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Chapter Text

Barclay Thorne groaned. 

His head throbbed, thoughts swimming in total darkness. A thunk against his cranium both roused him from unconsciousness, and further exacerbated his headache. He strained to lift his head, as if a concrete weight had been dropped between his shoulders. Barclay became aware of the faint, coppery taste lingering in the back of his throat. If he concentrated hard enough, he could feel the splotch of dried blood crusted over his forehead. 

Through weary vision, he studied his surroundings. He took in the lush, exotic landscape he had woken up in. It was the Jungle, no doubt about that. For a moment, it made sense to Barclay, until he remembered with a jolt that he had not traveled this far into its treacherous depths. He was staying at the Guild House within the Jungle’s capital, thanks to the warm hospitality of Hasu’s mother. Because there were so many deadly Lore Beasts that claimed home to the Wilderland, most of their structures were built high within the canopies.

A symphony caught his ear. Various, unknown Beasts were prowling nearby, whether it be chittering mammals or chirping insects. A particularly sharp tap against his head yanked his attention away from the ambience, and he wrenched out a hiss through grit teeth. 

Wanting the awful migraine to be brought to an end, the young Lore Keeper stiffly listed his head from side to side. It eased the pain for all of a minute, but the

tapping started up again. He fully turned his head to the left, and was surprised to see black feathers ruffling in front of him. A toucan-like Lore Beast was perched on his shoulder, and had been pecking at his temple for an indeterminate amount of time. When it noticed that Barclay was staring, it squawked loudly in his ear as a greeting.

Startled and annoyed, Barclay tried to shake the peculiar visitor from his shoulder, but something snagged. The avian didn’t budge, and neither did his arm. Confused, he gave it another shake, and was met with the same result. Barclay looked down the length of his outwardly extended arm- something he hadn’t done on his own- and found a wrapping of thick, green vines ensnared around his wrist.

Barclay’s heart lurched, and quickly turned to inspect his right arm. It too was bound in the same material, the vines stretching out towards the canopy branches. He immediately thought to pull himself free, but when he stepped forward, his feet did not give. A glance down revealed that his ankles were also securely tied. 

Frantically searching for anything he could free himself with, Barclay noticed that the ground wasn’t made of dirt and leaves. He was standing on stone, but not the natural, rocky terrain that one would expect from the Jungle. It was flattened, intricately carved stone, and wherever he was, he was restrained to a raised platform with three steps leading up to it. 

The whole area seemed to be comprised of remnants from pillars and other structures that had long since crumbled away. If there used to be a ceiling, it had deteriorated to rubble. Flora weaved between the cracks and crevices in the stone, overgrown and reclaiming it. From what Barclay had studied about the Jungle’s history and culture, he was residing within the abandoned, dilapidated ruins of an ancient temple. But, how had he gotten there? 

Something moved in Barclay’s peripheral, and the toucan Beast finally exited with a flap of its wings. Barclay partially hoped that the Beast would use its colorful beak to snip the vines holding him in place, but it was wishful thinking. As much as he wanted to escape and find his way back to Valpur, he would hardly be able to fend for himself out there. Even if exhaustion wasn’t dragging him down, his wind Lore wouldn’t protect him from every Lore Beast that roamed within. 

The young apprentice tried to recall what had happened before he ended up in this desolate temple. He’d been rooming at the Guild House for a little over two weeks since they left the Tundra. Although he was saddened to say goodbye to his dear mentor Runa after his and Tadg’s apprenticeship was transferred over to Cyril, he at least got to be with his friends on their next journey. 

And said journey consisted of discovering the mystery behind why Hasu’s Tattoo Mark of the Legendary Beast Raajnavar had suddenly appeared. It had been invisible up until recently, and although no one could surmise why, they speculated that the Jungle had somehow been thrown out of balance. Raajnavar was reacting to that disturbance, and it was up to the Lore Keeper group to find out what was going on.

Just a few days ago, Cyril had received a letter from Leopold, who informed him that he’d be visiting the Jungle and bringing Viola with him. She had temporarily split from the trio to help her father recover from his battle against Audrian Keyes back in Permafrosk. Although the Grand High Keeper had put up a good fight, Keyes couldn’t be stopped, and the Tundra had been overtaken by wild Lore. 

Barclay had discovered a lot about himself during the perilous trek through the snowy outback, including the fact he had a special type of Lore known as wild Lore. This Lore came from the very Wilderlands itself, an untameable energy that pulsed deep within the land’s roots. If harnessed and channeled properly, it held great power. But, if it couldn’t be controlled, it could inflict a blight. Allegedly, the only reason the blights were happening in the first place, was because it was the Wilderlands’ response to wanting to be “wild” once again. 

It was a narrative Keyes had spun, and Barclay didn’t know if the villain genuinely thought it was true or not, but either way, it helped in his goal to decimate the Elsewheres. Keyes had also convinced Yasha of a similar idea, that the blights would stop if the Wilderlands were appeased. Those claims were just another fib to further manipulate his sole apprentice, and didn’t actually aid them in any way. 

Barclay tried to tell himself that Yasha was too deep in Keyes’ clutches to be saved, but it felt wrong to fully accept that. He had seen the doubt in Yasha’s eyes when he challenged his loyalty to Audrian. If only he could see Audrian for what he really was, then just maybe, they might become true friends again. 

Barclay’s throat tightened when last afternoon’s events hit him. They had been somewhere in the Jungle, and Keyes confronted them. Audrian and Yasha knew that Raajnavar wasn’t hidden away within the Jungle’s heart, but they didn’t appear to know that she was bonded with Hasu. The matter had become time sensitive, since Keyes must have been harming the land to lure the Legendary Beast out of concealment. 

On the day Leopold and Viola were supposed to arrive, the Lore Keepers had gotten a lead on where Keyes might be hiding out. So, the six of them headed out with caution, and it wasn’t long before they found their foe. Despite their strength in numbers, it did not mean it would be an easy fight. Keyes and Yasha had the ability to Lore Surge, and while Cyril and Hasu could do the same, the latter had yet to complete her special training. 

The battle had reached a stalemate (Keyes was arrogant enough to fight Cyril while surrounded by trees ) until Keyes had pulled out a new trick. He had amassed several large boulders and stacked them into a lumbering, humanoid shape. He could control the stone warrior’s attacks just by moving his hands, and it was relentless. It took multiple heavy hits until it finally shattered, and as the pieces went flying, a stray stone had struck Barclay. 

He was sent tumbling down a small incline, with thorns and nettle stinging him on the descent. He had lost consciousness by the time he hit the ground, and the last thing he heard was his friends’ concerned cries in the distance. He thought that Cyril and the others would come to his rescue, and that he’d wake up in Valpur’s nearest hospital for treatment. But, his body still ached, and his clothes were covered in stains. His loved ones were nowhere to be seen. 

If Barclay had been tied up to prevent him from escaping, then that meant…

Barclay’s dark eyes widened at the sound of approaching footsteps, silently hoping it would be his saviors. As it turned out, the company was just the opposite. 

“Finally awake, are we?”

The smug voice was unfortunately familiar, and Barclay fought back his drowsiness. He couldn’t fall back into unconsciousness now, not when the tall figure was walking up the platform steps to greet him. His shadow loomed over the injured Lore Keeper. 

Barclay stared at the ground, ignoring Keyes’ slimy, yellowed grin. He didn’t want to see the malice in his eyes, the triumph dancing between his crazed pupils. After taking so many precautions, after being so paranoid, Barclay had finally been captured by Audrian Keyes, and was at his complete mercy.

Why ? Was Barclay’s first thought. He knew why of course, because Audrian was obsessed with him. He wanted to collect Barclay, for whatever reason. Maybe it was because they were both Elsies with wild Lore, or maybe it was because Keyes had projected his own life onto the apprentice’s like a perverted reflection. Audrian had obtained the prize he’d desired for some time now, but Barclay didn’t know how this would help Keyes find Raajnavar.

If Keyes was expecting willful compliance, then he was dead wrong. 

“How did you…?” Barclay croaked at last, his throat dry from fear and dehydration. 

“It was easy,” Keyes gladly explained to the withered boy in his trap. “Me and Yasha ran off the second my stone golem was destroyed. We discovered you, and I used the Lore of my light dragon to turn us invisible. By the time the others had gotten there, we were long gone.” 

It wasn’t the first time Keyes had used invisibility to sneak past the Lore Keepers and collect sensitive information. That being said, had he already been inside the Jungle’s Guild House? Was it too late, did he already learn about Hasu? 

“They’ll find me.” Barclay said defiantly. “And they’ll find you, too.”

Keyes’ attitude didn’t change, and that unnerved Barclay. 

“They will? Not a single one of you detected me while I was roaming around your living quarters. To think, Barclay, I went from observing you in the walls of the Symposium, to being in the same room as you for hours at a time.” 

The apprentice’s stomach churned when he revealed that. Keyes had to be lying, right? How much did he already know? Had he stolen anything precious from the Guild House? There hadn’t been any signs of his intrusion whatsoever, had he really mastered his light Lore that easily? This was the same person who had downed Leopold Dumont, Barclay thought to himself. He casted the thought aside, because that’s exactly the kind of repertoire Audrian would want for himself. 

“You’re sick.” Barclay spat, glaring at the older man. 

“And you should’ve seen this coming, what with you and the rest of the Wilderlands being so concerned about my presence.” 

“Why are you even wasting your time on me?” Barclay demanded with another tug of his wrist. The vines stretched, but did not break. “Not that I want you to keep endangering the Wilderlands, but doesn’t this sidetrack you in the least?” 

“What an excellent observation,” The praise, no matter how sarcastic, made Barclay feel even sicker. “It doesn’t at all. You coincide perfectly with my plans.”

Of course it did. Audrian always had to involve Barclay and his friends. And when it wasn't them, it was his former friends Cyril and Runa that he sought revenge on. 

“Now, Barclay,” Audrian stepped back from the boy, standing tall and blotting out what remained of the sun that the canopies already shielded. “Just tell me where Raajnavar is, and you’re free to go. All you have to do is be honest, and I promise not to harm your friends this time around.”

Barclay knew better than to believe it. Keyes would absolutely attack them again if they got in his way. It seemed in his nature to react with violence once given the opportunity, and after already taking two lives in the Tundra, he wasn’t above resorting to cold-blooded murder. 

Barclay considered lying to him, but something told him that Keyes would be able to see right through it. He had gotten better at fibbing- no thanks to Keyes himself- but that didn’t mean he liked doing it. Instead, he abstained from dignifying him with an answer.

“Why are you bartering with me?”

“Because I like you.” Keyes must have intentionally answered him like that, because his smile widened upon seeing Barclay suppress a shiver. “I could always teach you, and deep down…”

Keyes swiftly clutched Barclay’s chin, and forcibly lifted it up so that he’d look into his eyes. With his limbs restrained, Barclay had no choice.

“I think you know there’s so much you could learn from me.” 

“Never.” The raven haired apprentice growled. 

“I’m just looking for Raajnavar. That’s all I need to know.”

Barclay swallowed, and sorted out his options. There wasn’t much he could really do, not when he didn’t have the energy to use his Lore. He could temporarily mute himself, painful as it sounded. He ditched the idea instantly, because it wasn’t worth hurting himself if Keyes wouldn’t set him free regardless. So, he bluffed, sounding angry enough to pass off the waver in his voice as being intimidated and not a sign of deception. 

“You think I have any idea where she’d be?” He forced himself to continue looking into Audrian’s eyes so that he wouldn’t suspect anything. “We’re just as clueless as you, why do you think we’re here?”

“Interesting,” Keyes let go of Barclay’s chin, and wiped his hand on his long brown coat as if it had been dirtied. “That we both chose to take our chances in the Jungle. Were you expecting me to go after Raajnavar next, so you followed our trail?”

“Something like that.” Barclay replied vaguely. 

“I’m already aware that she isn’t residing deep within the Jungle in some magically sealed temple.” Audrian added a touch of annoyance in that last part. “She’s not tethered to this Wilderland, not directly.” 

Audrian was scarily clever, and Barclay hated that. But this level of omniscience was too much, even for someone as calculated as him. There was no way he had the foresight to figure that out. Maybe he’d overheard one of them talking at the Guild House? But, then he’d have to know about Hasu too, wouldn’t he? Judging from this interrogation, that secret had yet to be revealed. 

Barclay stared at him with narrowed, perplexed eyes. “How did you know that?” 

With a shrug, Keyes looked over his shoulder.

“Yasha took a page out of a book.”

As if on cue, Yasha emerged from the temple ruins. He held the same reserved expression that he always did, showing only disinterest. He stopped at the bottom of the platform steps, clutching something under his arm. 

Dismay pulled at Barclay’s heart upon seeing the other boy. The last time they interacted, it hadn’t gone well. He knew that Yasha still longed for his companionship, no matter how many times he claimed it was just an act. The one thing keeping the two from reuniting, was their refusal to join the other’s side. Barclay and Yasha kept trying to convince each other who was truly in the right, and that they’d be better off training under a far superior mentor. 

Except, Yasha’s perception was warped through the lies and manipulation of Keyes. He had been taken in by the villain at his most vulnerable, when he had lost everything from a blight. Now, Audrian had granted Yasha false promises should he agree to help him “restore” the Wilderlands to their untamed state before they were discovered. Yasha fully turning over a new leaf hinged on him seeing Audrian as the monster he was once and for all, and it deeply saddened Barclay that it was so hard to accomplish. 

Without saying a word, nor fully acknowledging Barclay, Yasha showed off the dark, leathery book in his grasp. But it wasn’t a book, not exactly. Yasha was clutching a very familiar journal.

“Conley’s research!”

Tadg lost his father’s journal about a week ago, and the short-tempered boy had been beside himself ever since. He had torn up his room- which he was sharing with Barclay- and when asked if he might have left it behind in the Tundra, Tadg insisted that he hadn’t. And Barclay believed him, because no way would he have forgotten such a treasured momento. Now, the pieces were falling into place. Audrian must have used his light Lore to turn invisible and swipe the book while their backs were turned.

“You stole that, give it back!” Frustration seized Barclay.

Yasha traversed up to the platform Barclay was tied to. “You’re guilty of larceny as well.” 

Barclay blinked at him. He strained to remember if he’d taken anything of personal value from them, and not just something they “claimed” was theirs. 

“You're still upset about your jacket?” He asked disbelievingly. 

“You took off with it.”

“You offered it to me.” 

Yasha took a step closer, eyes darkening. “ Not as a keepsake.” 

“Easy, boys.” Audrian advised cooly. 

Barclay continued to struggle against his binds, doing his hardest to summon his wind Lore when he needed it most. Nothing came, not so much as the breeze changing direction to blow his way.

“That won’t help.”

“I swear, I’ll summon Root if I have to!” In this environment, Root’s power could cause a hurricane if he wasn’t careful. 

“When you’re this far away from him?” Audrian snorted. “I think not.”

Horror dawned on Barclay. It had been itching at the back of his mind, but he never questioned it until now. He’d been wondering why his golden Tattoo Mark didn’t tingle in alarm the moment he awoke, but concluded that Root was also weakened. He realized that wasn’t the case at all, Root hadn’t been returned to his Mark during their fight with Audrian.

Hopefully, the others had found Root. Without his Lore Beast, their connection to each other was hindered because of the distance, and that in turn dampened his wind Lore. But, Barclay wasn’t completely out of options. 

“Then I’ll use my wild Lore!” He challenged with a hesitant stammer.

“You mean the wild Lore you swore from using?” Yasha cut in coldly. 

The conversation Barclay had with Yasha back in the Tundra’s hangar beckoned his memory. Yasha said wild Lore was dangerous without the proper training, and that Keyes was just the man to help. Barclay declared otherwise, because as dangerous as wild Lore was, it posed an even greater threat in the hands of someone like Keyes. 

“Yes, go ahead,” Audrian taunted. “Cause a blight if you want.”

Barclay sharpened his glare. Of course he didn’t want to cause a blight. If he had better control over his wild Lore, then he could blast his way out of here with little worry. 

“You don’t even know if wild Lore is the direct cause behind the blights!” He leaned so far forward that his arms pulled back against the vines.

“Listen to him,” Audrian shook his head and placed a hand on Yasha’s shoulder. Yasha just tilted his chin up, icy eyes boring into Barclay. 

“Listen to the way he invalidates your tragedy. How ever did you manage to put up with him?”

Yasha kept his eyes locked on Barclay’s. “I’m not sure.” 

“I admire you, Barclay, I really do.”

Yasha’s eye twitched ever so slightly at Audrian’s unneeded compliment. 

“Just let me go.” Barclay demanded once more. He swallowed to bring the moisture back to his mouth. 

“For what?” Audrian smirked. “You’ve done nothing to earn your freedom.”

“I’m not telling you where Raajnavar is.”

Audrian cocked a grayed brow at him. “Ah, so you do know where she’s hiding?” 

The teenage boy couldn’t stop his face from flushing red. “I-I never said that!”

“Well, until you have a clue, you’ll remain here for the time being.” Keyes folded both his hands behind his back. There would be no more negotiating with him from that point onward.

Defeated, Barclay scanned the temple again. “Is this the best you could do for a secret hideout?” 

“No.” Audrian didn’t look at Barclay as he descended the small set of steps. “We’re housed inside the temple- or what remains of the inside, I suppose. I believe this used to be another floor, but with the ceiling caved in… Let’s just hope you don’t get eaten by any wandering Beasts once night falls.” 

Fear broke through Barclay’s voice. “You’re just leaving me out here?”

For a moment, Barclay thought that Keyes would keep walking away without answering him. Then, he stopped halfway across the temple floor and peered over his shoulder. 

“If you happen to change your tune by morning, then I’ll consider moving you down to the lower floor.”

The aged Lore Keeper turned to his apprentice. “Yasha, don’t forget to give him his meal later. He has to be fit enough to answer our questions, and it won’t do us any good if he’s delirious.” 

Yasha nodded, and the two of them walked towards the temple’s edge. They descended a flight of stairs that winded down to the floor just below Barclay. Yasha spared a glance at his friend turned enemy one more time before disappearing past the stone ruins. 

Chapter Text

Night had fallen upon the Jungle, and with the thick canopy covering the sky, darkness had fully enveloped the land. There wasn’t a single light flickering in the distance, much to Barclay’s dread. That meant he was quite a ways from Valpur, and wouldn’t know where to go. Something rustled from one of the trees holding the viney bonds in place, and Barclay turned his head. He squinted at the leafy grove, and spotted a scaled, feathery tail flicking in and out of sight. 

