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Perhaps Urianger had noticed he was likely enthralled when he noticed his skin was losing colour. Soft blotches of paleness, beginning near the tips of his fingers and toes. As if the colour itself had been drained from him, any sense of it being his flesh gone. And yet, perhaps because he was enthralled, he did not worry. He could have told the others about this at any time. But it felt more important to deal with the Warring Triad, at the time. He wondered if Y’shtola saw it - saw his aether shift.
Or perhaps it was, in some way, how she had always seen him. He was always secretive - and some illnesses might make similar happen. Illnesses, however, did not cause dull feathers to grow from the top of arms - no, this was a clear sign of enthrallment.
Thus, that made Urianger certain of the source. That, and the fact his fingers were hardening, feeling so much like the hand he often held - the hand of the man who had expanded his mind, who had taught him of truths unknown by most.
Elidibus.
Elidibus was a Primal, and his abyss called to Urianger. Claiming him, before the Elezen could notice. Urianger knew he should be horrified, terrified. Elidibus was a Primal, and there was no cure for this enthrallment.
And yet, as he lay with Elidibus, reading, there was no anger in his voice. And yet, as he let out a gentle sigh, resting his head on the other, Urianger felt only peace. "Elidibus," Urianger began, and the other turned to look at him. Elidibus had finally managed to lay down at rest. Perhaps it was because he had recently heard from Unukalhai that things were progressing well. And the Warriors of Darkness had begun to make their moves, with the death of Nidhogg. "Are you a Primal?"
Elidibus was silent for a few moments, before speaking calmly. "You have noticed?" Elidibus replied, putting a hand to Uriangers’ chest. Stroking it - stroking his heart. "I cannot deny it. Else you would feel conflict in your heart - you carry knowledge unrivaled." Every word made Urianger feel oddly calm. Was it praise? Was it complements? "Yes. I am what is called a Primal in this era."
"You know that the Scions of the Seventh Dawn slaughter those who’ve been claimed, for it means the Primal grows stronger if they have followers."
Uriangers’ voice held the tiniest bit of fear, even as Elidibus’ touch calmed him. Urianger knew that Elidibus wouldn’t discard him. Not unless he didn’t do his own duty. Which, in a way, this was part of. Elidibus stood by the Ascian but seperate - and Urianger stood by the Scions, but often seperate. Both of them shades of grey in the fight between light and darkness. Their balance, understood by few others. Yet, Elidibus’ words always calmed him.
(Had he enthralled him when they first met?)
"They need not know. How often do they look upon you, Urianger?" Elidibus whispered, his deep voice dripping into a harsh whisper. "Our tryst is our secret."
Tryst-- was that a confession? Urianger took a deep breath in. His heart beating faster. "You know I have questions, Elidibus. That there’s much I want to know about you."
That was one thing Elidibus loved about Urianger. This Elezen would not simply take an answer for what it was - he would ask more, deep diver, and perhaps even figure out the truth of the star. Already, he had fallen deeper then Elidibus expected. A tilt of his head. He would answer, Elidibus said without words.
Urianger leaned into Elidibus gently. Putting down the tome - he could continue to translate it later. "If I am a thrall, then what of others? Is Unukalhai--"
"No," Elidibus replied, voice still not raising above a whisper. "His soul was marked by another - he cannot be enthralled."
Another. Then... "Are your goals aligned with the other Ascian?"
Elidibus paused, before nodding slowly. "While I am not their leader - I remind them of our end-goal. Simple darkness would result in an incident similar to the Void - thus, they need that gentle reminder."
Not even noticing that Urianger had cuddled into him closer, that Elidibus now rested his head on the chest of the other, Elidibus continued. He would offer information freely, for this was his thrall, and he would not speak on it to others. He was smart. "They, too, are thralls. Yet due to their souls, they do not show physical signs like you. You recall stories of the other shards, and our duty to rejoin them? The changes in your flesh are due to your soul having those gaps," Elidibus explained. "I simply wish for you to be the best you can be, as with them."
"Feathers, though?" Urianger asked, as he moved slightly - Elidibus moving from his chest as Urianger removed his outer robes to show his arms. For a moment, Urianger swore he saw Elidibus’ expression shift. "‘tis easily hidden, my dear Elidibus. Yet it feels strange."
There was a feeling in Elidibus’ mind, something nostalgic. Yet he shook his head, quietly. "Perhaps it is a whim of fate. You have been meddling in the affairs of many creatures - I would not be surprised if the aether of the Primal sealed by the Allagan Empire..." ah. Urianger nodded, knowingly. "I would not be concerned, Urianger. All is well."
