her hand away.
“I’m fine.” Norah finally speaks. Perhaps that wasn’t enough assurance for Lowri, who lifts Norah slightly and shakes her by the shoulders. She continues to shake Norah until she is satisfied in seeing Norah out of her dazed state.
She pulls away, coming to a stand stretching her limbs. Norah can register a few pops from the others joints in doing so. Lowri slumps, letting out a satisfied sigh, as though the whole fight that occurred just earlier has refreshed her. Perhaps it had. Lowri seemed especially eager for combat, being quite vocal about the lack of a worthy opponent in the Isle.
As much as it stings Norah’s pride a bit.
Norah holds out a hand from where she sat. Lowri smiles down at her before she hauls her up and steadies her. That smile quickly disappears at remembering how much height Norah has over her. “Seriously, did your pod get more sunlight than ours?”
Norah gives her a shrug. The story already shared between them on Norah having no memory of leaving her pod. Much less the condition it grew in, though she doubts that’s something one would put much care for. “Perhaps your pod had to accommodate growing two of you.”
Lowri rolls her eyes but smirks at the thought. “Another reason to be annoyed with Cadi.” She muses, before her eyes zero in on something.
Norah’s hand is grabbed and held up, her forearm being shown back to her“…We’re going to have to ask someone to take a look at you.” Norah peeks down to see she had been bitten. Must’ve happen during her playing bait with the undead.
A voice that sounds a lot like Viorrel is at her head, “Risen are disease ridden. Ability to corrupt us or not, seek treatment on any injury they inflict.”
Norah blankly looks at the sticky yellow resin forming from her gray broken bark. The bite had gotten a good chunk out of her— pieces of soft torn wood sticking out revealing the layers of tissue inside. It’ll definitely scar, however it’ll not be her first. Surprisingly she had awoken with quite a few on her body, small, the biggest on her back. None of them she can recall the source from.
Technically this will be the first one she'll remember the cause of. Curious…
She reaches forward to touch it, only for Lowri to slap her hand away. She gives Norah a tense look before her shoulders slump. “We’ll ask Eona to take a look it.” she breathes out, brow still tense in frustration, from Norah's own shortcomings no doubt.
“Let’s go back.”
“Got into some trouble again?” Someone calls out to the pair. Norah doesn't spare them a look, unclasping her aqua breather from her mouth. It is Lowri who tends to do most of the talking between them anyway.
“Just some undead off to the south,” she calls back, pouring fresh water to wash away the salt that stuck to her bark. Norah does the same, used to doing so after every dive. The pair make their way to the isle center where their people conjugate.
Given the hour most of the noon awakened are getting ready to meditate. A total of seven noon awakened sylvari reside in the isle— and that includes Norah and Cadi.
“Where is Eona?”
A head turns at the name. It would seem Talaith was out for the day with the way Eona seemed to be getting ready to be the one to guide the newer soundless in their meditations.
The sylvari’s shoulders slump at the sight of the two. “Inside.” She motions in a sigh.
Norah settles herself down on the stool watching with keen eyes as Eona looked her over. “Are you hurt as well Cadi?” Eona calls out behind him, yet her gaze remains on Norah— she holds her by her chin, moving it as she pleases to get a better angle on Norah’s injury.
“Focus on her, I’ve got nothing I can’t handle.” She says, already sifting through the odd jars stored on a near by shelf. She eventually finds what she is looking for, snatching a jar from the table. She grimaces and recoils at the smell but swabs a wad of some sort of salve over a cut on her face.
“Well…she seems aware enough. I mean, you both swam back here— not the best idea if you're worried about someone having a concussion by the way— walk next time.” Eona let’s go, taking Norah’s wrist to look at her forearm. “This however, is ugly work. Thrall taking a taste for you aren't they Norah?” She chuckles and is already pulling out her medical kit.
“That it?” Lowri asks, slightly annoyed,
Eona spares her an equal look of annoyance, “I am no Mender, and with Viorrel away?” She shakes her head. “I say she takes it easy as precaution.”
Lowri doesn’t seem to be the least bit satisfied in that.
“When your sister arrives we’ll ask her to conjure some ice. Should help with the swelling. With a stitch or three… all should be fine. Her face will heal up just fine” Eona settles down and stool, motioning Lowri away with a wave of her hand.
Norah watches Lowri, giving her a small nod. Lowri needed to meditate every day, and although not a necessity for the Soundless, she responded best in meditating in the noon cycle. The cycle she awoke under.
Unfortunately, she remains at the doorway, feet planted, arms crossed.