He just barely made out the shape of Audrian’s light dragon, who was resting on a thick tree branch. The Lore Beast had been summoned to guard Barclay, not to protect him, of course not, but to make sure he didn’t escape. Narcissistic as it was, Barclay one day imagined himself being able to outrun a dragon with his wind Lore. Under these circumstances, however, he wouldn’t dare try and race that thing. He’d only make it half a yard before it would dig its sharp talons into his shoulders. 

Swearing that the pair of slitted eyes were watching him intently from the canopy, Barclay looked elsewhere. There wasn’t that much to see, figuratively and literally. Occasionally he’d see sets of small wings glide by, or a pawed silhouette leap across the trees. A sudden motion stirred in the corner of his eye, and Barclay watched as orange light bobbed up the temple steps, growing brighter and casting shadows around the old stone. 

Barclay moodily slumped in his restraints when he saw Yasha approaching with a wooden bowl in one hand, and a small flame in the other. There was nothing he could pick apart in the blond’s emotionless gaze, with no indication that he’d felt sorry for him. 

Yasha didn’t say anything to Barclay when he reached the platform, not at first. He carefully set the bowl down on the floor, and looked to his left. He whistled into the dark, and to Barclay’s surprise, it responded back. Audrian’s light dragon unfurled its tail, and arched downward in a stretch. It inched closer towards the base of the branch, but did not leave its perch. 

Barclay couldn’t see what the Beast was doing, but the vine attached to his wrist had started to vibrate. His stomach fluttered when it sagged, loosening the binding and giving his sore arm a much deserved break. He immediately tried to grab the other vine to pry it off, but only reached so far before his “free” arm stopped, the vine growing taught again.

His restraints were being loosened, but only enough so that he could sit down. The Lore Keeper pouted at Yasha, to which the taller didn’t react. Barclay should have known he wouldn’t be released just like that, but for a split second he had tricked himself into thinking that Yasha might have finally had enough of Keyes’ insanity. 

Yasha’s lack of reaction bothered him the most. Because Yasha knew that Barclay wouldn’t have gotten very far even if he escaped. There was the possibility that Barclay would have attacked Yasha once he was free, but what chance did he have against such a strong apprentice with fire Lore? He was too tired to land a decent hit, and that was without his Lore. Besides, what would Barclay have done if he made it into the Jungle anyhow? He had no idea where he was, and was most likely miles from Valpur. He didn’t want to take his chances out in the deep, dark unknown that awaited him. 

Pushed into a corner before he ever considered fleeing, Barclay huffily dropped to the ground and crossed his legs, not taking his eyes off of his rival. Yasha mirrored him, albeit more gracefully. He grasped the bowl he had set down earlier, and nudged it closer. 

“Here, eat.”

Barclay eyed the steaming bowl suspiciously. It was some kind of stew as far as he could tell in the crackling firelight, and the sight of mushrooms admittedly tempted his stomach. Hunger pangs aside though, he wouldn’t cave that easily. 

He snapped his head up at Yasha. “You first.” 

Yasha arched a brow at him and took his hand off the bowl. It was the first significant change in his face since he’d shown up. 

“You’re knowledgable enough to know those mushrooms aren’t poisonous.” 

Hesitantly, Barclay grabbed the bowl and placed it in his lap, warmth blooming around his legs. He studied the mysterious stew carefully, and only discerned herbs and chopped vegetables steeping within the broth. Barclay wanted to ask Yasha where he’d gotten the ingredients from, but figured he must have stolen supplies from neighboring towns in order to survive. 

“I’m surprised you remembered I liked mushrooms.” He muttered. 

Yasha sat across from him, and with so little space between, Barclay warily leaned back from the other boy to maintain distance. He wrinkled his nose from the faint aroma of smoke invading his sinuses, and wondered how Yasha could even handle the ashy aftertaste every day. Civil or not, Yasha was close enough for his inferno to cause serious damage if he suddenly lashed out. 

“They’re a unique fascination to have,” Yasha began, his tone harboring no ill intent. “Are they customary where you’re from?” 

Barclay wasn’t sure if Yasha was being serious or not, but when the blond leaned in a little, prompting him to speak up, he obliged against his better judgment. 

“You mean back in Dullshire? Sort of. It’s not like everything there is based around mushrooms, but they make a great meal for the harvest season.” 

The ravenette raised the bowl to his lips, not paying any mind to the vines shifting against his skin. His first sip was welcomed with a salty warmth that appealed to his stomach almost instantly. It wasn’t bad by any means- he’s had far worse while staying in the other Wilderlands- but the flavor was bland over all. Still, Barclay wouldn’t turn down the meal, especially if he would be stuck here for more than a day. He planned on making sure that wouldn’t become a reality, but he needed to restore his energy nonetheless. 

“Did you forage these yourself?” Barclay asked once he finished swallowing.

Yasha shook his head. “They’re produce me and Audrian scrounged from an Elsie village. I cooked them myself, though.”

Barclay looked back up from his bowl, and had to fight back the beginning of a smile twitching at his corner lip. It wasn’t what Yasha had said that amused him, but the mushrooms. 

“You cooked them separately from the broth, didn’t you?” 

Yasha tilted his head curiously. “You can tell?” 

Barclay nodded. “If you cook them while they’re in the broth, it gives the stew more flavor. It makes the mushrooms softer, too.” 

“I see,” Yasha slowly leaned forward, reaching for the bowl. A smirk played at his usually stagnant mouth. 

“If you don’t want it, then-“

“Hey!” Barclay wasn’t able to prevent a laugh from escaping him, snatching the bowl and leaning further back. He’d almost forgotten that Yasha was capable of joking around. 

Yasha’s own snicker died away, and the next few minutes were spent in silence besides the occasional slurp from Barclay. 

The blond spoke again, their flash of playfulness already discarded. He watched Barclay indulge in another long sip, curious about just how hungry he had been all this time.

“I suppose I was indebted to you anyway. After all, you offered up your own food so I wouldn’t go hungry.” 

Barclay stopped eating, and wiped his mouth with his sleeve. 

“Don’t act like you care about repaying some debt- like what happened in that cave mattered to you.”

Yasha’s eyes went wide for all of a second, offended. His brows knitted in anger, the nonchalant facade already cracking. 

“You’re one to talk. You took off running after we discovered Navrashtya!”

“Because I found the exit!” Barclay retorted. “The exit we were both looking for? It’s not like you couldn’t leave either once I was gone.” 

Yasha turned his head away from Barclay’s confrontational gaze. “Still…”

“What?” The shorter apprentice prodded. “Did you think you deserved a proper goodbye?”

The blond said nothing. With no answer, Barclay continued, unleashing months’ worth of unresolved tension, but more than anything he wanted Yasha to at least understand what he experienced. 

“My friends thought I was dead . I ran back to camp. I-I got frostbite!”

“You shouldn’t have.” Yasha whipped his head back towards Barclay. “Since you had my jacket to keep you warm…nor have you returned it-”

“You took my jacket too!” Barclay objected. 

“Because it was the only thing you left me with!”

The pair grew quiet again. Barclay shifted uncomfortably after staring down his former friend. He didn’t even know why Yasha was still there, shouldn’t he have just dropped off the food and left? Barclay never said his company was welcome, after all.

“What was it like?”

“Hm?” Barclay only half paid attention, taking another sip from his bowl. 

“Frostbite.” Yasha clarified. “I’ve never experienced it.”

“Right, because you never get cold, huh?”

“Only in extreme conditions- which is why I borrowed your jacket.” Yasha noticed that Barclay had glanced away shamefully for a second. 

Had Barclay not considered that he left Yasha behind with only his jacket to brave against the freezing barrens of the Tundra? Of course he hadn’t, Yasha concluded, otherwise he would have thought twice about ditching him. But now that Barclay had to face that fact, did he feel bad? 

Barclay shouldn’t bother responding, but something, an urge to fill the silence, a sudden need to express his deepest thoughts, made him do so anyway. 

“It was…painful.” He winced upon recalling how his fingers had grown purpled and numb from the icy lake he’d been plunged into. The elixir used to cure it was even more agonizing, if only for a moment. “It sort of feels like pins and needles, but not in the same way my body responds to wild Lore.” 

“Sounds dreadful.” Yasha commented quietly. 

“Not always- Being cold, I mean.” Barclay shrugged. “Frostbite is pretty awful, though.” 

Yasha didn't meet his eyes. “Hm.”

“I can’t imagine being warm all the time. It’s nice to feel cold every once in a while.” 

He didn’t have to keep going, he had already answered Yasha, but…loathed as he was to admit it, he missed talking with him. That, and he didn’t exactly have anyone else around to talk to. 

“In what sense?”

Barclay thought on it. Again, he had no reason to actually reply, but there was that pull again, the one that made him want to keep talking. 

“Like a breeze on your face when you go out for a late night run, or when you have a refreshing drink after an exhausting day of training…” Barclay’s eyes darted over to Yasha’s sleeve.

“Or the cooling relief after you’ve been burned…”

Yasha realized what Barclay was staring at, and picked up on what he was insinuating. He defensively rolled his sleeve further down, concealing any traces of his scars from Lore Surging. 

“The Tundra’s cold never got to me.” He said, trying to steer the subject onto something different. Barclay however, didn’t seem to take the hint.

“Does your fire ever get to you?”

Yasha couldn’t help but scoff. “What kind of question is that? That’s like asking if your wind Lore overwhelms you.” 

“It can, sometimes.” The Lore Keeper frowned. Why had he told Yasha that? “If I can’t get a good hold on it, then-”

Yasha’s features changed to appear more serious. “Because you-”

“Don’t say anything about how Keyes should be my mentor instead- Don’t .” 

Barclay already knew where Yasha was trying to pivot the conversation, and he wanted no part of it. His mind was made up, now if only Yasha could make up his.

Yasha inhaled through his nose, but held his tongue on saying anything further. But, that didn’t mean he didn’t make his disappointment clear. 

Barclay plucked one of the mushrooms from the stew and took a small bite.

“…I’m sorry about taking your jacket.” He acknowledged glumly. “I hadn’t realized it was still on me until I’d been treated for my frostbite.” 

He really hadn’t meant to run off with the article of clothing, he was just so relieved at the prospect of finding a way out that Yasha basically faded into the background. And that sent a sting of guilt through him. 

For a long while, Yasha didn’t say anything. He moped at the ground, and Barclay assumed he was deep in thought about…something. Did Yasha not forgive him? Not that it mattered- not that Barclay even cared! Barclay and Yasha weren’t even friends anymore, so there was no way that he still cared, right? 

Yasha refused to look up at Barclay, flames dancing in the reflection of his eyes as he tapped at the stone ground with his free hand. He parted his mouth, and Barclay just barely caught his next words.

“It was one of the few possessions I had on me when the blight came.” 

Barclay felt shame prickle along his cheeks. He had no reason to feel this way, it’s not like he’d done anything wrong! Yet, there was that guilt stinging into his chest again. If he and Yasha had stayed friends back at the Sea, would he have eventually revealed something so personal? Or, would he have been too afraid to reveal the truth to the people he once considered his friends?

The captured apprentice mulled over what he was about to say next. He wasn’t sure if any more condolences would do any good. If he tried a different approach, then maybe… It was risky, but might be worth it if it meant getting out of this awful place.

Yasha was worth the risk, wasn’t he? 

“If Keyes knew how important your jacket was, then why didn’t he look for it?”

Baffled, the blond lifted his head up to gawk at Barclay. His face shifted from confusion, to aggravation.

“You honestly expect him to scour the Tundra for-”

“I kept it.” Barclay swallowed a hard lump in his throat after confessing.

“…” Yasha just stared. 

“I took it with me.”

His frown tightened. “ You -”

“Keyes had enough time to take Conley’s research journal, so why didn’t he bother looking for your coat too?” 

“He must have been in a rush.”  Yasha immediately defended his mentor. Surely, that must have been the reason. Because Audrian did know what that fur coat meant to him, and if it had been in his sights, he would have grabbed it right away. 

“Right.” Barclay snorted dryly. “He snuck into the Guild House without any of us knowing, and he only thought to look for an old journal?” 

Yasha squirmed in rising frustration, but quickly settled down. He wouldn’t let Barclay get under his skin, not again. 

“Then how about you return it to me if you know of its significance?” 

“I just found out how important it was to you!”

“And?” Yasha challenged, leaning in closer. “Would you have still ran off into the night with it, if you had known beforehand?” 

“I…”

Barclay wouldn’t have thought twice about running back to camp. He hadn’t thought twice about it. And it was only when he felt safe within the base again did he become aware that Yasha’s coat was still on his person. 

“I was freezing.” He met Yasha’s stare, dark eyes unwavering.

A half laugh echoed around the ruined temple. “So that means you needed it more?”

“You seemed to think so!” 

Yasha looked caught off guard from Barclay’s rebuttal, and didn’t reply after. Neither of them said anything, actually. All they’d done was stare into each other’s eyes, internally trying to dissect the other’s thoughts. Why was he like this? They both asked themselves. Why is he so stubborn, why won’t he see the truth? How badly do I want him back into my life?

“…Your food is getting cold.” Yasha’s mood retracted back into its neutral state, gesturing at the dish that had been sitting uneaten by Barclay for the past few minutes. 

“Oh, right.” Barclay picked up the wooden bowl, but didn’t drink it just yet. He closed his eyes, and exhaled deeply. 

He was in no mood to argue, but his attitude had soured from being held prisoner, and it fueled his negativity. Barclay was tired, angry, and just wanted to return to his friends. 

“About earlier, with what I said about the blights,” He gently turned the bowl in his grasp and watched the broth wade against its wooden edges. “I wasn’t trying to make light of what you endured. I know what it’s like to lose everything-”

“You do not !” Yasha slammed his fist against the hard stone, snuffing out the flame in his hand and startling Barclay. “You haven’t !” 

Barclay scowled in the dark. What right did Yasha have to determine whether he’d suffered or not? So much for calming down. 

“Don’t say that!” 

“Then don’t act like you know me!” Yasha raised his voice, which he rarely did. Whatever Barclay had said, must have irritated him enough to lose his cool. “Our positions are not the same! You never actually liked your village, did you?” 

Barclay sputtered, eyes wide. “I didn’t hate everything about it! I’m not like Audrian- which I know you both want to think so badly- I don’t hate that I’m an Elsie. I had somebody take me in a few years after I was orphaned, and they raised me just like how Keyes-”

“That is not comparable.” Yasha shook his head sternly. “You were given a new home, new friends. An incredibly powerful Lore Beast chose to bond with you, it sought you out because it saw potential in you. All the while I’ve been stuck never knowing what a true home is, having to keep my head low and never make another friend. And you think we’re on even ground?”

“You had friends, Yasha.”

“That was-”

“Quit trying to tell yourself it was an act.” Barclay interrupted, expecting Yasha to snap back with more denial. “And don’t forget about Tadg, his home was destroyed because of Lochmordra. Do you even care that you and Keyes got people killed?” 

“Of course I…” Yasha went quiet. Contemplation brimmed in his eyes. He hadn’t really considered the magnitude of what happened back at the Sea. “Keyes did not intend for any senseless tragedy.”

“He didn’t?” Barclay found it so outlandish that he chuckled. There wasn’t anything funny about it, but ever since Yasha arrived, he jumped through hoops to make Audrian seem like the perfect Lore Keeper. “Do you even know what actually happened at Glacier Point?”

“Audrian made it so that the Golden Horn was blown, and Navrashtya was summoned. Then Audrian and Dumont engaged in combat, and Dumont was obviously no match.” 

“Did he tell you that he murdered Grusha?”

Yasha flinched at the accusation. That was strange, he usually met Barclay’s claims with resistance and disbelief, but he looked as if he had been struck. 

“Then explain to me what happened that day.” Yasha started slowly, eyeing the bowl of food that had grown cold at this point. “What transpired that would make you view Audrian’s deeds as murder?” 

Barclay had no idea why Yasha was suddenly being so cryptic- at least, more than normal- but he didn’t care. Yasha finally wanted the unfiltered truth, and Barclay felt like he was going to squirm out of his skin if he didn’t give it to him. 

“After the Golden Horn was blown, me and Root raced up Glacier Point. By the time we made it to the top, Runa was there too. Then, Grusha fought back against Keyes, it was the bravest thing I’d ever seen…” 

Barclay paused. How he wished he could have defended himself against Keyes like that, he wished so dearly that he could protect his friends from the villain’s wrath. He’d never actually landed a hit on Keyes that would be considered personal, but oh, how he wanted to. Runa had strongly cautioned him not to let revenge turn him astray, but all Barclay wanted was to fight back just for once. 

“Keyes grew furious after she scarred him. Then he grabbed her, and…”

“And?”

“And he pushed her off.” Barclay’s voice went somber. “Root and I raced after her, to try and save her. But…” He sucked in a shuddering breath as he recounted the event. He had failed to save her life.

“It was already too late. There was nothing anyone could do.”

Yasha dragged the near empty bowl towards himself and set it aside, wearing a blanched expression. His blue eyes were confused, lost and searching for anything to settle on except for Barclay. Why was he acting so off? Did Yasha finally believe Barclay, and why now? 

Yasha’s flat, stoic voice had quivered. “Y-You don’t know if he meant to-”

“He did , Yasha.” Barclay confirmed with zero doubt. “I saw it myself.” 

The reality of truth had started to blur for Yasha as of late. He had no reason to believe Barclay, because why would Audrian ever lie to him? However, that had been challenged since he and Barclay confronted each other at the Tundra’s hangar. He despised that the other boy had planted doubt against such a talented Lore Keeper as Audrian, and just thinking about it already felt like a complete betrayal. 

But, there had been times where Audrian’s methods were questionable. Yasha usually didn’t think that hard about it, but ever since the Tundra, his view of Keyes had…altered. At first, Yasha brushed it off as him just being annoyed with Audrian’s boisterous pride. Audrian had every right to be proud though, did he not? 

It was the hunger in his eyes that bothered Yasha. Audrian told him he was doing this to save the Wilderlands from more blights, but Yasha detected that he had ulterior motives. Audrian already had enough power and talent, he was already the best, so why did he crave more? Why did his eyes, his manic, dulled eyes, hunger? 

Yasha was getting close to the answers he sought, real answers. All he had to do was push a little further. 

“…How can you be so sure that wild Lore doesn’t cause the blights?”