Uriangers’ arms were stronger then Elidibus expected. Muscled. Without thinking, Elidibus began to examine them. Clawed gloves moving up and down his arm. For a sundered being, Urianger was fascinating. He would make a wonderful companion until the time he was made whole. (And yet, Elidibus erred for a moment. He wondered, for a moment, if Urianger was like this before. He hoped he was.)
"All is well," Urianger repeated, before stretching out his arm further, letting Elidibus admire it. "If you are a Primal, what is it you represent? A desire to bring back Lord Zodiark, or...?"
Ah. Urianger was so close. And yet, that knowledge... "I believe it would be best if you pondered that yourself, Urianger. You know that the deeds the Warriors of the First are committing shall soon draw to a close. These concerns are something to ponder afterwards, once the next Calamity has come to pass."
...Elidibus, however, did not know what Urianger was thinking. Why his expression shifted to one of concern, one of sorrow. Perhaps it was because he was not telling him everything? That had to be it.
That was not it. Time passed, and Urianger had interfered. He had spoken to Hydaelyns' avatar, and had interfered. There was no Calamity.
But why? Urianger had returned to the Waking Sands, and as he was getting changed - only in his underclothes - he turned. Elidibus had entered silently, with the slightest of frowns on his face. Urianger didn't move to cover himself up, except for grabbing his goggles to hide his gaze. His mask, in other words. Elidibus could now see how much Urianger had changed. Strange blue marks had covered his legs, almost like armour. (That same nostalgic feeling beat though his heart.) The same blue had faded into his arms, the softness of his flesh gone. Oddly enough, Uriangers' ears had also shrunk. A pity. Elidibus found the long Elezen ears cute.
But where his ears had shrunk, Uriangers' hair had grown so very long. Perhaps that's why he was taking time getting dressed - many different hairbands and jewels littered the Carbuncle-themed bed. The jewels were purple... another sign of his gentle enthrallment. Yet Elidibus gave a snarl. "Explain yourself, Urianger."
Urianger looked to the side. Closed his eyes. "You spoke to me about how a Rejoining works, Elidibus. The fact that our star needed to be unstable was but part of it." Now sitting on the bed, looking up at Elidibus, Urianger held confidence in his voice. The feathers on his arms were prickled. "I spoke with Arbert. With those who came from the First. And I spoke with Unukalhai, his memories of his home.
The Flood of Light was not controlled, Elidibus. If it had overtaken the shard, in that state, it would not have worked." Ah, he spoke so confidently. It was almost adorable, Elidibus thought, but his words... Elidibus actually had to consider them. He hadn't heard from the Ascians meant to keep it under control, ready to begin when they were. Perhaps they had begun to slack off. Or something had come up. Elidibus had not asked the Warriors of Darkness too much. They had their duties to do, and he had his.
How could Elidibus hate another who did his duty? How could Elidibus hate this man who followed his logic to the very end? He took a step forward, to touch Uriangers' flesh. The flesh of a sundered was always so fragile. Why, this one had scars on his chest, stretching horizontally across them. They had a beauty to them, as did his now-trembling lips. It took a lot to defy-- no, this wasn't defiance. This was how he saw keeping balance. His fingers teased Uriangers' flesh, examining it. "Then you have done well, Urianger. You know, however, that this simply means another shall need to prepare the First. That more deeds shall be done to bring forth the one true god."
"I know," Urianger said quietly, as he resisted letting out pleased sounds. "I shall only stop you if it is against my own morals. You know I cannot raise a hand against my allies, even if it is your desire. My own duty is to them. It is to my Archon allies."
Hm. A curious way to put it. "And what of your hero?"
Ah. Urianger closed his eyes. "They do not need my protection," Urianger whispered, leaning into Elidibus more. His voice gentle. "I know it would be a conflict of interest. They've my other allies to aid them." Others that Urianger would defend, mind you. His gaze gentle, he suddenly grabbed one of Elidibus’ wandering hands. Placing it to his cheek, resting his head in it. "I know that this balance will eventually result in their deaths, and I already mourn." (How could Urianger tell them? How could he explain it to them? But they’d not even noticed his changes. Alisaie had noticed some, but she did not know the depths.) "Yet, I shall do my duty for them. I shall dive into the abyss, guided by the one I love."
This time, it was Elidibus who gave a slight confused sound. A pause, as the gravity of the words sunk in. Before his lips curved into a tiny pained smile. "Then I shall not lead you astray. I may need you to do deeds you find cruel, but I shall not need you to harm those few you care for. This, I promise."