Norah considers what could possibly drive her away. Obviously she shouldn’t outright upset her…but…
Slowly, she takes her free hand to the edge of the swell at her temple. There a lines Cadi tends to use with the travelers and passerby at the market. A few that Lowri hated in particular came to mind.
“Lowri. I wasn't aware you liked my face so much.” The words are deadpan and stiff, as all words she speaks out come across, but it has an effect nonetheless.
The other's face immediately deflates, blue bark set aglow in its familiar coral color. She makes a noise that immediately makes her glow all the more brighter. Lowri was quick to turn tail. “To think I’m wasting time worrying over this! Never mind.” She grumbles stomping off.
Eona lingers in giving Norah a look of amusement before beginning to clean her wounds. Norah watches the work being done on her arm. A pair of tweezers taking out a few sharp teeth that jutted out her wound. judging by the size, an undead Asura must’ve been the one to latch other her. Must’ve been how she missed it in the first place.
“When will Cadi be back do you think?” She asks, though it was obvious it was to fill the silence that fell between them.
Norah shrugs her shoulders in response. Unlike Lowri, Norah is not as familiar with Cadi’s habits. “She's helping Pedr sell his metal work. We helped them set up before making our rounds with the traps.”
“Ah that Pedr,” Eona starts, chuckling to herself. “Last time he went off alone he sold everything at a loss.” There is a fondness on her face despite her words. She pauses in cleaning Norah’s wound, sparing a glance up at Norah. “Will they be coming back together you think?”
Norah watches Eona for a moment, who quickly returned back to working on Norah’s arm. “Likely not. Cadi tends to stray off towards chatting up the market goers. If she’s gone till evening Lowri will drag her back.”
“Oh.” Eona breathes out. “W–well do you think— thorns.” The pair of tweezers falls to the floor. She fumbles through her kit, to look for a new pair of tweezers. Somethings got her nervous.
“If anything I miss when Viorrel took on this role.” She sighs out, already switching the topic. “Soundless don't stick around long after the cut themselves off… but…”Norah perks at attention, the mundane conversation turning to something of actual interest. “Viorrel is an exceptional healer, though he does take off too sporadically."
Eona comes to a stand, sifting though a the small collection of herbs they had at hand. Whatever trouble she some across in her search, she lets out a click of her tongue before thumbing though a near by book. Perhaps a more caring sylvari would be concern over having someone with minimal experience looking after her, but frankly Norah finds little alarm to be had. Eona had patched her up just three days ago and did an exceptional job. She at the very least hopes, they don’t carry anything poisonous.
“Viorrel will be back in a day or two, if it’s any relief to you.”
Eona lets out a sigh as she grinds away at a few odd herbs within a mortar and pestle. “He never even gave us knowledge of that.” Eona turns her head over her shoulder and thankfully Norah is quick enough to pull her hand away from prodding at her wound. “How did you come to meet?”
That story, is a blur. But Norah find no reason not to tell it, despite how off put many of the villagers are about Viorrel. “He said he just found me.” She starts, eyes coming to fixate on her arm as she recalls the blips of memory. Most of which were his words more than things she outright witnessed. “It was on a raid he partook with the Wardens. Said they were clearing out a courtier camp.” Norah shakes her head at shooing away the thought of being under the Nightmare Court’s grasp. Whatever happened then, it’s best she doesn’t remember.
“I had nowhere to go, so he brought me here.” She concludes simply, eyes coming to Eona, who sat back down, her crudely made poultice ready at hand.
“So you come here instead of the Grove?” there is nothing other than curiosity in her voice. “What if you have someone who is waiting for you there? Perhaps your memory would come back to you.” A twinge of hope.
The thought had come to Norah’s mind. But there was something about the thought that unsettled her.
“I told him, I wanted to stay.” She says simply. And perhaps it is just as simple as that.
As bleary as her memory of her first moments with half her soul, there was one thing that she knew about
Viorrel.
He had welcomed her into a place of safety. Away from her tormentors. Safety.
A protector. A healer. That much Norah knew about him.
There are many words to describe Viorrel, but it seems that among the Soundless the general consensus on him was that he is uptight at best, terrifying at worst.
Cadi even calls him heartless, though both Norah and Lowri thinks that was pushing it.
To put things simply, among outcasts, he is an outcast.
“You’re a lot like him.”
Well that doesn't bode well for Norah. She tilts her head. ”Like Viorrel how?”
Eona lifts Norah’s arm slightly as she begins to dress her arm with foliage. “Well—-”
“You both don’t smile for one.” A new voice breaks through, cutting Eona off. “I don’t think you two frown now that i think of it.” Cadi adds, standing in front of the table both Norah and Eona sat at.