Barclay looked at him funny. Weren’t they just talking about Glacier Point? But, this had become a routine. Yasha would ask, and Barclay would answer without really thinking. 

“I’m not saying it doesn’t,” Truthfully he still had no idea what Wild Lore was fully capable of. “Maybe it is from wild Lore, but natural disasters happen sometimes, and they’re usually triggered by Legendary Beasts. There’s a connection to all of it, to Wild Lore, Legendary Beasts, and blights.”

Barclay trailed off, and silently started thinking to himself.

“What is it? Tell me.”

The ravenette didn’t like Yasha’s demanding tone, but he complied yet again. 

“If Keyes’ entire plan is to let wild Lore reclaim the Wilderlands, as you think it should be, then…”

“Then it’ll put a stop to the blights for good.” Yasha finished. 

“But you just said blights stemmed from wild Lore.” 

Yasha tensed for a second before shaking his head. “Blights are disturbances of wild Lore. It’s the Wilderlands responding to being so out of sorts.” 

“How can you be so sure?” 

“What do you mean?”

“Like I said, Legendary Beasts are capable of producing wild Lore all on their own.” Barclay hadn’t really thought that much about his wild Lore since he almost caused a blight back in the Tundra, and preferred to hold off from using it, especially since Keyes enjoyed its power. 

“Legendary Beasts have wild Lore because they embody the Wilderland itself. So, if wild Lore is sourced from Legendary Beasts, then why would they transfer something like that to Elsies if it could cause blights?” 

Yasha chewed at the inside of his cheek. “Perhaps it’s a curse. To show Lore Keepers the damage they’ve inflicted upon the Wilderlands. Or maybe, wild Lore was never meant to be transferred, and it was an accident.”

“That would mean Keyes shouldn’t have that power either.”

“But Keyes knows how to control it.” Yasha argued. 

“I think he’s been lying to you.” Barclay countered flatly. 

“Is there anything else that you think?” The blond crossed his arms. 

“I’m not saying wild Lore isn’t dangerous- it is, it can be. At least, the way Keyes uses it is.” 

“You’ve caused trouble with your wild Lore too! Because you don’t know what you’re doing with it.”

“Fine, I have!” Barclay agreed bitterly. Yasha had a point, he didn’t know what he was doing. But he’d be damned if he let someone like Audrian Keyes teach him. “Then how come Keyes gets a pass?” 

“Because he’s mastered it.”

Barclay’s tone hardened. “You aren’t worried he’ll cause a blight? Because he certainly doesn’t seem to be.” 

Yasha stiffened. Barclay had implied that Keyes only enjoyed wild Lore for the power. But that wasn’t it, was it? Wild Lore was exceptionally rare, and Audrian should be delighted to have such mastery over it. But, Barclay didn’t really think Audrian would trigger a blight on purpose, did he? Audrian would never disgrace Yasha like that. 

“Audrian cares about what happened to me.” Warning sparks flared at Yasha’s fingertips. 

“He stumbled across an opportunity.” Audrian didn’t even know who Yasha was when he first discovered him. He found a kid with powerful Lore who had been the only survivor of a tragedy, and decided to benefit from it. 

“Don’t-”

“You know the day he tried bonding with Diamondaise was the same day Gravaldor attacked my village?”

Barclay stated. “Keyes threw the Wilderlands off course by trying to bond with a Legendary Beast, so who knows what’ll happen once he collects all the golden features.” 

“That’s a coincidence.”

“Keyes isn’t uniting the Wilderlands, he’s ruining them.” 

Yasha didn’t respond, so Barclay pressed on.

“You’re so worried about blights, but where will everyone go once the Wilderlands grow wild and untameable? What will Lore Keepers and Elsies do? What will you do?”

“I don’t…” Yasha wasn’t sure what to say. He had a response to nearly everything Barclay threw his way, but now he was fumbling.

“Did he tell you about how he wanted to destroy the Elsewheres?” Barclay had the suspicion for quite some time that Audrian was omitting certain information from Yasha. 

Yasha locked eyes with Barclay. “They treat Lore Keepers terribly, do they not?” 

“Not all of them.” The other apprentice began. “Keyes is going to wipe out the Wilderlands and the Elsewheres if he continues. And you’re only assisting him because you think you owe him a life debt.”

“Oh, and you don’t think you owe Rasgar a life debt? Would you still be at her side if you thought otherwise?” 

“I…” 

Runa had taken Barclay in as her apprentice, just like Keyes had with Yasha. They were both orphans who couldn’t go back to their villages, and were given a new chance at life. The difference, however, lay within Runa having genuine concern for her apprentices, so much so that she entrusted their guardianship to Cyril.

“We’re not the ones trying to tear the world apart.”

“We’re bringing it together.” 

“You really can’t see the destruction going on in front of your eyes?” Barclay gestured with his arm, the thick vine moving in tandem with it. 

“I’m not saying there hasn’t been destruction!” Yasha spouted. “But, it’s a wild destruction. There’s a beauty to be found in it, much like fire.”

Barclay scoffed in revulsion. “So that’s your justification? What’s so beautiful about villages being destroyed? About people losing their families, their homes?”

“Don’t you see I’m trying to stop that?” There had been just a hint of desperation in Yasha’s voice, to convince Barclay and himself that what he said was true. 

“By letting a hundred more villages be destroyed by the wilderness?” 

Barclay was right. And it wasn’t like Yasha hadn’t felt bad about it. His heart ached that so many had to suffer just to achieve ultimate peace. But, that was just how it needed to be. Yasha learned long ago that no matter how indirect, casualties were often a part of life that couldn’t be avoided. 

“Audrian says it’s a means to an end.”

And there it was. Barclay nodded sarcastically, eyes wide and his mouth taking the shape of a silent “o”. 

“He told you that, did he?”

“He did.” Yasha didn’t fall for the taunt. He wasn’t going to give in, not when everything that transpired tonight was the results of his own doing. 

“He’s using you.” Barclay straightened himself out, not backing down from Yasha’s narrowed eyes. “He likes having you around because you’re a tool to him.”

“That is not true!” 

“If you didn’t have fire Lore, do you think he would have taken you in?”

“I-”

“And what if I had said yes to Audrian, Yasha?” Barclay was the one who leaned forward this time, studying Yasha carefully. “He has you running all these errands because he wants me. He puts you aside because he won’t stop obsessing over me . He would have tossed you away if I agreed to be his apprentice.” 

Yasha’s body began to visibly tremble. Was it anger? Fear? 

“How special do you think you are?” He growled. 

“Why don’t you ask Keyes?”

Yasha huffed loudly, and clenched his hand into a tight fist, nails digging into his palm. It didn’t help that there was already smoke curling at his fingertips. 

“He only keeps you around because you’re his second best option.”

That had done it, Yasha had finally lost his temper. The blond gripped Barclay by the collar of his tunic and hauled him close, his scowl engulfing Barclay’s vision. The wooden bowl of stew that had been sitting at his side had clattered over, spilling the contents onto the stone.

Flames wisped at Yasha’s mouth with each word. 

“I am not- ”

He stopped when he saw the fright on Barclay’s face. This was the same boy he had fought back at Glacier Point, one he had surrounded in a wall of fire. What did he care if Barclay was intimidated by him? Why did he care? Why did it hurt to see his enemy look at him like that? 

Before his tirade could go any further, Yasha slowly collected himself, and let go of Barclay. The ravenette instinctively backed away from him, not wanting to be grabbed so harshly again. 

Yasha let out a sigh. This wasn’t worth it. 

“Think whatever you want.” He spoke evenly, like his surge of anger had completely washed away. “We’ve argued enough over this. The truth will present itself soon enough.”

Barclay wanted to ask what that last part meant, but he agreed with Yasha. He didn’t want to waste his energy bickering with him all night. He sat there, briskly tracing the stone with his fingers since there wasn’t much else to do.

“Do you…ever catch a break?” He casually asked. 

Yasha closed his eyes. “Not while we’re on the run.”

“But, you might be on the run forever until Keyes is stopped.”

“Or until he succeeds.”

Barclay groaned. “Do you even believe that anymore?”

“Why shouldn’t I?” 

The shorter Lore Keeper gave a half shrug. He didn’t sound angry anymore, just defeated. “I think you tell yourself that because if you separated from Keyes, you think you’d have no one else to turn to.” 

“You assume a lot about me.” Yasha also sounded resigned. “Why would I want to leave his side?”

“Because you’re powerful, I know you are.” Yasha hadn’t expected to be praised like that, especially not from Barclay. “But you don’t believe you’d make it on your own. And you probably wouldn’t. You’re a kid, we’re kids.”

Yasha wanted to put an end to the discussion. He grabbed the tipped over bowl of stew and stood up. “I’ve excelled in my powers, I’m beyond any apprentice my age.”

“That’s because Keyes pushes you.” Barclay looked up at Yasha, not with vitriol, but pity. And that got under Yasha’s skin. “He makes you practice advanced moves that you’re not ready for.”

“But I am ready! I’m powerful, Audrian told me as much!” 

“I never said you weren’t powerful.” Barclay started, steadily pushing himself back to his feet so that he was also standing. “But, it’s good to know your limits. And apparently, you don’t. Not with your Lore, and not with Audrian.”

“All Audrian has ever done is want you on his side.” Yasha replied distantly. 

“So you thought tying me up would change my mind?”

“You wouldn’t come willingly!” Yasha stomped his foot, and let his arms fall at his sides. “He never stops rambling about you, about how he’s always this close to having you. It’s…exhausting.” 

“Tch .”

Yasha glared at him. “What?”

“I’m the last person you should envy right now.”

“Envy?” What a joke. Where did Barclay get such a ridiculous concept? “No, I just don’t know why your tragedy gets a happy ending, and mine shouldn’t. It is not jealousy, I just despise your entitlement.”

“Entitlement?” Barclay’s small body vibrated. After being attacked, kidnapped, and tied up, he had been pushed to his limit. “If you think I’m entitled, then I don’t even know how you can stand to be in the same room as Audrian.” 

“Whatever.” Yasha disregarded him with a roll of his eyes and turned away from Barclay, ready to retire for the night. He had only taken a few steps before the ravenette spoke up again.

“You could still have a happy ending, you know.” He offered, revealing that pinprick of hope he still harbored for Yasha. 

Yasha looked over his shoulder. He didn’t seem too happy that after everything, Barclay still wanted him around. In fact, it upset him that Barclay was so relentless in thinking that he genuinely deserved another chance. 

“Haven’t you already given up on that?”

“…I wish I could.”

“Barclay?”

“Yeah?” Barclay lifted his head up. Had he finally gotten through to him?

“Tell m…” He cut himself off and bit his bottom lip. He swallowed hard before fully turning around to face Barclay. Something in his eyes had shifted, like he looked sincerely sorry for what he was about to say next.

“Tell me Raajnavar’s whereabouts.” 

At first, Barclay was stumped. The subject had come out of nowhere, and the obvious thing to do was to respond with a resounding no. Yet, to the Lore Keeper’s shock, his body did not obey. His mind fought against him, lips forcibly parting to form the words. What was happening to him?

He clasped a hand over his mouth, ready to bite down until he drew blood in order to prevent such a precious secret from being spilled. It hurt to not speak his mind, his own mind that was actively betraying him. Barclay wrenched his hand away, and couldn’t stop what happened next.

“She’s been bonded with Hasu since she was born.” He strained to not reveal anything more, but it was no use. “H-Her Tattoo Mark used to be invisible, so nobody knew, but it appeared after the Tundra had fallen. That’s why we came here, to investigate if the Jungle was in trouble because Raajnavar was responding to it.” 

Barclay heaved as soon as he finished, gawking in stunned silence. Why did he just tell Yasha all of that? Why had he been so inclined to answer every one of his questions? He knew that Yasha always picked his words perfectly, and could trick anyone into revealing what he wanted. But this was different, this wasn’t psychological, it was something…

Barclay’s gaze drifted over to the empty wooden bowl in Yasha’s grasp. Earlier, Yasha had urged him to eat, and Barclay accepted because it would have been stupid to poison him. Although, that didn’t mean it hadn’t been laced with a different ingredient. 

“You… You spiked my meal with truth elixir?” His voice wobbled. He didn’t even have the energy for his anger to flare up, all that was left was sorrow. 

Barclay blinked back the wetness forming in his eyes. He wasn’t going to cry just because Yasha had betrayed him again. He’d already cried far too much over him. 

“Mayani has Raajnavar, then.” The blond stated matter of factly, avoiding looking Barclay in the eyes. He wouldn’t risk letting his heart crumple if he saw Barclay’s expression. 

“Please don’t tell Audrian,” Barclay begged in a whisper. He had no leverage to demand or barter, Yasha and Keyes had gotten exactly what they wanted out of him, so all he could do now, was beg. “He’ll kill her.”

Yasha’s eyes went wide, like what Barclay suggested might be an actual concern. He shook his head in a way that was meant to try and calm Barclay down, but it obviously didn’t work.

“He won’t. I promise, he won’t.” 

“How?” He whimpered, anger climbing back up into his inflection. “You’ll just make sure that he doesn’t? You think he values your opinion?” 

“He will if I have equally valuable information to coincide with it.” Yasha looked to the canopies again, and whistled. The light dragon promptly responded, and the vines swayed before tightening again, restricting Barclay’s limbs back into position. 

“I can’t believe you.” Barclay couldn’t prevent the sniffle from leaving him.

“It isn’t personal.”

“Yeah, it never is with you, is it?” 

Yasha didn’t reply. He grabbed the wooden bowl with both hands, focusing on it instead of the withered apprentice behind him.

“Goodnight. I’ll see to it that you’re released in the morning.” 

That had been the deal, hadn’t it? Audrian said if Barclay revealed where Raajnavar was, then he could go free. Audrian also agreed that he wouldn’t hurt Barclay’s friends, so he wouldn’t have to worry about Hasu, right? And once Barclay was released, he’d never have to bear looking Yasha’s way again- that’s what Yasha assumed of him, at least. 

Barclay watched Yasha fade back into the darkness, the sounds of the Jungle overtaking the temple once more. There was another noise though, a quiet sob that was punctuated every so often with a hitching breath.

With Yasha gone, Barclay cried softly into the night. 

Chapter Text

It became abundantly clear that Yasha had yet to tell Keyes about Hasu. Maybe Barclay should be thankful for that, but it only meant he was in for another round of harsh interrogation. He would be trapped in these horrid vines for another day, and stuck with Keyes for longer than he ever wanted. 

“I bet my friends are on their way here right now!” Barclay refused to tell Audrian what he wanted to know. The truth elixir had worn off overnight, and since he was only fed the one batch, Yasha must have used the single vial they had on hand.

“They’ll be dead before they even make it halfway.” Audrian spat, his coy attitude from yesterday having dissolved from his waning patience. “My request is really simple, Barclay. I don’t see why you have to complicate things.”

“You’re one to talk!” Barclay lurched forward against his restraints. “You’re on a lifelong quest for revenge!”

“You think so little of me.” Keyes tsked. “It’s not always about revenge, far from it, in fact.”

“You want Runa and Cyril dead .” Barclay seethed. “You swore that you’d kill Leopold.”

“They’ve wronged me. It has no relation to what I have in store for the Wilderlands.”

“Stop lying!” Barclay grunted. “They tried stopping you all those years ago, this has everything to do with it!” He glanced over at Yasha. “Or did you tell Yasha that it wasn’t all connected?”

“Do not drag me into your squabble.” Yasha stood off to the side, and actively avoided looking Barclay’s way. 

“Forget vengeance, and forget Yasha.” The grayed Lore Keeper leaned in uncomfortably close to Barclay’s face, flashing a grin. He dropped his voice to a hush. “Just tell me where Raajnavar is, and all of this will stop.”

Back in Dullshire, Barclay was taught appropriate and inappropriate behavior. And even with the village’s over exaggeration of rules, there were still things that counted as basic manners. Runa had taught him as much, too. But, Barclay had no manners to spare for the likes of Keyes, not when he’d kept him tied up like an animal this whole time.

Heart skipping a beat and opportunity knocking at his door, Barclay’s instincts kicked in. Keyes was so close to him that he could feel the heat of his breath. So, he retaliated. Even immobilized, he retaliated. Barclay reared his back and slammed it against Keyes, blinking the immediate wave of dizziness away when they had collided. 

Audrian cried out in pain and staggered back, cupping his hands over his nose. Barclay smirked upon seeing his tormentor taken aback for once. He may have had the upper hand, but he still underestimated Barclay. 

Barclay felt something wet against his forehead, and for a split second thought that he had broken skin. That was until Keyes retracted his hands and revealed a bloodied upper lip. Keyes curled his crimson smeared palms, and the ground beneath them rumbled. 

The nearest piece of temple debris was flung at Barclay, and had missed him by a hair. The young Lore Keeper’s face paled when he felt the piece of stone whoosh past him. It would have only taken a smidge to the right for it to mutilate him, which was the exact point Keyes wanted to get across. 

Audrian staggered forward, his breathing ragged from the injury. He sniffed, and wiped away the remaining blood on his face with his sleeve, observing Barclay with thin, disturbed pupils. 

“If you’re unwilling to cooperate, then I suppose I could always take matters into my own hands.” He laughed. “It’s not like I need you to tell me where Raajnavar is.”

“Then what was the point in capturing me?” 

“I’ll simply draw the Beast’s attention myself,” Audrian continued, ignoring Barclay’s question. “How about I use my wild Lore, hm? With the capital eviscerated, that will surely draw her out of hiding.” 

“What?” Barclay’s body grew tense. “You could cause a blight!”

“I have it under control, unlike you.” Audrian snarled. “Besides, a blight would be the perfect way to grab Raajnavar’s attention, wouldn't it?” 

“Audrian-” Yasha finally objected, a worried edge to his tone. “You wouldn’t do that- You wouldn’t set off a blight on purpose.” 

“I wouldn’t, but do you see how difficult he’s being?” Audrian aggressively gestured at Barclay. 

“Wait…” Yasha started. He glanced at Barclay before walking closer to Audrian.

“The High Keeper’s daughter has Raajnavar. Mayani.” 

“No-” Barclay felt his stomach drop. What game was Yasha playing? Had he waited until now to reveal this to Audrian just to see Barclay’s reaction? 

Audrian looked between Barclay and Yasha suspiciously. His judgemental gaze landed on his apprentice. Clearly, Yasha had neglected to inform him after finding out.  

“And why did you wait until this second to tell me?”