A confession without using the words. Neither of them had the courage to use the actual words. Those words might bind them together in another way. But was it right for a Primal to love their follower like this? Elidibus thought it was okay. Urianger kept so much of himself. He was smart, sharp, and beautiful.
Even if it would only be until Urianger died, Elidibus could handle this.
Yet could Urianger? It was a few nights later. Alone, always alone. His footsteps had begun to echo though the Waking Sands, sounding like armour instead of flesh. But Urianger had craft to do. He couldn’t let Alisaie risk using her aether to power her attacks. He knew what could happen if she continued to burn her own soul away. For a moment, he wondered if he could ask Elidibus but help, but then Alisaie would know he was enthralled.
"I didn’t know you wore armour," a voice echoed though the building, and Urianger froze. A hand moved to pull his hood more over his face, even if he didn’t really need to. Thancred stood at the other side of the room, calmly. He was unreadable as always – his single exposed eye focused hard on Urianger. Perhaps he was finally here to attack. To grow angrier at Urianger for using Minfilia as a pawn.
But the way Thancred strode over, there was less of a sense of anger, and more a sense of... concern. "Then again, I don’t think anybody would wear armour when they’re at rest." Thancreds’ movements were swifter then Urianger expected – and with a single moment, quite suddenly, Uriangers’ arm had been grabbed. By this point, he was wearing gloves over his sharp claws – yet, with another movement, the gloves were removed. "Urianger," Thancred whispered, that anger now bubbling. "Explain yourself."
It was harsher then Elidibus had been. Frantic, Thancreds’ exposed eye moving from the arm to Uriangers’ face. Thoughts coming together, none of them good. Urianger now felt fear, as Thancred began to strip off his robes, examining the fade to metal. Examinging the claws, and the feathers, and—
"Pray, do not worry."
Thancred snapped to attention at Uriangers’ voice. Having now removed his hood, seeing the shorter ears. How hadn’t he noticed this before? "Thancred. Please. Let me explain."
"Explain, then." Thancreds’ voice was harsh, violent. "I’m waiting."
And so, Urianger took a deep breath in. "I... have been enthralled by the Ascian Elidibus." Before Thancred could react, shout, speak – Urianger continued. "I am not your enemy. It is my... duty to keep the balance from our side. To see what Lord Elidibus cannot see. I have... it was soon after Flow..."
Soon after— so, Urianger has been this way for a while. And he still aided them. And yet, Thancred gripped onto Urianger so hard that he began to bruise. His own fingers could almost pierce the skin. Urianger cried out in a weak groan, and Thancred tried to let go. Yet he couldn’t. If he let go, perhaps Urianger would slip away.
Thancred found his voice again. "We didn’t know. How couldn’t we know? You— you’ve been his for this long." For too long. The expressions he’d seen in Urianger, that he saw in the Word of the Mother—
—gods. Thancred didn’t want to think about that. Instead, his voice dropped. "I should kill you."
Uriangers eyes widened slightly. Thancred continued, his voice as firm as it could be. "Not only are you a thrall of a— gods, I didn’t know Ascian could have thralls—" (Urianger dare not correct him,) "but you’ve been one long enough for your body to change.
But." But? Thancreds’ voice had grown more desperate. "As long as you’re still yourself, I can’t bring myself to. I know this’ll fuck us over someday. And when that happens, I’ll be the first to fight you." Any confidence in his declaration was undermined by the softness in Thancreds’ eye, a sorrow he tried so hard to bury. He’d lost somebody else, due to things he couldn’t stop. His fingers now loosened, and Urianger fell to the ground. "Until then, you’re to tell me if your Lord demands anything of you.
Understood?"
Urianger weakly nodded. That anger and sorrow that Thancred felt, Urianger could feel it too. He hadn’t changed too much, had he? Then again, he had been shifting to whatever ideal form Elidibus’ followers took.
"Good." Thancred then knelt down, in front of the trembling and terrified Urianger, giving him a kiss on the cheek with his Archon mark. A kindness that Urianger didn’t expect, as Thancred swiftly stood up. "Now. I actually came to you to ask about something else..."
It was a strange feeling Urianger felt. His breath calmed, as he began to cover his flesh again. Until Thancred stopped him. "I want to see your... changes. They might give us clues on what Ascian are. Besides." There was a harsh but awkward pause. "It’s you. You’re still beautiful."
Urianger couldn’t quite get why Thancred was still complementing him. Perhaps it was the enthrallment that made him not realise he had two people who loved him so deeply...