“Oh Cadi, will you make some ice for Norah?”
The amusement on Cadi’s face drops, turning to look Norah’s face over. “What's—“ a look of fright comes to the others face, looking at the rest of the hut before looking out the door, looking near ready to bolt out of it.
“Be Calm Cadi, she's meditating with the others. Only a few cuts and bruises from what I could tell.”Eona voice is gentle and seems to settle Cadi, whose shoulders slump in relief. The relief quickly disappears as her attention returns to Norah, hands at her hips.
“I thought I told you I’d only agree to our arrangement if you quit dragging my sister in to trouble!”
Norah shifts her gaze elsewhere, knowing well that defending herself would do nothing when it comes to Cadi.
“Arrangement?” Eona echos, finally finished.
Cadi extends a hand, palm facing up ward as she conjures a ball of ice. “She wants to learn magic from me.” There is pride in her voice. Norah takes the ball and presses it against the bump against her temple, gaze down casted as the two fell into conversation.
"Really? I thought Viorrel was handling that.”
"Please, no sane person should be willing to subject themselves to a magic like necromancy.” Cadi sticks out her tongue in disgust, roughly grabbing Norah's face by the cheek. “Although I think Norah teeters on the edge at times. What did you drag Lowri into this time?”
"Undead in Sandycove Beach.” Norah answers. “They were chasing some Dreamers. Lowri is the one who went in.”
Cadi lets go, wiping her hand on her skirt. "I’ve always told Lowri to not concern herself in their problems.” She grumbles, stepping back, crossing her arms.
Norah meets Eona’s gaze, which Cadi quickly catches, quickly jumping to explain herself. “When have those Buzzers ever lent a hand out to us?” She adds. “We hardly can handle the undead that wash up to our Isle alone!”
"Well I don't think it would be good to turn the other cheek if someone is attacked, even if they aren't are own. I’m sure the same would be done with us if the chance arises. We're not exactly close to any warden outposts. The only real force out here are the Lion Guard and they tend to care more about the trade routes.”
Cadi gestures to Eona, not exactly getting the point. “Exactly! People look out for their own best interests. And so should we.”
Eona’s face twists in confusion, "That's not—”
“Ah!” Cadi shakes her head."That’s enough of that! Norah, let's get going.”
Norah stands, although she hesitates. “I thought we are to meet tomorrow?” Not to object to lessons outright, she was long due for a nap, prior to the encounter with the undead.
“I have an…arrangement come tomorrow, so today it is!”
Norah tilts her head but nods. She rather not fall behind, sparse as her progress is.
As they walk down the cobbled road, it is Cadi’s voice who fills the silence, drifting from one topic to another. Initially, when Norah first approached Cadi about lessons, she was frustrated with Norah’s one word replies, but now it would seem she makes the extra effort to stop from silence from settling between them.
“Of course that one will return back to the hive soon enough. I give it three days.”
Like now, she has swapped from gossiping about the market goers and passing travelers, to talking about a few of the new arrivals at the Isle.
Norah doesn't have the ear for gossip. Or the conscience for it, really.
Mainly, when she interacts the person the topic is about it’s all that comes to mind. It almost feels like deception in a way. Even if it is someone she interacts with in passing, which is most people in The Isle, she worries she’ll somehow spew out the odd rumor she heard about the person.
“Are you even listening?” Cadi huffs.
Frankly, no, Norah didn't want to be roped into making bets on how long it will take for a new arrival to return to the Grove.
“That log looks a like a person,“ is what she says instead. She tends to advert her gaze, a deflection coming from her mouth easily at the sight of something that was probably there every other day—-
No.
Norah blinks, and strides off the road, ignoring Cadi hissing out her name in frustration.
Even before Norah is at arms length of the so called log, Norah can feel it.
The consistent buzzing of a Dreamer, face first in the mud. Alive at the very least, the odd arrows lodged at their back aside.
“Oh shit.” Cadi breathes, already at her side, but forcing her eyes away from the body as Norah turns him over. In doing so she process the extent of the wounds that cover his body, still trying to shake away her shock as she does.
Cuts, Lacerations and bite marks that ripped out chunks of their legs and arms.
Norah is already standing, hauling them up in her arms. “What are you doing!?” Cadi hisses, eyes seeming glued the way the body had likely stumbled from.
Norah ignores her, ears picking up something in the same distance Cadi was looking towards.
It was distant.
Snapping, and overlapping in a twisted chorus.
Norah takes a moment to process it before Cadi is scrambling to lead them away panic strung about her face.
It is the barking of hounds.