Yasha hesitated before clearing his throat. Barclay’s never seen him be nervous around Keyes before.

“We didn’t know how we were going to obtain Raajnavar yet. We don’t even know all the ingredients for her lure. I thought it was irrelevant for the time being.”

Audrian’s stare silently lingered on Yasha for another minute. His calloused fingers reflexively curled inward, as if he was considering punishing his apprentice. It never came, and he turned away from Yasha with an annoyed grunt, his attention set back on Barclay. Audrian was reminded of something when Yasha brought up Raajnavar’s lure. It was only a last resort, but a force deep within him was tempted to find a reason to enact his next sick idea. 

“Barclay.” Audrian spoke to the shorter boy like he was a child who had broken a rule, and was giving him a stern lecture. “This is your last chance to accept my mentorship.” 

Barclay was disgusted when he looked into his eyes. It wasn’t hatred, or malice. It was hope. Audrian was hoping one last time that Barclay would say yes.

Cruel as it sounded, Barclay wanted to snuff out that hope.

“ Never .” 

Audrian’s face fell, frustration- disappointment, sinking into his features. He drew out a long, weary sigh and closed his eyes. 

“I was afraid of that.” He shook his head solemnly. “A shame, such a shame. You could’ve been great, you know.”

“Not with you as a mentor.” Barclay snarked. 

“I really had high hopes for you,” Audrian walked down the platform Barclay was tied to. “I was expecting better, after all I like to think that some of my teachings had left an impact on you.”

“They haven’t.” Barclay knew that was only half true, and he hated it. 

“I’ve been so charitable in wanting to guide you. But now, I’m afraid you’ve forced my hand. You simply won’t listen, unlike Yasha.” 

“You’re using him.” The ravenette hissed. 

“Using?” Keyes spun on his heel to face Barclay again. “You used him under the guise of being his friend. I took poor Yasha in when he needed me the most, like a glorious light in the darkness.”

“You’re taking advantage of him.”

“Honestly, do you hear yourself?” Keyes spewed, grabbing Yasha by the arm and pulling him to his side despite the boy’s reluctance. “Spinning such rancid lies, tempting my apprentice away from me.” 

Audrian paused, and his eyes passed over Yasha. He smiled at Barclay. 

“Yasha really does admire you, you know.” Yasha pulled his arm free from Audrian, face tinted a very deep pink. “As do I. Or at least, I did. But, perhaps you’ll have a different use for us.”

Barclay didn’t like how that sounded. “What do you mean?”

“Yasha, fetch the specimen I had you collect earlier this week.”

The blond Lore Keeper stared at him, unsure. Yasha had risked tooth and nail to retrieve the specimen in question, and Motya had gotten a splinter in her paw from the harrowing task. He had no idea how it involved Barclay, but he took to his mentor’s orders nonetheless. 

Yasha disappeared from the upper floor of the temple, and Barclay stood there anxiously while Keyes peered over his shoulder, waiting for his return. When he reappeared, he held a large glass jar in his pale hands, a thick, stringy material coating the inside. The jar was enclosed by a silvery top, with several tiny holes poked through it. 

“You said this was an ingredient for Raajnavar’s lure.” Yasha stopped before Audrian, not really following where he was going with this. The Lore Beast journal he had swiped from the Murdock boy proved to be very useful, and Yasha’s actually read up about this specific creature. And the fact Keyes wanted to work it into a plan that involved Barclay, set him on edge. 

“It is, in a sense.” Audrian cautiously grabbed the specimen jar and gently turned it over in his hands. “It’ll help secure our victory in summoning her.”

Audrian walked up to Barclay, and kept the jar centered so that he had a clear view of it. 

“Do you see it, Barclay?”

Barclay squinted at the jar. It was full of nothing but cloudy gray silk. “You mean all that gunk inside?”

“No, it’s what made the gunk that I want you to see.”

The silk in the jar began to undulate, catching Barclay’s attention. A needled point clawed at the webbing, and then several identical ones followed suit. A rough, jagged shape came into view, and Barclay beheld a small, arachnid-like Lore Beast with an abdomen that resembled a rock. His stomach tightened. Whatever this Beast was, couldn’t be anything good if Keyes was showing it off to him.

Audrian lifted up the jar again so that it was next to his head. “This, Barclay, is a Stoneweaver.”

Barclay racked his mind to remember what it was. He swore he skimmed the name while reading Conley’s journal, but the details were fuzzy. 

“They’re exceptionally rare, their only habitat is in the Jungle.” Audrian lightly tapped at the glass. “They have Stone Lore, albeit exceptionally weak. The silk they spin is coarse, like sediment. They don’t have much use as a companion, but…” 

The older Lore Keeper inched closer to Barclay, holding the jar right in front of his eyes so that the apprentice was face to face with the spider, a wall of glass being the only thing separating the two. 

“Their true power lies within their venom.”

Barclay flinched, and stared melancholily at the tiny arachnid. Now he knew precisely what Keyes had in mind for him, and wanted to escape more than ever. He leered back as far as possible, so much so that his arms ached from the strain. He wanted to get away, he wanted to scream and tear the vines off of him. He’d rather be stuck in the Jungle, because at least then he’d have a chance encounter with danger instead of Audrian directly manipulating his fate. 

“Audrian…” Yasha trailed again. He was visibly worried for Barclay’s safety, and coming from a Lore Keeper who rarely expressed himself, that meant a lot. 

When Yasha read about Stoneweavers, it didn’t specify the effects of their venom, but there was an ominous warning written down claiming that any victim should “pray for mercy” once bitten. That, and with Stoneweavers being so out of the way to find- not that any sane Lore Keeper would go looking for one- the ingredients for its antivenom were equally hard to come across. If the antidote wasn’t distributed within the allotted time, then the effects would be permanent. 

So, if Audrian was really about to do this, then surely he must have the antivenom on hand, right? 

“Don’t worry,” Keyes saw the horrified look on Barclay’s face. “Stoneweavers die after they expel their venom, which is why they rarely bite. Unless agitated or threatened, of course.”

A grin cracked over Keyes’ bloodstained lips, and began to rapidly shake the jar in front of Barclay. Barclay thought Keyes would kill the thing from how aggressively he was rattling the container around, but when he slowed, the Stoneweaver had gone from docile, to frantically skittering up and down the glass walls. 

Keyes stooped down beside Barclay’s leg, and fearful for his life, he tried pulling it away. He wanted to kick and swing, but his foot barely got off the ground with the vine so tightly wrapped around his ankle. Keyes gripped his leg hard, forcing it into place. Barclay could only tremble violently and plead for Keyes to stop what he was doing, but he wouldn’t head. 

The villain rolled up the fabric of Barclay’s pant leg, exposing bare skin. Audrian very carefully unscrewed the lid, and the instant it came loose, he wasted no time. He smacked the open jar against the apprentice’s calf, and waited. The Stoneweaver jittered around its silky hideaway before scurrying towards the warm patch of flesh. Barclay felt tiny legs graze against him, before something sharp stabbed into his leg. 

A yelp rang throughout the Jungle. 

Yasha winced at the pained cry that had erupted from his former friend, and watched Keyes move the jar away from Barclay’s leg. A gray shape tumbled out of the jar, and the Stoneweaver lay dead on the temple floor, all eight legs curled inward. 

Barclay took in short, deep breaths, nervously awaiting the next bout of pain. He anticipated for his skin to feel like it had been set on fire, to feel the venom pumping through his veins and raise his temperature through the roof. He prepared to writhe in agony, to sob and beg to be put down so he wouldn’t have to suffer another second. 

But, none of that happened.

Instead, Barclay didn’t feel anything, not yet. He had heard something, however, and it stood out amongst the Jungle ambience he’d grown accustomed to. Whatever it was, was nearby. It wasn’t a Lore Beast, and it wasn’t Yasha or Audrian. Listening closely, Barclay heard a faint crackling noise. It was unusual, to say the least, and for some reason it reminded him of a brick well being sealed shut with its lid. 

Barclay briefly thought the noise came from the temple, and that it was about to collapse from underneath him. But, it didn’t take long before he found the source of the crackling. 

He looked down at his leg, and saw that the area of skin surrounding the two puncture marks had turned gray. It wasn’t a sickly gray either. No, it was a solid, murky gray that began in a small patch, but quickly spread across the rest of his leg, spiderwebbing outward and transforming his light tan complexion. 

Barclay inspected more closely, and came to find that the limb wasn’t just turning gray. The discolored splotching had a grainy texture to it, like someone had splashed muddy water all over a clean, white blanket. When he tried to put weight on his bitten ankle, he froze. It didn’t respond to his movement, and only part of his foreleg had curved in the direction he commanded it. 

Anything below his knee, anything that was covered in the gray coating, remained stiff. Then Barclay noticed it was not only affecting his skin, but the fabric of his clothes were changing to the same stiff, grainy material. 

Stiff, grainy, and stony . 

“Audrian-!” Panicking, Barclay looked to his foe. Audrian just smiled wistfully, shoulders slumping in a pleased sigh. 

The apprentice whimpered and pushed through tears as he tried one last time to pry his arms free. But every time he tugged, every time he pulled so hard he thought he’d dislocate his arm, the vines never gave. The Stoneweaver venom flowed up his leg, starting with the skin first and then his clothing, leaving behind firm stone in the wake of what was once living, breathing flesh. 

Yasha expected something horrible to befall Barclay, even if he didn’t know what exactly. He thought his face would break out into blisters, that he’d collapse from overwhelming pain. He did not expect this. 

“You can’t let it spread too far,” Yasha warned his mentor, trying to get his attention. “You’ll use your stone Lore to slow down the venom, won’t you? Or your healing Lore?” 

“Watch, Yasha.” Was all Keyes said, and shrugged off his apprentice when he grabbed his arm. Yasha was effectively silenced, and watched in growing horror. 

Barclay couldn’t feel anything past his hips now, but he still writhed around despite his legs being stuck in place. He kept looking down at his changing body, at the parts of him that were numb and made it feel like nothing existed past his waist. Barclay weakly used his arm to grab the opposite vine, but no matter how hard he pulled, it was just barely out of reach. With half his body turned to stone, his movements were restricted, his wild thrashing devolving into useless fidgeting. 

Then Barclay felt something clench around his abdomen. 

It wasn’t oncoming nausea, it felt like his insides were being squeezed and crammed into a tight narrow space. He gasped and lurched forward with a strained cry, black hair dangling over his face. He tried to swallow and collect his bearings enough to maybe reason with Keyes to spare his life, but a hard lump had formed in his throat. 

The Lore Keeper whined as the petrifying venom ascended along his waist, losing all sensation in parts of him that he never gave a second thought to. His stomach felt heavy, and his body wanted to react by purging its contents, but there was only stone in place of where the organ had once been. Barclay was being turned to stone from the inside out, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

Barclay shivered from shock, his teeth chattering. Yasha and Keyes sounded muffled to him as they spoke, unsure if they were addressing him or each other. All he knew, was that he wanted this pain to end, he wanted his body to stop being pinched and numbed. 

He drew in a shuddering breath, but abruptly stopped halfway. His eyes went enormous, and he sputtered. A violent gag forced its way past his lips. The stone had made it to his chest, and his lungs were taking the hardest blow. He burst into a coughing fit, trying and failing to get air in between his constant croaking. His breath rattled. He couldn’t inhale or exhale anymore, his lungs had frozen solid, and the stone was surging up his arms now. 

The rest of his body felt heavy and weightless at the same time, the gray stone creeping closer and closer to any part of him that hadn’t been corrupted. He retched and spat up blood, painting his stone tunic in dribbling crimson. With no way to take in oxygen, he became dizzy and lightheaded. He was so delirious that he’d yet to ponder why his life hadn’t come to an end even though his beating heart should be encased in stone by now. 

Barclay shakily looked up, past his messy hair that he hadn’t bothered to move away from his face. The temple, the entire Jungle, had smeared into a blur, just like it had when he’d first awoken in this awful place. He wheezed, face flushed red and hoping that he’d lose consciousness before the worst came to pass. 

He didn’t feel a thing past his neck, the edges of his vision blackening. Using his last bit of strength, he turned his head towards the two figures that had been watching the miserable display. His final moments would be drowned in confusion, fear, and numbness. The final thing he’d taste would be the tangy copper of his own blood. And the last thing he’d ever remember seeing, was the blond Lore Keeper who he once considered a friend. 

His dark, fading eyes looked at him pleadingly, and with nothing left in his body, nothing but stone starting to creep around the edges of his face, he rasped out his name. 

“Yasha…”

Barclay’s gaze lingered on Yasha long after he went silent and still, the woeful expression forever etched into his stone features. It burned itself deep into Yasha’s mind, and he couldn’t help but be called back to his traumatic memories of Trysk, all those terrified faces permanently captured in ice. 

The longer Yasha stared with pinprick blue eyes that shook as violently as his legs, it became apparent. 

Yasha felt cold . 

“What have you done…?” Yasha finally got the words out. He never took his eyes off Barclay- he couldn’t- as he spoke to Audrian. “He’s not…? Is he-”

“Dead? Not quite.” Audrian casually sauntered back up the platform steps, and lightly knocked on the “statue”. He used his Lore to summon a sharp stone from nearby, and sliced through the green vines that held Barclay captive. They fell limply to the ground, their use expired. 

“He’s more useful like this, actually.”

Yasha just stood there, awestruck. Audrian thought that Barclay was more useful to them in this wretched, pathetic state? Yasha wouldn’t even wish something so cruel upon his worst enemy. Maybe it really was time to see just how much Audrian valued his opinion.

“You should reconsider this.” Yasha walked up one of the platform steps as he approached Keyes. “Tell me you have the antivenom on you, if you don’t give it to him within a specific amount of time-” 

“You’re not underestimating me, Yasha…” Keyes side-eyed his apprentice with the implications of a threat in his voice. “Are you?”

Yasha swallowed hard, and looked between Barclay and Keyes before stepping down. He tucked his head low, eyes cast towards the ground. 

“…No.” 

“Good,” The warmth returned to Keyes’ voice instantly, like a switch had been flicked. “I thought so.”

Chapter Text

Yasha couldn’t sleep.

He had been haunted by the image of Barclay’s pained face going slack once the Stoneweaver venom finished its work. A small campfire dimmed in the room’s center, and he laid there on the temple floor with dirtied blankets. Yasha stared up at the ceiling while absentmindedly stroking Motya’s porcelain white fur, the tips of her ears aglow with twin flames. 

Yasha shifted his gaze, and saw Audrian sleeping on the other side of the campfire. He lay curled up with his back to Yasha, dozing off soundly. It perplexed the boy how Keyes could sleep after having committed such a despicable act. And the more he thought about it, all his other acts seemed just as despicable.

Yasha’s idolization of Audrian Keyes was crumbling before his very eyes, much like a dying fire with only a few smoldering embers left. Audrian had to have been bluffing when he said he’d inflict a blight on Valpur in order to find Raajnavar, right? Surely, he wouldn’t say such a thing in front of his prized apprentice, knowing that Yasha wanted to put an end to the blights. 

But, Audrian’s obsession with Barclay- which Yasha started to consider more unhinged than desperate- drove him to take extreme measures. Barclay hadn’t listened, and Keyes saw that there was only one way to correct it. Try as Yasha might, there was no way he could convince himself that Barclay deserved it. 

“Why does it feel wrong, Motya?” Yasha murmured to his Lore Beast, who let out an intrigued chirrup in response. 

Yasha sat up in his uncomfortable covers. He stretched, and so did Motya, arching her back and yawning. Yasha stood, and checked to make sure Audrian was asleep before beckoning Motya to come follow him. The apprentice and Beast strutted towards the temple steps that led to the floor above. 

Motya gracefully tiptoed on her paws as she bounded up the stone stairs, and Yasha followed her small, flickering light. When Yasha reached the top, he tensed.

He looked out into the dark canopy, the nearest light being his Lore Beast that sat at his feet. Yasha didn’t want to trek any further, he knew that once Motya’s firelight illuminated the rest of the temple, he’d see Barclay again. It was the reason he had come up here, an overwhelming sense of guilt, but having to actually face what happened left him frozen in place. 

Yasha had to work up an embarrassing amount of courage before he took another step, his shoe accidentally kicking a small piece of debris. It clattered into the darkness, and Yasha tried to keep his eyes on the floor. He wasn’t averting his gaze, he was just…making sure he wouldn’t trip. 

Motya prowled ahead of her Keeper, and Yasha had to catch up with her. He softly called her name before reaching her side. Motya squatted down and licked at one of her paws. Yasha was about to reach down and scratch behind her ears, when he saw it.

He hadn’t realized he’d already reached the platform steps. Motya’s fire had lit up their surroundings, and the edges of her light stopped right where a stone figure stood. Yasha’s breath caught in his throat, but he forced himself to keep his eyes on Barclay, or whatever was left of him, that is. 

Yasha cursed himself for shaking as he walked up to the platform, coming to a stop just a few feet away from Barclay. The other Lore Keeper- the statue, was dead quiet, as expected. Yasha was surprisingly saddened that he wouldn’t be able to hear Barclay’s voice anymore, even if his greetings weren’t exactly the most chipper.

“Barclay.” Yasha didn’t know if Barclay could even hear him. 

Yasha squinted in the dark, a hard tap distracting his thoughts. He motioned for Motya to bring her light closer, and she did. A toucan-like Lore Beast scratched the tip of its beak against Barclay’s rough stone hair. Yasha waved his hand to try and shoo the bird away. It didn’t move, ruffling its black feathers in defiance. He lit a flame in the palm of his hand, and swiped close to the bird.

The flames finally got the Beast to retreat back into the canopies from where it came, and now Barclay wouldn’t be bothered, not that he would have felt it.

“I…”

What was there to say? Would an apology fix things, would Barclay even hear it? For all Yasha knew, Barclay wasn’t even conscious, and it might be better that he wasn’t. Whatever apology he conjured in his mind, did not make up for what Barclay had been put through. For what Keyes and Yasha put him through. 

Yasha had given him spiked food, and manipulated him. He had stood there and watched Keyes torture him, and didn’t object enough until it was far too late. All Yasha had to do was apologize, and then his guilt would be lifted. But, he couldn’t muster the words, because as he kept staring at Barclay’s misery carved face, he hesitated. What good would an apology do if Barclay ended up stuck like this for eternity?

Yasha didn’t want that. He never wanted any of this. 

Motya’s fur bristled, and Yasha immediately took notice. She sensed an oncoming presence, and before the apprentice could react, a hand gripped his shoulder.

Yasha gasped and whirled around, flame in hand and ready to fight if it happened to be Barclay’s friends who miraculously came to his rescue. He eased only a little when he recognized Keyes, retracting his fire Lore. 

“Couldn’t sleep?” Keyes asked, and for once Yasha could tell there was a double meaning to it.

Yasha shook his head slowly, choosing to look at him rather than the sad stone figure looming behind him. 

“You see a lot of shocking things when you explore the Wilderlands,” Audrian rambled to himself. “But, you get used to the danger.”

“I wouldn’t say it’s that.” Yasha muttered. 

“No?” Keyes tilted his graying head to the side. “Then what’s wrong?”

“Are you certain this was necessary?” Yasha peered up at his mentor with pleading eyes. All he wanted was for Audrian to fully explain himself, that he had a grand plan that involved Barclay’s unfortunate fate. 

Keyes sighed, and let his hands drop to his sides. He just shook his head as an answer, and Yasha’s stomach turned. 

“I just couldn’t let him go, I guess.”

“But, he…supplied the information you wanted. He told you about Raajnavar.” Yasha countered while still trying to sound as polite as possible. 

“ You revealed her whereabouts.” Audrian corrected glowingly.

“Because I got it from Barclay-” 

“Yasha, what’s all this fuss about?” Yasha was hardly fussing, he was concerned, if anything. Not just about Barclay, but the plan as a whole. Maybe Keyes really did keep getting sidetracked in his quest for revenge, and Yasha was only just now seeing it. 

“The other night, I slipped Barclay a truth elixir in his food.” He admitted. “He told me about Raajnavar, among a few…other things.”

Keyes towered over his apprentice. “What sort of things?”

Yasha contemplated not answering. Keyes tended to lose his temper over the most trivial matters, he couldn’t imagine how he’d react if he was accused by his own apprentice. 

“Barclay said that you took Grusha’s life back at Glacier Point. I’m not sure what to make of it. Please , I have to know. Be honest with me like I know you always have.”

For the longest time, neither of them said anything. Audrian studied Yasha silently in the dark. Then, he chuckled.

“He’s gotten good, I’ll give him that.”

Yasha stared at him in confusion. “Good at what?”

Keyes cleared his throat and elaborated. “Do you remember what I said about buying into your own act? That, in order to be better at lying, you must believe in that lie yourself?”

“Barclay wasn’t capable of lying.” Yasha repeated. 

“You’re misunderstanding.” Keyes patted Yasha on the back and pulled him to his side. The closeness made Yasha uncomfortable. 

“You see, Barclay bought his own act a little too well. Whatever he thought he saw- a murder, if that’s what he’s calling it- was nothing more than a lie that he convinced himself was true. Therefore, if Barclay believed it was the truth, then the elixir did too.” 

Yasha furrowed his brow, frustrated. “That doesn’t make any sense, Audrian.” 

“It may not make sense now, but it will eventually.”

It would never make sense. Keyes was simply being dishonest, and Yasha had undeniable proof of that now. Just because someone believed a lie was true, didn’t mean the magic of a truth elixir would respond to the person’s beliefs. It was designed to tell the earnest truth, which meant Barclay was right.

Quist may have certainly been an accident, but Grusha…did Audrian seriously push her to her death?

“Quit frowning,” Keyes urged with a not-so comforting smile. “Barclay’s problem was that he didn’t ditch his Elsie past altogether, like I did. But we’ve both abandoned our pasts, haven't we?”

Yasha was inclined to heavily disagree. He was doing all of this because of his past, to make sure no one else would endure such unbearable loss. Then there was Keyes, whose entire motive seemed to revolve around his own spotty past. 

“I think it’s time we had a talk.” Audrian stared out into the canopy. “About the blights, and how it affects the Elsewheres.” 

“You told me it was the Wilderlands’ response to wanting to be wild again.”

“That’s right,” Audrian considered each of his words with precision. Yasha needed to understand, he needed to be convinced. “And wild Lore does cause blights, if left in the hands of those who don’t know how to use it.” He pointed vaguely to Barclay’s stone form. 

“But, there’s a little more to it than that. See, blights are the wild Lore that the Wilderlands want to become again, but only in its most extreme case.”

“What?” Yasha pulled away from Keyes’ hold. How could he have kept this from him, how long had he known? “But you said- You said the blights would stop if-” 

“They’ll stop appearing…” Audrian calmly cut him off. “In the Wilderlands, that is. Any parts beyond, the Elsewheres, they’ll be plagued with blights once they’ve merged with the Wilderlands. It’ll be their problem, then.” 

Yasha clenched his fists to stop himself from shaking. “You said they would stop for good.”

“Did I now?” Audrian posed the question like Yasha had misremembered what he’d actually said. “Well, try not to fret about it, it’s just the Elsewheres. Unimportant, insignificant -”

“All those kingdoms…the villages…” Yasha took another step back. Motya’s tiny flames illuminated Keyes, casting dark shadows over his face and making him look undeniably sinister. 

“It’ll be better this way.” Audrian didn’t wait for Yasha to move away again, closing in the space he had tried to create. “With the Wilderlands reclaimed to their wild state, all those Elsies who’ve despised us will be put in their place.” 

“But, not all of the Elsewheres are like that.” Yasha parroted what Barclay had told him the other night. Audrian’s eyes darkened.

“They all turn on Lore Keepers, eventually.” He grumbled. “I’m just putting a stop to it before that can come to pass, before they start an uprising. I’m showing those Elsies that we are better than them. We always have been, and they have every right to fear us.” 

“…”

“You understand where I’m coming from, don’t you, Yasha?” Keyes put his hand back on Yasha’s stiff shoulder. Yasha just gaped at his mentor in newfound horror. 

“The Wilderlands will be safe once and for all. No more blights, and no more Elsies baselessly scrutinizing us.” 

Yasha drew his frightened gaze back to the petrified apprentice, his mind wandering. Barclay was right, his mind screamed. He hated it, hated that he hadn’t listened earlier, but Barclay was right. 

“And next time, Yasha.” Keyes tightened his grip on Yasha’s shoulder, pulling the blond’s attention back to him. Keyes leaned in, his smile vanishing. “It’s very important that you immediately report to me once you find something out.”

Yasha warily glanced at the hand on his shoulder, then up at Keyes. He nodded.

“Forgive me. It will not slip my memory again.” 

“I know it won’t.” Audrian released his hold on Yasha. “That’s why I can rely on you, can’t I?”

“…Of course.”

“Now then,” Audrian ushered Yasha and Motya away from the platform where Barclay lifelessly stood. “You should be heading back to bed.” 

Chapter Text

A devastated howl erupted from the Guild House.

A group of six Lore Keepers were in the midst of discussing Barclay’s whereabouts, despite the late hours. Their exhausted haze vanished instantly, and they all whipped their heads towards the sound. 

“That came from the Medical Ward,” Hasu had already started to walk in the direction of the closest hallway. “Root could be in trouble!”

The apprentices exchanged concerned glances with each other, before their mentor, Cyril Harlow, stepped forward and took the lead. If Root was in danger, if something had come to harm him, then he wanted to be able to protect the kids from it. He’d already lost Barclay, he wouldn’t fail again. 

When Leopold arrived in Valpur with Viola, the young Dumont was in for the shock of her life when she was informed of her friend’s capture. In the former’s case, he was quite displeased upon hearing Keyes’ name again. And after what he’d done to him, the resentment he held for his old apprentice had doubled. 

They hurried to the opposite wing of the Guild House, entering the Medical Ward. It was customary for the Jungle to rely more on their Apothecaries to treat ailing patients, so a majority of the supplies consisted of strange smelling herbs, green pastes, and other random elixirs. Because it was the midnight hour, the Medical Ward was relatively quiet, with only a few Lore Keepers and their Beasts weaving in and out between rooms. 

That tranquility had been disturbed once the group shuffled their way through the wooden halls. They turned the corner, and stopped at a hut-like room where Root was being kept for recovery. Although Barclay was nowhere to be found after their fight with Keyes, Root hadn’t gone very far, albeit with an injured hind leg. 

The door opened, and a familiar sight lay nestled in the room’s center. It was dim, with only a lantern strung up in the corner to provide illumination, but they easily distinguished Root’s form. The Lufthund was surrounded by blankets over a plush bed fit for a Lore Beast his size, and there were bandages wrapped over his injured leg. A green poultice had been smeared over the white cloth to quicken the healing process. 

Everything looked to be in order, except for Root. He panted wildly, and kicked at the air with his good leg. He let out a whimper before lifting his head back so he could eye the Lore Keepers who had just entered. To his sorrow, none of them were Barclay. 

“Easy, boy,” Cyril inched further into the room while the others remained in the doorway. Because of Root’s size, he took up most of the room’s space, and there was no way everyone could fit in there. 

Cyril knelt down, and briefly inspected Root’s bad leg. He didn’t dare touch it, not at the risk of startling the black ball of fur. From what he saw, there wasn’t anything amiss. 

“Does it hurt?” 

Root threw his head back and howled again, smacking his front paws against the floor.

“You’d think he’s throwing a tantrum.” Tadg muttered under his breath. 

Cyril heard him, but didn’t turn around. “This could be serious. If Root isn’t hurt, but he’s wailing the way he is, then…”

“Barclay-” Viola gasped. 

Whenever a Lore Keeper died with their Lore Beast in their Tattoo Mark, the Beast unfortunately accompanied them. But, if the Keeper died separately from their Beast, then it would survive, but felt their bond be forcibly severed. A broken bond had no visible indications, but Lore Beasts who’ve lost their beloved Keepers were mournful and depressed afterwards. 

If Root’s behavior was anything to go by, then did that mean…? Cyril prayed the worst hadn’t come about, and that Root was beside himself for a completely different reason. 

“Don’t jump to any conclusions,” Cyril said to calm the apprentices down, but he sounded pretty tense himself. All night, they’ve been talking about nothing but finding Barclay, and the stress was taking its toll on them. 

“Look, we could only find Root,” Shazi shimmied her way to the front of the group so she could address her mentor. “There had to have been a sign that Barclay was around too.” 

“We already know that,” Tadg complained. “We saw where Barclay fell, but he was gone when we got there. There’s no way he just got up and left.” 

“It won’t do us any good until we know for sure that Keyes actually has him.” Shazi argued.

“Who else could it be?”

“Stop it.” Cyril warned sternly. 

The merging of apprentices had been an admittedly daunting task. Part of him regretted not being able to teach Viola in the way she had hoped when he first mentored her, but at least Runa served to be a better fit. Now, he had a second chance, with the bonus of Barclay and Tadg. 

But, he hadn’t even been their mentor for that long and he’d already let Barclay down. He let Runa, his old friend who he just made up with, down. Those kids were practically family to her, what would she say if Cyril had to look her in the eyes and tell her he was responsible for losing one of them? What would the rest of his apprentices think? 

“It’s most likely that Keyes has Barclay,” The Horn of Dawn ran his hand over Root’s charcoal fur, searching for any irregularities. “He can’t have gone far, at least not from where we last saw them.”

“You mean with his light dragon ?” Cecily reminded him. With a Lore Beast like that, they could’ve flown miles away. 

Cyril shook his head. “The canopies are too thick for larger dragons. He’d have to cause a scene to escape. I’m certain, we’ll find…” 

“What is it?”

“What in the Wilderlands?” Cyril brushed aside some of the fluff on Root’s chest, and when he swept back the fur, it revealed a strange gray patch. He eyed it, unsure what he was looking at. It was textured too, like someone had spilled paint on Root’s fur and didn’t wash it off. 

He wondered if this was some kind of new medical treatment, but it was too out of the ordinary to possibly be that. Cyril put his hand to the gray spot, and Root whined in retaliation. His fingertips came into contact with cold, hard stone. He flinched away, baffled. 

“I’m not sure.” He’d never seen anything so peculiar. The patch of stone wasn’t just sticking to Root’s fur, it was fused to his body. 

“Get one of the Apothecaries in here,” Cyril motioned for one of them to work quickly. Hasu nodded and obliged. 

Once they’d actually gotten someone to study Root’s strange ailment, they were given both good and bad news. Root was fine, for the most part. It was a relief to hear, but it had diminished once they were told the other half. 

Wherever this mysterious patch of stone had come from, hadn’t originated from Root. When something happened to a Lore Keeper, their Beast would experience side effects. But, this usually only occurred with Lore Keepers who had strong bonds with their Lore Beasts.

“So, wherever that stone came from…” Hasu started with a tremor in her voice.

“Means that something happened to Barclay.” Cecily hesitantly finished beside her. 

“We know he’s still alive, and that’s good.” Cyril did his best to remain vigilant in front of his apprentices. 

“Something horrible’s gone and happened to him!” Tadg shouted angrily. “Alive or not, he’s probably in pain!” 

“Are you ever not a pessimist?” Shazi glared at the tall boy. 

“Are you kidding? They literally said that Barclay’s hurt.”

“Nobody said Barclay was hurt,” Cyril corrected the agitated Lore Keeper. Good of friends as the group were, they sometimes struggled to cooperate. “Something happened, yes, but that doesn’t mean-“

“What about Root’s howling?” Cecily chimed in. “He sounds pretty sad.” 

“ If Barclay is hurt,” Cyril didn’t want to face that option. “And Keyes had something to do with it, then we won’t let him get away with it.”

“Of course he had something to do with it,” Tadg interjected, folding his arms. “Keyes has stone Lore, and look at Root’s fur! Stone.” 

Cyril sighed and squeezed his eyes shut, pinching the bridge of his nose. “You’re right, you’re right. We don’t know what Keyes did, but we’re going to find him.”

“How? He’s made it impossible to be tracked!”

“If there are any clues to where he might’ve gone-”

“Look!” Hasu slinked into the room. She stopped at Root’s side, and pointed to his chest. “This stone…”

“We know it’s stone.” Shazi pointed out flatly. 

“No, it’s different.” Hasu shook her head and crouched next to her mentor, gliding her hand over the gray stone. “See how smooth it is? It didn’t come from a natural rock formation.” 

Cyril examined the stone more closely, and Hasu was proven right. Keyes usually summoned his arsenal of stone straight from the ground, but this stone had been treated, it did not match the natural terrain. 

“Do you recognize it at all?”

Hasu squinted and tried to focus. “I…I think so. Whatever this material is, it’s really rare in this part of the Jungle. We usually use stone that’s naturally formed. Any stone with a clean cut like this was phased out a long time ago.” 

“What do you mean by phased out?” Cecily peered over Shazi’s shoulder.

“When the Jungle first started out, this type of sediment was easier to come across. It was used in a lot of old structures, like statues and temples.”

“Temples?” Cyril’s eyes widened. 

Hasu nodded in confirmation. “But, they’d have to be hundreds of years old. They reside within the deeper parts of the Jungle, before anyone ever decided to settle in the canopies.” 

“ Great ,” Tadg put his hands over his face and sighed into them before rubbing his tired eyes. “Keyes and Yasha are hanging around some old temple with Barclay in the most dangerous part of the Jungle.”

“At least we have a lead,” Cyril stood back up and smiled warmly at his apprentice. “Thank you, Hasu.”

Hasu reciprocated the smile, and made her way back over to the others.

“Okay, so now what?” Cecily shrugged. “We just…go looking for a temple?”

“I’ll look through some old archives, and find out if there’s any abandoned structures nearby.” It was a touch sad that those parts of the Jungle’s history couldn’t be properly preserved, but those temples were left abandoned for a reason. It was deadly to tread on the ground, so they took to the trees instead. 

“They’re probably hiding out at the nearest one.” Shazi concluded. “It’s only been a day, and Keyes can’t fly on his dragon. He and Yasha probably had to drag Barclay away, and that would’ve taken them a while.” 

“Right, but we still need to prepare for what we’ll face on the Jungle floor.” If it wasn’t a horde of Lore Beasts that would threaten them, then the strange flora that held a mind of its own would. 

“What’ll happen when we confront Keyes, then?” The Murdock boy asked. “We barely handled him the other day, and now we’ve got a rescue mission on our hands. How’re we supposed to get everyone back in one piece?” 

Cyril slowly looked over at Hasu. He thought about it, and shook his head. No, he couldn’t let her use her Lore like that, not when Keyes was on the hunt for Raajnavar. They’d practically be gifting her on a silver platter if she went with them.

Hasu had noticed his reaction. “I could use my spatial Lore to-”

“No.” Cyril objected firmly. “Your mother won’t agree to it either. Keyes wants Raajnavar, and he’s already taken Barclay from us. If he got his hands on you-”

“But, I can do it!” Hasu protested. 

Cyril sighed and softened his tone. “You’re bright, Hasu, no one here is doubting that. But, with Raajnavar acting the way she is, there’s no telling how it’ll impact your Lore Surging.” 

“I can make a portal to the Guild House, and we can all-”

“It’s out of the question.” Cyril remained adamant. “It would be too much for you to handle. If you came with us, and Keyes set his sights on you, then you’d become…” 

“A liability?” Hasu sullenly finished. 

Cyril parted his mouth to reply, but nothing came. He looked away. Nobody spoke for a good half minute, and the quiet sounds of the Medical Ward filled the vacant space. 

“I trust her.”

All eyes settled on Tadg. He glanced around in an uncharacteristically sheepish matter, then shrugged. “I think she can do it.” 

“Tadg,” Cyril started. “It’s not about what Hasu can and can’t do, it’s about how Raajnavar-” 

“And Hasu’s been bonded with her since day one, hasn't she? Raajnavar’s wicked powerful, I know that, but I reckon Hasu has just as good of a hold on her.” 

“It’ll just be one portal,” Hasu pleaded, trying to make a case for herself. “When we get Barclay back, I’ll summon one so we can immediately head back to the Guild House.” 

Cyril looked around at his apprentices in frustration, before staring at the ground. He groaned, and slumped against Root’s back. He slowly lifted his hand to his temple and rubbed it, thinking on what they had said.

“One portal?” He wanted to make sure he understood Hasu’s proposition correctly. 

Hasu long braid swayed as she nodded. “We’ll have to time it just right, though. You have to make absolutely sure that you have Barclay by the time I’m ready to summon the portal.” 

“Not a bad idea,” Shazi confidently placed her hands on her hips, but her smile faded. “You’re sure you can handle it?”

“I’m sure of it.” 

“Okay,” Shazi patted the shorter girl on the shoulder. “Guess we’ve got our escape plan sorted out.

“We should rest up,” Cyril hadn’t exactly agreed to Hasu’s plan, but they must have interpreted his lack of a negative response as one. “I know you’re all worried, but if we’re tired, then we’ll be in no condition to defend ourselves from Keyes.”

“What about the temple?”

“I’ll handle it.” It was for the better that his apprentices were more well rested than him. Cyril was advanced in his Lore, he didn’t earn the title Horn of Dawn for nothing, after all. Even if he was just a little sluggish, it wouldn’t put that big of a dent on his abilities. “And I’ll have someone monitor Root.” 

Content with the plan, the bundle of Lore Keepers dispersed from the Medical Ward, and walked down the empty hallway. They all intended on retiring to their living quarters per Cyril’s suggestion. They doubted they’d get a good night’s sleep though, since Barclay’s life still hung in the balance. 

Tadg slowed when he caught up to Hasu, walking alongside her.

“That was pretty smart back there, with the stone. How’d you know that?”

“Oh, yeah?” Hasu beamed. “It wasn’t anything special, really. I mean, when your mom’s the High Keeper, you learn a lot about the Jungle’s culture, even down to its architectural history.” 

“Yeah,” Tadg smiled, an elusive feature from someone like him. He fidgeted with his hands, practicing his Lore by shooting tiny sparks of electricity between his fingertips. “Hey, Hasu?” 

“Hm?”

The pair locked eyes, and Tadg turned away from her for a split second. The tension left his shoulders, and his eyes softened. 

“Just be careful, please. Don’t push yourself.” 

“I won’t,” Hasu comforted. Tadg’s smile returned for just a flash. “Not unless everyone is in trouble.”

“You know you don’t have to have everyone rely on you.” Tadg admired her selflessness, but he didn’t like how it would be at her own expense. Hasu would forget about taking care of herself in trying to keep everybody else safe. 

“I know,” Hasu continued to smile, but started to nervously wring her hands. “It’s just… It’s the right thing to do.”

“But, who’s looking out for you , then?”

She shrugged. “I could always look out for myself.” She offered optimistically, though it didn’t make Tadg feel any more relieved. 

“Suppose you could, but it’s- You- Nevermind.” Tadg awkwardly scratched at the back of his neck. “I’ll see you in the morning?” 

“Definitely.” Hasu watched him saunter ahead of her after that. She paused, and waved him over. “Wait, Tadg!”

Tadg stopped and turned back to face her. 

“I just wanted to thank you,” She hummed. “For sticking up for me.” 

“Yeah, well,” Tadg bashfully listed his head to the side, trying his best to play it off as being “cool”. “Everyone here believes in you, just had to remind ‘em.” 

Hasu bid him goodnight once again, and Tadg reciprocated, making their way back to his living quarters. He had really hoped his face didn’t turn red when he said goodnight to her. 

When Tadg opened the door to his room, he frowned. The bed across from him sat empty, Barclay’s belongings messily strewn about from where they had been left. If things went well tomorrow, then this room wouldn’t be lonesome for much longer. He’d finally get his friend back. 

Chapter Text

Yasha had woken up to the most unusual sound.

It was nearby, but also muffled. He stirred from the temple floor, warm morning light shining down into the structure. Dark rings cast under his eyes, and he rubbed the tiredness from them. He hadn’t gotten a wink of sleep, not since Audrian revealed the horrifying truth about his intentions. 

Yasha’s slumber had been traded for an avalanche of straying thoughts. What should he do? Should he confront Keyes, would he change his mind if Yasha convinced him well enough? Or should he just take off with Motya and a few supplies, but to where? The Jungle was dangerous even to a powerful apprentice like him, and Barclay’s friends definitely wouldn’t tolerate his presence. 

Keyes was not the man Yasha had idolized in his head, and it took him all too late to finally realize it.

Yasha stiffened as he felt his Tattoo Mark itch. Motya was alerting him to something, but he didn’t know what. He glanced over to where Keyes had been sleeping, but found the spot vacant besides a few bunched up blankets. His eyes drifted upward, and heard grunting. 

Keyes had gotten out of bed early, and had made his way to the upper floor. It partially concerned Yasha that his mentor hadn’t informed him of that. The only thing worthwhile up there was Barclay, and it’s not like he was going anywhere. That being said, Yasha should really remind Keyes to deploy the antivenom, maybe that was why he had left. 

Yasha clung to one last desperate hope that Keyes might be doing the right thing, that one decent deed would be the start of turning their lives around. He felt a little silly for thinking so unrealistically, because while any world changing goal wasn’t without its conflict, Keyes actions had just been plain cruel. 

Yasha tiredly clambered up the stairs, and squinted when he was fully exposed to the dawn’s natural light. He blinked a few times, and when his eyes had fully adjusted, what he saw unnerved him to his very core. 

Keyes was a powerful Lore Keeper indeed, and it was apparent to anyone that he favored his stone Lore. It was heavy, destructive, and easy to find. Audrian’s expertise proved him a menacing adversary, and every day he learned new tricks that would give him the advantage in battle. Yasha never expected him to be using his stone Lore like this , however.

Keyes stood several feet away from Yasha, back turned to him and arms extended forward. He grinned as he furled and unfurled his hands, waving them around in disorganized, yet purposeful motions. His fingers twitched and curved with every movement, and that sound Yasha had been hearing- which he’d come to learn was stone grinding against stone- grew all the louder. 

Audrian had managed to use his stone Lore to manipulate Barclay’s body, animating it like a stiff puppet. When Keyes pulled his arm back, a solid gray arm would mirror it in response. If Keyes tilted his hand, then Barclay would lean to the side. It was a miracle the young apprentice was still in one piece, because it was uncanny with how fluidly he was able to move despite being cast in stone. 

“What are you doing?!” Yasha exclaimed, staggering up to Keyes.

Keyes didn’t so much as glance at Yasha, his concentration fixed solely on Barclay, a bead of sweat breaking on his forehead. Yasha lamented that even with Barclay suddenly allowed to move, or in this case, be controlled, that same, anguished face was still carved into the stone. 

“It bends so easily to my will!” Keyes marveled at his power. He didn’t know he could manipulate carved statues and shapes with such accuracy. He’s moved them as a singular piece before, but never had he fully articulated something this complex. 

“There’s a Stoneweaver nest not far from here. Imagine all I could do if I gathered more of their victims… I’d have an army -”

Disturbed, Yasha tried not to look at Barclay. He swallowed hard, and stepped between them to get Audrian’s attention. 

“What are you going to do?” 

Audrian’s flailing hands finally eased, and he lowered them. Barclay stopped in place at the same time, temporarily released from the magical grasp. 

“The rest of them must be on their way by now,” Keyes said it like he was anticipating their company. He was hoping they’d be stupid enough to get themselves lost or killed, but he knew he had another confrontation ahead of him. He was more than ready for it, though.

“They’ll be in for quite the surprise, won’t they?” He chuckled. 

Yasha frowned. “How is this going to help?” 

“We’re going to use precious Barclay against them,” The older Lore Keeper flicked his wrist, and the statue came to life again. Barclay’s head turned towards Yasha with a grating sound, and raised his fists. “They won’t fight their friend, not unless they want to risk breaking him. Since they’re on a time crunch, they’ll be more than inclined to consider an exchange.” 

“For Mayani?” Audrian’s big plan was to hold Barclay for ransom? Surely this didn’t need to be so convoluted if that’s all he’d thought of. Yasha looked at Barclay again, then back to Keyes. 

“I thought you wanted him on our side.” 

Audrian’s smile vanished, and he commanded the stone body to lower its head and remain still like it was powering down. “This is more important than one lousy, insubordinate apprentice.” He gritted his teeth at Barclay.

“What a massive waste of wild Lore, though. Believe me Yasha, if I could transfer that power to you instead, I would.”

Yasha wasn’t so sure if he wanted that. 

“Did you know, Yasha,” Audrian stalked up to Barclay and put his hands on his shoulders. For once, Barclay didn’t protest. “That once they’re permanently stone, the Stoneweavers will burrow inside the hollower sections of the body, squeezing into any crack or crevice they can find.” 

“Audrian, we need to start crafting the antivenom.” The blond urged. “There’s only a few hours left before Barclay will be lost. Do you really want that?” 

He thought about it, and glared at the statue in annoyance before answering. 

“I don’t want it, Yasha.” He explained with false sincerity in his tone. “But, Barclay did this to himself. He refused to listen to either of us, and paid the price for it.” 

“What good is holding him for ransom if you’ll let him die anyway?” Yasha fumed. 

Keyes laughed again. “No, no.” He strutted past Barclay and up to Yasha. “Once they have Barclay, they’ll have to find the ingredients for the antivenom. If they don’t make it in time, then his blood will be on their hands.”

“That is a near impossible feat.” Yasha huffed, visibly upset. 

“If they’re smart, they’ll hand over the girl without hesitation.” Keyes started, unamused with his apprentice’s flaring temper. “Then they still might have time to save Barclay.”

“Why don’t we-”

“Because we don’t want anything to go wrong, do we?” Keyes narrowed his eyes. “If Barclay wasn’t like this, he’d be trying to escape right now. His friends are expecting him to be flesh and blood, we’re catching them off guard.” 

Yasha didn’t know what to do. He couldn’t leave Barclay behind, but if he followed along with Keyes’ plan, that technically meant they would be delivering him back to his friends. But, what would be the point if they couldn’t save him in time? The clock was ticking, and Yasha was out of good options. 

“Fine.” Yasha looked off to the side, away from Audrian and Barclay. “But, we leave now.”

“Eager, are we?”

Yasha nodded. He didn’t feel like giving Keyes an actual response. “Just be careful when you move Barclay.”

“Oh, I will,” Audrian beckoned his stone marionette, and both he and it walked towards the temple’s steps, a dog obediently following its owner on an invisible leash. 

“I’ll be very careful.” 

Chapter Text

The five apprentices and the Horn of Dawn tried their hardest not to step on any twigs or crunch any fallen leaves. Aggravating as it was, they had to take things slow, lest they risk an encounter from a vicious Lore Beast. They moved aside giant greenery blocking their path with painful precision, and only spoke to each other in hushed whispers. 

Facing Keyes head on posed more danger than they initially thought. If they started a commotion, then all sorts of Beasts would come bounding their way. They would be attracted to the sound of their shouting, and the smell of blood. If this could be resolved without a fight, and they’d retrieve Barclay before Keyes got wise, the plan would be an overall success. 

But, Keyes was clever, and they anticipated him sneaking out from a dark corner the second they let their guard down. He’d issue a battle before they’d even have a chance to use their Lore, but with everyone so on edge, it wouldn’t be easy for Keyes to play his usual tricks. 

It was a shame they couldn’t bring Root along because of his leg. He was a mighty Lore Beast, and admittedly would’ve provided much needed protection while they crept through the Jungle. Then again, a giant Lufthund padding around may bring unwanted attention. If he was there though, then he’d be leaping through the forest to try and reunite with his lost Keeper. 

“You think we’ll find Barclay just like that?” Tadg whispered to Cyril as they stalked the Jungle grounds. “No way Keyes just has him out in the open, even if it’s inside some middle of nowhere temple.”

“Even if we find Barclay out in the open, then Keyes’ definitely set something in place.” Cyril explained. “He very well could have put something on Barclay, or near him, so that he couldn’t escape without alerting him.”

“You think that’s why Root had that patch of stone on his fur?”

“It’s a possibility.” Cyril marched forward, studying the path ahead. 

“Whatever it is, Root had been howling like he was ready to cause a storm.” Tadg looked down and avoided stepping over a large branch. “It might be hurting Barclay, too.” 

“The sooner we find him, the better.” 

The six of them walked further into the Jungle, the light of the sun starting to fade the deeper they got. They eventually had to use the bioluminescent flora surrounding them to light their way once the canopies fully consumed the sunlight. Viola wasn’t able to use her light Lore, useful as it would have been. Something that bright would definitely draw a Beast towards them, and that was the last thing they needed. 

“Please tell me we’re getting close,” Shazi bemoaned as she shooed away a swarm of gnats. 

“We’re almost there.” Cyril quietly walked over to his apprentice to help get rid of the small insects. “It should be just up ahead.”

“Good,” Tadg pressed his hands to his lower back and arched in a stretch. “Walking around like this is getting old.” 

Cecily emerged from her shadow beside Tadg. She had the bright idea to travel through it since it would render her silent. “You’d rather have Keyes come out and cause a ruckus?”

Tadg scoffed in disgust at Keyes’ name. “I swear, I’m gonna have Mar-Mar rip him a new one.”

“Tadg-” Cyril scolded. “Remember the plan.”

The boy rolled his eyes before nodding. Cyril understood where Tadg was coming from, Barclay was like a brother to the apprentice, but he himself had learned all too late that letting a grudge get the better of oneself wouldn’t yield any positive results. 

Before the group could go over the plan one more time, a new voice shifted through the canopies above.

“I’ll take you up on that challenge.” 

Their eyes scoured the dark trees for any trace of where the foreboding voice had come from, but they saw nothing. In front of them, a large shape bounded down the nearest tree, long claws digging into the bark as it descended. The light dragon trodded in front of them, and stopped. Atop the Beast’s back was the man they’d been dreading all day.

Keyes swiftly descended from his saddled perch and acknowledged the group with a smile, hands in his pockets. 

“Keyes,” Cyril glared at him, and settled into a readied stance in case his former friend decided to strike. “Where’s Barclay?”

“Oh, he’s…around.” It technically wasn’t a lie. Barclay wasn’t very far.

“You’re going to give him back-”

“Ah ah ah,” Keyes shook his head slowly at the other man. “May I remind you who has the upper hand here?”

“May I remind you that my wood Lore almost took you out last time?” Cyril didn’t want to actually use his Lore again because of the aforementioned Lore Beasts prowling around, but if Keyes gave him no other choice, then he would.

“Took me out?” Keyes snickered. “Was that sad display you not pulling any punches? You’ve gotten sloppier since we were apprentices.”

Flashes of old memories washed back up to the surface. Still, the Horn of Dawn’s hardened expression did not falter, and he kept his eyes set on Audrian. 

“We’re not here to play games.” The rest of the apprentices began to assemble behind Cyril. “Surrender, and give Barclay back.”

“Are those your terms?”

“What?”

“Your terms of negotiation,” Keyes said condescendingly as he took a step forward. “You’re pretty bad at that too, so how about I take things from here?”

Cyril scowled. They didn’t have time for this. “I said, we’re not playing any-”

“How about…an apprentice for an apprentice?” The older Lore Keeper’s stare lingered over to Hasu. Cyril and the others noticed, and they all exchanged surprised glances.

“What for?” Cyril swallowed. Keyes couldn’t know, could he?

“I think you already know.”

Cyril tightened his grip on his wooden lance. “You’ll have to remind me.”

“That girl has quite the secret, doesn’t she?” Despite Keyes singling her out, Hasu stood her ground. Her legs quivered just the slightest, but she didn’t back down. “If Barclay’s that important to you, that you’d risk your lives and come all this way for him, then I want something of equal value in exchange.”

“You can’t just trade apprentices!” Shazi finally spoke up. She did not like the way Keyes belittled her friend, referring to her as little more than a vessel for Raajnavar. 

“Let’s make this easy, why don’t we?” Keyes gave a silent warning as the ground rumbled from underneath them. “I know you’re never going to summon Raajnavar from your Mark, because it’s the one thing keeping you alive.”

Tadg clenched his teeth, electricity crackling at his palm. “What did you say?” 

“But, have any of you wondered what’s keeping Barclay alive?” 

Viola’s eyes went wide. She didn’t know if she wanted to be enlightened on that. “What have you done with him?” 

Keyes didn’t respond to Viola, his eyes shifting over to Tadg. “I think I might have something to offer myself, though.”

Tadg watched as another figure walked up to Keyes’ side, it was Yasha. His scowl tightened upon seeing the blond. They hadn’t interacted since their scuffle at Glacier Point. Tadg had been badly burned by him, and he’d been itching to return the favor.

When he saw his father’s journal in Yasha’s grasp, his thirst for settling a score immediately doubled.

“No wonder I couldn’t find that thing!” He growled. He raised his arm, hand pulsing with an electric charge aimed right at Yasha. “You’re in for it now!”

Yasha didn’t seem threatened by Tadg, even though he had a clear, easy shot. Instead, Yasha’s own Lore flared to life, except he didn’t aim at the other boy. With one hand, Conley’s research book dangled over his flaming palm. The heat just barely touched the book’s corner, edging closer.

Tadg’s breath hitched. It was one thing to find out that Keyes and Yasha had used his father’s journal- had disgraced it for their own evil scheme- but now they were willing to destroy it. All of his father’s studies, all the updated notes Tadg had scribbled in alongside it, it would all be gone. 

Keyes made the mistake of reminding Tadg what he was fighting for.

“What’ll it be? A family legacy kept preserved, or shall it be burned to ash?”

Tadg knew exactly what would happen if he accepted the former, and saved the journal. Even if Keyes had asked anyone else besides him, he already knew his answer. The first option was out of the question, regardless if it pained him. But, it would be nothing compared to the pain he’d experience if he even thought about exchanging that old journal for Hasu’s life, he’d never forgive himself. 

Tadg stepped closer to Hasu’s side, glaring Keyes down. He tilted his head up, and stood proudly.

“Burn it.” He kept his arms at his sides, hands balled into fists. “You’re not getting Hasu.”

Hasu looked astonished, and Tadg was surprised by her reaction. Hasu hadn’t actually considered giving herself up for Tadg’s sake, had she? 

Keyes shrugged, disregarding Tadg’s heroic moment as idiocy. “Have it your way. Yasha?”

Yasha nodded, and inched the fire closer to the book. Tadg didn’t move, nor did he give them the emotional display they were yearning for. Right when the flames were about to catch on the book’s edge, something stirred.

The book was snatched from Yasha’s grasp out of seemingly thin air, and he was so shocked that he stumbled back. When he moved, though, his shadow did not follow. A black form held the journal tight within its grasp, and without hesitation it slunk back over to its Keeper. Cecily smirked. She had summoned Oudie while Keyes was talking with Tadg. Little to their knowledge, the Lore Beast had hidden in Yasha’s shadow until the last second.

Thinking quickly, Cecily stored Conley’s Beast journal in one of her shadow spheres, then tucked the marble sized object into her pocket before either one of the villains could stop her.

Tadg’s face lit up, awestruck. 

“Great job, Cecily!” Hasu congratulated.

Cecily crossed her arms boastfully and shrugged. “Eh, it wasn’t that hard to-”

Everyone gasped as Cecily was abruptly pummeled to the ground. Whatever just struck her, had done so with great force. Cecily groaned and tried to sit up, her clothes painted in dirt and a very distinct red mark dappled over her cheek. The group turned their heads to who or what had attacked the girl, half expecting it to be a Lore Beast they had brought upon them. 

“I suppose this is what I get for being civil.” Keyes muttered to himself, his own fist raised. However, he had not been the one to strike Cecily, he was too far away to reach her. The others thought he may have used his stone Lore to summon a slab of rock up from the ground, but there wasn’t any disturbed dirt. 

Cecily rubbed her injured cheek as she stood back up, her shadow growing in size as she faced down her mystery assailant. In the dark of the Jungle, she hadn’t fully picked out the features of the figure before her, just that it was a grayish humanoid shape. But, she didn’t care who this individual was, they were going to pay! 

“Who do you think you…are…?” Cecily trailed off when she rushed towards the figure, ready to envelop them in shadows and show them true darkness. She paused when her rattled mind had cleared enough to actually get a better look at what had hit her. 

Cecily just stared, her confusion and fear growing by the second. She backed away, and Oudie didn’t understand why she was frightened. 

“What?” It was impossible. There was no way she was looking at what she thought she was. “I don’t…understand…”

“Cecily?” Shazi approached her side, blades drawn. Cecily had been ready to fight just seconds ago, but now she was quite literally shrinking into her own shadow. “Cecily, what’s…” 

Shazi’s eyes went wide and she stumbled back, nearly losing her balance on her prosthetic leg.

The rest had seen it by now, their faces contorting in disbelief as they tried to figure out what it was that had left the two girls so pale in the face. When it at last dawned on them, they copied the apprentices’ reactions.

Hasu cupped a hand over her mouth, Viola trembled in place, and Tadg still hadn’t fully grasped what he was looking at. Out of all of them, Cyril was the only one who remained rational. He snapped his head towards Keyes, the bark from the surrounding trees beginning to peel and lean inward from his wood Lore.

“What is this?” He demanded. Audrian didn’t so much as move, not even with Cyril just a hair away from grazing him with splinters. “Where’s Barclay?”

Keyes and Yasha glanced at each other, before the former burst out laughing. Yasha didn’t find it all that funny. The graying man cocked his head to the side, and grinned.

Cyril felt his heart drop. That laugh gave him his answer.

“He’s right there,” Keyes pointed at the stone statue that had hit Cecily moments ago. He lowered his arm, and the statue mimicked him. “I told you he wasn’t far from here.” 

“Stop lying!“ Cyril finally decided enough was enough. The tree bark launched itself at Keyes, intending on forming a makeshift cage around him. Keyes unearthed a wall of stone to block the attack, and Yasha incinerated the rest of it with a slash of his flaming hand. 

“Do you- Do you think using your Lore like this is a joke?” Cyril drew his wood Lore back, contemplating his next move. “You’ll tell us where Barclay really is, and get rid of that mockery you made!” 

“It’s not an imitation. That really is Barclay.” 

Keyes demonstrated by waving his arms in a specific pattern, and the stone figure began to hobble towards Cecily and Shazi. Its “body” jerked in an inhuman fashion, and there was an eerie grating sound coming from it each time it moved, its limbs clearly not meant to be motioned around. 

Cyril shook his head in denial. “No. No, you wouldn’t do that- Demented as you are, you don't want kill Barclay-”

“Who said anything about him being dead?” Keyes mused. Cecily and Shazi were frozen in horror as the thing that wore their friend’s face closed in on them. “And, what makes you so sure this was my work? You think I’d use cheap stone Lore like that?” 

“Then what did you-”

“Conley’s book provided excellent documentation,” Keyes started. He glanced over at Shazi and Cecily, then sliced at the air. The stone figure did the same, nearly landing another hit on the pair of apprentices. 

“With it, we were able to learn so much about the Jungle’s deadly beauty. Barclay had a more…unfortunate encounter, one that spurred the wrath of a Stoneweaver.”

“Stoneweav…” Cyril went quiet. He’s heard about them before in passing mention, but never really bothered to study them because they were so rare. Keyes had managed to collect one, and find out why nobody ever lived to tell the tale of the venom’s true effects. 

Tadg, who had been gaping blankly at Keyes, heaved. He forced back a sputter, and Hasu grasped his arm to ask if he was alright. He didn’t answer, brushing her arm away. Then, he gagged, and before he could stop himself he turned his head to the side and spewed up bile. Tadg immediately cupped a hand over his mouth and breathed heavily through his nose, before forcibly swallowing. 

“By the Wilderlands-” Cyril shuddered. He snapped out of his daze when he heard Hasu shriek after Tadg got sick, and made his way over to their side. He didn’t take his eyes off of Keyes. “Why would you…?” 

“He wouldn’t cooperate, so I improvised.” Keyes sounded both smug and proud of what he’d done. 

“So you petrified him?!”

“You have less than an hour to create an antivenom,” Audrian warned him. “Hand over the girl, and I’ll give you Barclay.”

“Cyril-” Tadg wheezed. A bitter taste clung to the back of his throat, but he pulled himself together. “Cyril, the ingredients are in Dad’s book.”

“Do you remember them?”

Tadg shakily nodded. “Yeah, but they’re extremely hard to find. We’ll never make it in time.” 

Cyril set his sights back to Audrian. “You’re going to give us Barclay and the antivenom.”

“You think I have it?” Keyes smirked. “Like the boy said, the ingredients are hard to find.” 

“You'll just let Barclay die, then?” The ground stirred, and several tree roots jutted up in a jagged point towards Keyes. Keyes ducked out of the way just before one of the roots could graze his cheek.

“You tell me. Barclay was under your care.”

Cyril fumed, and prepared to attack again. 

“ Audrian !” 

Audrian looked downright delighted that Cyril was finally charging. He extended his hand and twisted it, and the stone apprentice staggered in front of him.

“Go ahead and fight me! Fight us ! Let’s see how much harder you’ll strike with Barclay as my shield!”

Cyril grimaced, and reflexively slowed his wood Lore before it could pierce both Keyes and Barclay. 

“You’re vile!”

“Careful, wouldn’t want your temper to get the better of you. Your Lore might react on its own, and hit poor Barclay. If he shatters, no antivenom in all the Wilderlands will bring him back.”

Cyril planted himself firmly in the ground and curled his fingers, glowering at Keyes. The canopy branches began to bend and curve, snaking towards Audrian and trying to entangle themselves around him. Keyes grunted, and stomped, making the ground quake from underneath him. Cyril’s staggered back, losing his control over the branches. 

Yasha watched on as the two old friends fought, seconds away from stepping in and protecting Audrian- and to an extent, Barclay. Before he could, a figure appeared at his side in a flash, and it was too late to defend himself. He was knocked to the ground, and an enraged brunette was standing over him. 

“ You !” 

Yasha scrambled back to his feet and ran, Tadg immediately giving chase. It didn’t take long for him to narrow in on the blond, and he swung his arm. Yasha just barely managed to duck the blow, a buzzing sound filling his ears. Tadg was so mad that he wasn’t going for long ranged attacks, he was trying to land punches with his electricity charged fists. 

Yasha whirled around so that his back wasn’t to Tadg. He panted. “Do not try-!”

“He was family to me!” Tadg hollered, not giving Yasha the chance to speak. 

“Keyes could turn him back!” Yasha internally struggled to convince himself that Audrian would actually do it.

“You think he cares?” Tadg rounded on Yasha, searching for an open spot to hit. “He’s just trying to make ends meet so he can achieve his goal.” 

“Of restoring the Wilderlands?”

“Of destroying the Elsewheres.”

Yasha paused. “He’s-”

“Barclay doesn’t matter to him, he’s just obsessed with his wild Lore.” Tadg seethed. “He just wants another powerful Lore Keeper around that he can control.” He drew in a quick breath, and added. “Makes me wonder what he thinks about you .” 

Yasha was ready to engage in battle with Tadg when Keyes’ voice rang out from afar.

“ That’s enough !”

The two boys looked over, and saw both their mentors covered in scratches and welts. The ruckus had come to a standstill as Cyril retreated his Lore, and Audrian lowered his stone Lore. They were out of breath, clutching their wounds where blood was the most visible between their shredded clothes. 

“You think-” Keyes stopped mid sentence to spit a mouthful of blood on the ground. “You think that I wouldn’t split the very stone that’s keeping him together?” 

There was a gleam in Keyes’ eye that was almost as disturbed as his red stained grin. Still injured, he stepped forward and shakily extended his arm with his palm stretched open. The dirt below him began to shift, and a stone shape erupted from it. Keyes clung tightly to the handle of his signature weapon, a large stone hammer, before hauling it over his shoulder. 

With erratic breath, he limped in front of Barclay. He used both hands to pull the hammer back, threatening to swing. He stared Cyril dead in the eyes, daring him to make another move. 

“One strike, and he’ll be scattered across the ground! I’ll make sure to use the sharpest pieces as arsenal.” 

Yasha’s heart lurched. Keyes wasn’t serious, was he? He was certainly a liar, but Yasha never imagined he was deranged enough to do something like this.

“You wouldn’t!” Shazi lurched forward, rage overtaking her. Viola grabbed her arm before she could launch herself at Keyes.

“Want to try your luck?” Keyes taunted, raising the hammer higher. 

“Stop, please!” Hasu cried. “Just let him go!”

“Hasu!” Cyril faced his apprentice. “You can’t just give yourself over to him!” 

“She could always summon Raajnavar right now, and I’ll take my leave.”

“Like hell you will!” Cecily yelled. “You'll just kill her so you can break their bond!”

“The only thing that’s about to be broken around here is Barclay if you don’t do as I say!” 

Hasu looked nervously at Shazi, Cecily, and Viola, then back to Barclay’s stone form. What could she do? Barclay was on the precipice of death, but there’s also the high risk that she’d lose her life if she surrendered. 

Cyril saw her contemplation, and tried reasoning with her. “If we accept Keyes’ demands, then the Jungle will end up just like the Tundra. Your home will be destroyed.”

“What about Barclay?” She whimpered. 

“Just give me time to-”

“Time?” Audrian cackled. “You think you have any time left? There’s no way you’ll be able to retrieve the ingredients for the antivenom now! So, how about I just do you all a favor-”

“Audrian, don’t!” Cyril readied his wood Lore again, hoping he’d be fast enough. 

Keyes gripped his hammer so tightly that cracks began to form on the handle. Charging all of his might into his weapon, he thrusted it forward.

“Audrian wait-!”

The hammer never made contact with the stone. It would’ve been so satisfying too, Keyes thought as soon as he felt his hammer collide with something much softer. He’d been envisioning that moment, of the hammer striking against the statue, then crumbling into a useless pile of rubble. But, he was robbed of that victory, of leaving behind another trail of destruction and grief. 

Angered, he faced towards whatever had actually been struck and stole this glorious opportunity from him. He hadn’t noticed the shape that had moved in front of him when he swung, he was so ready to end Barclay that he hadn’t expected anything to get in his way. 

Just meters away from the villainous Lore Keeper, lay a boy curled up on the ground. There was an impression in the dirt, like he had been thrown so hard that his body was dragged through it. Keyes recognized the wispy blond hair and attire. 

“Yasha!” 

Keyes stumbled over to his apprentice, completely taken aback. He kept his hammer in his grip, dragging it through the soil.

Yasha, thankfully, was still breathing, albeit with a rattle. He let out a muffled groan of pain, and pushed himself to his knees. He gripped his side tightly, a sharp sensation digging into him every time he inhaled. He’d definitely cracked a rib or two from where he’d taken the hit. He dizzily looked up at Audrian with one wide eye, the other closed shut from getting dirt in it.  

“You…” He said weakly. By the Wilderlands, his body ached. It hadn’t when he was first struck, but the aftershock was something else entirely. Yasha had literally set parts of himself on fire before, but this was somehow more excruciating. 

“You didn’t slow your strike. You weren’t bluffing.”

“What have you done…?” Keyes stared at the boy in shock. Yasha couldn’t tell if he’d asked it out of concern for his apprentice’s wellbeing, or if he wanted to know why he’d gotten in the way. 

“Audrian, why are we doing this?” Yasha started, genuine sorrow welling up in his voice. “Why are you doing this? You promised you’d restore the Wilderlands. How does any of this help in that? How does your vendetta coincide with any of this?”

“They’ve gotten in our way before, Yasha, don’t you understand?” Keyes hardened his tone. He’d yet to check Yasha over for any damage. 

“This is pointless,” Yasha shook his head dismayfully. “Please, we can restore the Wilderlands properly. No one has to suffer again, not even the Elsewheres.”

“Listen to yourself!” Maybe it was his injuries, but Yasha flinched from how loud Keyes sounded. “Think about it, Yasha. How will you ever avenge your village if we don’t let wild Lore envelop the Wilderlands?”

“This is not avenging them!” Yasha snapped. “What good is bringing an end to the blights if it brings more chaos and carnage in its wake?”

“So you don’t want the blights to stop?” Keyes started. Guilt flashed over Yasha. “You want more villages to suffer, all because you’ve bought into your own con? Because you think Barclay is actually your friend?”

“It’s not a con!” Yasha drew in another shaky breath and lowered his head. “It stopped being a con a long time ago, but I didn’t want to admit it. I lost everything , and I believed for a moment that I’d finally gained something back at the Sea. I had friends, I-”

“Friends who betrayed you, Yasha!” Keyes slammed the top of his hammer against the ground. He loomed in closer to Yasha, droplets of blood and sweat trickling into the dirt. “They don’t care about the blights, they don’t care about what happened to you! But I do, don’t tell me I mean nothing to you.”

“Of course not!” Yasha begged. “But, you’ve also lied to me. I want to trust you Audrian, like I’ve always done, but you claim you care about what happened to me while lying to my face about stopping the blights for good. What am I supposed to make of that?”

“You’re supposed to be a faithful apprentice.” He crouched to the ground so that his lightless eyes reached Yasha. “You think getting yourself killed over wanting friends is going to put a stop to the blights? I thought you learned the same lesson as me, that you can never count on anyone who you may call a friend.”

“…That isn’t true.”

“Oh please , Yasha-” Keyes scoffed. He had just about enough of his apprentice being taken astray by his enemies. “You have nothing. We have nothing, except each other. I’ve taken you in, and taught you so much. More than any mentor would do for their apprentice.”

“I-” 

“I saw something great in you, Yasha. But, now I’m starting to think I was mistaken.”

Yasha remained silent for over a minute, with nothing but the pain in his side to keep him thinking. Finally, he gathered the strength to speak again. 

“What’ll you do then?” He glared at Audrian with a twitch in his good eye. “I suppose Barclay doesn’t matter to you, and you’re ready to leave me behind for not complying with your insane plans. You were already vying to replace me with Barclay, weren’t you?” 

“Don’t you ever -”

“I saw firsthand that Barclay being on your side means nothing, or anyone, for that matter. So long as they follow along with your ideas, they’re useful to you.” 

“I would hope to have a teammate that actually admired my skill.” Keyes stepped back from Yasha, contempt. He’d worked so hard to build Yasha up into exactly what he wanted him to be, and all it took was Barclay to undo all of it. 

“Teammate?” Yasha laughed. “No, no. Not a teammate. I was never your teammate, just your…apprentice. Someone to remain loyal and never ask questions.”

“And you don’t consider those the bare basics of being a good apprentice?”

Yasha stiffened. “You’re mad.”

“I’m a realist.” Keyes countered coldly. 

“What’s so realistic about your delusions of power?” Yasha suddenly leapt to his feet, biting back the pain. Adrenaline coursed through his body as his patience had finally worn thin. 

“And what’s so realistic about thinking the blights can actually be stopped?” Keyes loved the way Yasha shut down upon hearing that. “Do you think, that if you left me, you’d get any closer to your goal?”

Without hesitation, Yasha summoned Motya. He ran his fingers through her fluffy white fur, and his arm lit ablaze. Tears stung his good eye as the flames surged against his skin. He didn’t care, he was already hurt, what would be so bad about a few extra burns?

Keyes slowly backed away from Yasha. Cyril had done a number on him, and he spent the rest of his energy into swinging his hammer. He could use his last scraps power to bury Yasha into the ground and rid the Wilderlands of Trysk’s only survivor, but then he wouldn’t be able to use his healing Lore until he regained his strength. He had no idea how long that would take in this rugged state, and assumed he wouldn’t be able to take out Yasha without getting scorched himself. 

Keyes whistled, and in a flash, his light dragon bounded towards him.

“No!” Yasha shouted, his blazing arms reaching out for the man who he’d once trusted, who had manipulated and lied to him for so long. 

Yasha refused to be left humiliated, he wouldn’t become Keyes’ next victim. His fire just barely grazed the light dragon’s tail as Keyes leapt onto the Beast’s back. The blond hurdled a single ball of fire in their direction, leaving behind a smoldering hole in the ground. His injury was too great for him to concentrate, and since Lore Surging drained a large portion of his energy, he was already beginning to feel faint.

Keyes and his dragon vanished into thin air, and the Jungle’s foliage rustled from an invisible force. They had retreated and gotten away, but this time, Yasha had been left behind for good.

“Hasu-” Cyril motioned for her to come over when things at last died down. “Can you use your Lore?”

Cyril had stopped at the statue that was once Barclay, and figured now was the time for them to regroup and enact their plan. 

“What about stopping Audrian?”

“Saving Barclay’s life is more important right now.”

Hasu glanced nervously at the stone boy. “Do you think we can still-”

“Yes,” Cyril replied without thinking about it. He was actually unsure himself, and hated lying to his apprentices. But, it’s better if Hasu could summon a portal with a clear mind. “Bring everyone over.” 

Yasha’s Lore Surging faded, and he struggled to stay awake. Motya braced herself against his legs so he wouldn’t collapse, and he thanked her. Slowly, he began to drag himself back towards the temple. He doubted Keyes would stay after this, so if Yasha could just rest for the night, then maybe he and Motya could figure something out. That is, if he wouldn’t be kept up all night by the idea of Keyes coming back to obliterate the newest traitor on his ever expanding list. 

Yasha had only taken a few steps when Tadg stalked up to him. He glared at the injured blond, and relit his palms with electricity. He wasn’t finished with them yet. 

“Give me one reason why I shouldn’t fry you and your pussycat.” Motya’s fur bristled in distress. 

“There’s-” Yasha coughed. “There’s still time to save him. If we collect all the ingredients for the antivenom, then-”

“We?” Tadg glowered. “Don’t act like you care about Barclay now. Besides, you know those ingredients are too hard to find in one day.” 

Yasha couldn’t deny it. Brash as Tadg was, Yasha remembered how the apprentice already had decent control over his Lore back at the Sea. He even put up a good fight at Glacier Point when sparks of both fire and electricity had flown over their heads. 

A specific memory called back to Yasha, and an idea went off in his head. 

“Wait!” He insisted. Tadg had yet to strike, but Yasha wasn’t going to wait around for him to do it. “Listen, there might be another way-“

“ Tch, right.” Tadg wasn’t falling for it. Yasha was just trying to save his own skin now that he was too frail to fight. 

“You!”

Tadg slowly dimmed his electricity Lore until they were just tiny crackles, looking at Yasha curiously. “What about me?”

“Barclay was bitten by a Stoneweaver,” Yasha elaborated. 

“Don’t tell me what I already know.”

“I said listen!” The blond pointed at Tadg. “Your Stonetoad, it has poison Lore, does it not?”

Tadg jolted. He already had a clue to what Yasha was insinuating. “And?”

“You can use it to extract the venom from Barclay before it fully consumes him.” Yasha hoped the idea would appease Tadg enough so that he’d at least spare him and Motya. 

Tadg didn’t look convinced. “He’s stone, you twat.” 

“Not where the bite mark is,” Yasha explained. “His body may be stone, yes, but the venom isn’t! It hasn’t fully settled inside of him yet. If you can extract the venom before the bite wound seals forever, then you can save him!”

“How do I know this isn’t a trick?” Tadg had no reason to believe anything coming out of Yasha’s mouth right now, but truthfully, he was getting desperate. “How do I know you’re not still loyal to Keyes? Why do you care about Barclay all of a sudden?”

“Did you not just see me block a hit for him?” Yasha argued. “I wanted Barclay on my side, but not at this cost! Audrian, he’s…”

“Insane?” Tadg finished for him. “Took you long enough to realize.”

Yasha glared at him. “If it hadn’t been for the mistakes of your mentors, then he would be-”

“The exact same man he is now. When’re you gonna quit making excuses for him?” 

Yasha said nothing, and Tadg continued to berate him.

“Guess it makes sense why you have fire Lore, huh? Since Audrian was always blowing smoke up your arse.”

Yasha’s face reddened. “Do you want to save your friend or not?”

Tadg went quiet, and thought about his very limited options. What other choice did he have? He didn’t trust Yasha as far as he could throw him, but if he was stupid enough to get struck by Audrian’s hammer to protect Barclay, then maybe there was a kernel of truth about his poison Lore being effective. 

“If you’re lying, I’m feeding you both to Mar-Mar.” Tadg accepted with a huff and turned away from the Lore Keeper. “Don’t move from there, I don’t want you near us.”

“I’m in no condition to try anything.” When Tadg had finally walked away, Yasha carefully sat down, his body still sore. Motya padded up to him and curled at his lap, trying to comfort her Keeper the best she could. 

Hasu was moments away from casting a portal back to the Guild House when Tadg approached her and Cyril. He wore a cross expression, but it wasn’t directed at them. They had overheard what Yasha had said, and Cyril wasn’t so sure if it was a good idea. 

“My poison Lore can save him.” Tadg was quiet, but also firm.

“Tadg, we have to-”

“We’re doing it now .” He insisted, gaze hardening.

Cyril looked at Hasu, the beginnings of her portal starting to fizzle out. If they wanted to save Barclay, they really had no time to sit there and argue about it. 

“We should at least try.” Hasu offered. Tadg had believed in her earlier, now she’d return the favor. She turned to Tadg, and did her best to smile. “You’ve got this.”

The brunette nodded in gratitude and made his way closer to the stone statue. He tried not to look directly into its eyes, the very same eyes of his friend. He crouched low to the ground, right beside Barclay’s leg. Sure enough, if he looked closely at the grainy gray material, he could see two holes sticking inward. Considering their size, Tadg imagined it must have hurt when Barclay was bitten.

He put that thought aside to focus, and settled onto his knees. Tadg hadn’t made good use of his poison Lore ever since he bonded with Toadles, and honestly the Lore Beast was more of a menace with it than Tadg was. But, now was the time to call upon this Lore and use it to the best of his ability. Tadg knew he had no experience with it, but Barclay’s life was at stake, he had no room for error.

Tadg opened his hands, and zeroed in on the bite mark. He shifted them around, feeling for the venom if possible. He figured using poison Lore must be similar to using water Lore. If Tadg concentrated enough, he could locate and extract water from less obvious places, like in the ground or pipes. He liked to pull the waves of the shore towards him, working with the flow. Water was ever changing and malleable, never holding one exact shape. And, technically speaking, poison was also a liquid, so there shouldn’t be that much of a difference.

But, there was. 

Tadg realized as much the instant his Lore had struck the venom vein because he’d felt it. 

Whenever he’d manipulate water, he’d be reminded of home, waves swaying against the docks, gulls cawing in the near distance. He would always taste the misty, seawater scent at the back of his throat, and it always took him back those foggy mornings he’d spent on the beach. The venom he was sensing, however, gave him something more unpleasant.

It started at his fingertips. They tingled, but in a way that was distracting. He pushed it aside the best he could, trying to guide the venom towards the thin, narrow tubes. Then, he swallowed, and it burned . Tadg coughed in discomfort, but pressed on. He blinked away the tears stinging at the corners of his eyes from the persistent itch in his throat, and how his fingertips had gone from tingling, to numb. 

Tadg pulled his hands back, commanding the venom he now had a hold of to move in the right direction. Was this the effect of using his poison Lore? Or was it only when he had to manipulate poison by itself? Whatever the case, Tadg couldn’t feel any trace of water within, despite it moving nearly identical to the liquid. 

“Tadg-” Cyril noticed his apprentice’s pain, and reached out. 

“I’ve got it,” He rasped. With a sniffle, he fought down the irritation spreading along his body, and continued to gesture with his hands. 

At last, right when Tadg thought the pain had grown nigh intolerable, something leaked from one of the bite marks. It started as a slow drip, like tree sap being siphoned out of the tap, before turning into a small trickle from both punctures. It flowed outward, and once it stopped, the contents soaked into the soil.

Tadg had done it, he drained the venom out of Barclay. He looked up and waited, eyes sore and watery. The rest of the group held their breath, hoping for the best. They grew worried after a full minute passed and nothing had yet to change. Tadg frowned, and was about to get up when he saw the stone begin to transform.

It crackled up the statue in patches, and began to flake off like it was a second layer of skin being shed. Tiny pieces scattered to the ground like ash, revealing flesh and clothes underneath, cold but thankfully alive . Tadg backed up, and stood beside everyone else, each of them watching in anticipation as the stone turned paper thin and peeled off.

Barclay’s form did not move until most of the stone had flaked off. When it was removed from his face, it was like his body had been taken out of suspended animation. He gasped, and his eyes, which had been pried open for so long, fluttered. He instantly collapsed into the small pile of stony flakes that had accumulated around him, and Cyril rushed to his aid.

“Barclay!” Cyril flanked one side of him while Tadg tended to the other. 

Barclay coughed, and weakly pulled himself to his hands and knees. He looked around blearily, and as his consciousness came back to him, he made out the faces of his friends. His memories started to come back to him in overwhelming flashes. Waking up, seeing Audrian and Yasha, the Stoneweaver… He would have laid back down if it weren’t for Tadg and Cyril helping him to his feet.

Sighs of relief echoed across the Jungle, all except for Barclay. 

“He knows…” Barclay whispered hoarsely. 

“Barclay,” Cyril started. “Barclay, we’re here, it’s okay. We’re going to take you to the Medical Ward, you might have internal damage.”

Barclay just shook his head, pale and trembling. He couldn’t meet any of their eyes. “He knows about Hasu. He’s going to go after her. I’m so sorry.”

“We already know,” Cyril assured him. He and Tadg tried to help Barclay walk, his legs threatening to give out from under him with each step. “We’ll take care of it.”

“It’s my fault,” He whimpered. “I was given a truth elixir.”

“That doesn’t matter.” Tadg took Barclay’s arm and hauled it over his shoulder so that the boy had some kind of support to lean on. “Let’s head back to the Guild House.” 

“But…” Barclay’s gaze trailed off, and when it landed on a familiar figure, he froze. Yasha caught his eye, and he too tensed up. 

“Barclay-” Yasha stepped forward, but Tadg shot him a warning glare. He paused, and looked sadly at the ground.

“I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, now he is.” Tadg muttered sourly. 

Barclay didn’t say anything that indicated he’d forgiven Yasha. “Where’s Keyes?”

Yasha shrugged. “He took off.”

Barclay blinked. “Without you?”

“Our goals had stopped aligning.”

Barclay bit his tongue. That’s what he’d been trying to tell him this entire time. 

“Hasu, start your portal.” Cyril instructed, still holding onto Barclay’s side. “Make sure Barclay gets medical attention, I’ll talk with your mother about what happened. But first, we need to make sure everyone is safe.”

Hasu did as told, and her Lore flared to life. Golden, glowing honeycomb shapes traced her skin. She concentrated, and with the extra training for her Lore Surging, she had a steady hold over it for the time being. A hexagonal portal appeared, and when Hasu spread her arms out, it expanded. As it grew, the inside of the Guild House became clearer on the other side. 

Barclay pulled his stare away from the glowing portal, and glanced over his shoulder at Yasha. His deep charcoal eyes softened, and he silently pleaded that Yasha would follow. If Yasha had taken the hint, he didn’t express it. 

Yasha looked at Barclay, then to the portal. A new door was literally opening for him, a new opportunity. Maybe, with them, they could put an end to the blights, not to mention Barclay could certainly use the training for his wild Lore. Yasha liked the idea of starting anew and having a better chance of achieving his goal. He’d at last have friends again.

But, that dream faded further and further away. After what he’d done, nobody would forgive him. Now abandoned by Audrian, he was left on his own, save for Motya. There was no way he’d go back and beg Audrian for forgiveness, he was done being his apprentice. He wanted to take that first step so badly, but he couldn't.

“I’m…going to stay here.” Yasha put Motya back in her Tattoo Mark. “There’s a lot I need to think about.”

Barclay’s face fell, disheartened. 

“I can’t hold it open forever!” Hasu warned, her Lore starting to strain. 

Tadg tried moving Barclay closer to the portal. 

“Come on, don’t give him your pity.” 

Barclay finally turned away from Yasha, and didn’t look back as Hasu’s portal closed in on all of them. The portal’s light faded before disappearing altogether, and the normal ambience returned. 

Yasha stood there in the Jungle, alone. 

Chapter Text

Barclay awoke in the Guild House’s Medical Ward. He was confined to a wicker bed decorated with leafy fronds. He squinted, even in the lowlight. The last thing he properly remembered, was being rescued by his friends, and enveloped by Hasu’s portal. He had fainted seconds after everyone had made it back safely to the Guild House, and was subsequently treated. He would have ended up there anyways, since he was already exhausted and injured. 

Slowly, his memories came back to him with painful clarity, specifically his altercation with Keyes and Yasha. He felt bile rise in the back of his throat when he remembered the sensation of being turned to stone, numb yet oh so heavy with not a thing he could do to stop it. He had no idea what had transpired after the Stoneweaver venom completely changed his body, but it disturbed him to know he had been used as a lifeless puppet. 

Audrian had developed complete control over Barclay, in the worst possible sense. 

He glanced to his left, and weakly cusped the glass of water sitting on the nightstand. He sipped, curing the dryness in his throat. At the very least, it had mostly felt like a bad dream, Barclay tried to comfort himself. He technically wasn’t there when Audrian puppeted his stone body, not consciously. Perhaps it was a blessing in disguise that he did not feel his own form be contorted and mastered, because it may have been ten times as agonizing as the initial petrification.

His body had been used unwillingly for the villain’s twisted purposes, a literal human shield. Barclay told himself that he was being a touch overdramatic, but he couldn’t stop thinking about it. He felt violated . 

He couldn’t stand to think about Keyes, not for another second. He didn’t want to imagine that monster getting a kick out of maneuvering his stone body around with no resistance whatsoever. And the fact Audrian had apparently thought of such an idea preemptively unsettled him even more. Why else would he have had a Stoneweaver on hand, he doubted it would be for Raajnavar’s lure. Audrian had planned it in case Barclay became too much trouble for his liking. 

And Yasha, he had apologized, but for which part, exactly? All of it? Spiking his food, standing aside while he was petrified, not believing a word of what he said until the last possible second? Barclay had half a mind to just forget about Yasha again, to finally call it quits in thinking there was anything remotely human about him.

Yet, the more he thought about him alone in the Jungle, and his loyalty towards Audrian now flipped, he felt a pang of sorrow. He detested it, because Yasha had done so much to him, and to his friends. Why did he care, why did he never give up hope on Yasha? Maybe, Yasha could survive out in the Jungle, and wouldn’t be attacked by a Lore Beast-

Barclay sat up in his bed with a gasp as his thoughts drifted to Lore Beasts. During his entire capture, he had been separated from his one and only companion. Where was Root? He had to be okay, he just had to be! The others had already found him, right? They didn’t mention anything about it, and Barclay had passed out before he could know. 

“Root?” The room was empty, but Barclay looked at the closed door regardless, wanting an answer. “Root! Root, are you there?”

There was no response, and Barclay was about to get up from his bed when the door finally opened. In stepped Cyril, greeting the short apprentice with a nod.

“Cyril,” Barclay’s worry did not ebb. “Is Root okay? Did you find him? Has he-”

“We found him before we found you,” Cyril started as he drifted further into the room. “He hurt his leg, but other than a few scrapes, he’s fine.”

“Where is he, then?” Barclay peered past the open door, trying to catch a glimpse of the Medical Ward’s hallway. 

“His leg isn’t healed yet, but you’ll get to visit as soon as you’ve recovered.”

“I-I’m feeling better,” Barclay lied, his face heating up. Anxiety twisted at his gut. He had to see Root, the poor Lufthund must’ve been worried sick about him! “I can go see him now.”

The Horn of Dawn shook his head. “Stay in bed, please.”

Barclay did as told, albeit reluctantly. “But, Root-”

“He’ll still be here,” Cyril stopped at the side of the bed and briefly examined Barclay. There was a small smear of green paste dabbed over the boy’s forehead from when he was struck by the stone. “But for now, you need to rest.”

“Rest?” Barclay’s eyes widened. “With Keyes still out there? Cyril, he’s been sneaking around the Guild House, he might-”

“We know.” Cyril sighed. “We’ve doubled our security measures, and if Keyes is as smart as he claims, he won’t be coming back.”

“But he will ,” Barclay clenched the bedsheets tightly. “He knows about Hasu now, he’s going to hunt her down-”

“Not with me and High Keeper Mayani guarding her, he won’t.”

Barclay thought about that. Would Hasu even be able to leave the Guild House anymore? Or would she need to have somebody accompany her from now on? Even if it was for her own safety, that kind of life sounded miserable. 

Cyril shifted the subject so Barclay wouldn’t be so tense. “Root will be glad to see you, I’m sure of it.”

The young Lore Keeper shrugged and tried to smile. “Yeah. I’ll be pretty happy to see him too.”

“I think he’d be happiest if he knew you were completely healthy, which is why you should keep up your bedrest.” Cyril suggested.

“But, I don’t feel that bad. Really, I don’t.”

“Even so, it’s rare that a victim of a Stoneweaver bite is saved. Their fatality rates are extremely high, if it wasn’t for Tadg’s poison Lore…” Cyril trailed off and looked away. He didn’t want to think about what would have happened had they not saved him in time.

“Tadg got the venom out of me?” Barclay was astounded. That’s the first time he’d heard of Tadg using his poison Lore, and it seemed to work out pretty well for him in this instance.

Cyril nodded. “Yes. And he- Nevermind.”

“What is it?” Barclay pried. “Is Tadg alright?”

“He’s fine,” Cyril averted Barclay’s eyes. “He was a little overwhelmed from using his Lore, but he was treated fairly quickly. He wouldn’t have thought to use it on you if Yasha hadn’t suggested it, though.”

“Yasha…” Barclay murmured. He looked down, staring at the bed while lost in thought. If Yasha had told Tadg to use his poison Lore, that means he’d wanted Barclay to survive. “He… He let me turn to stone.”

“I know, but…” Cyril crossed his arms. “I suppose he might have regretted his actions after he saw the consequences.” He knew exactly what it was like to regret almost killing a once beloved friend. 

“Took him long enough…”

“Barclay, do you…” Cyril chose his next words carefully. “ Care about Yasha?”

Barclay stiffened. Was this some kind of test? What was he supposed to say? Would he be scolded if he spoke the truth? He swallowed, and answered.

“Yes, I-I do. I don’t even know why anymore, but I do.”

“I see.” Cyril went quiet for a moment, and Barclay thought he was going to get in trouble. He remembered how his friends had thought him crazy for even sparing sympathy towards Yasha.

“If he’s still in the Jungle,” Cyril awkwardly cleared his throat. “And we find him, you understand that he’ll be arrested, right?” 

Barclay’s heart sank. He hadn’t really considered that. But, Yasha was a traitor to the Wilderlands just like Keyes, whether he was manipulated into it or not.

“Oh.”

“I know you want to see the good in him, I’m not saying there isn’t,” The fact Yasha had shown remorse and called out Keyes was a huge step in the right direction. “But, he still needs to be prosecuted for his crimes.”

Barclay winced. “Could you- Could you do me a favor, then?”

“Of course, Barclay.”

“In my room, I have Yasha’s old coat.” He wrung his hands nervously. “He gave it to me back in the Tundra, when we had worked together and found Navrashtya. I kept it, and it means a lot to him, so…”

“You want us to return Yasha’s coat once we apprehend him?”

Barclay nodded shyly. “If you could.”

“You could return it to him yourself, if you want.”

“I doubt he’d want to see me.” Barclay pouted and slumped further in his bed. 

Cyril saw the worry in his apprentice, and couldn’t help but empathize. He once saw Audrian as a victim too, before he found out he was still alive. And as much as he wanted to give Barclay a reality check, that Yasha might end up similar to Audrian, Yasha actually making progress was a sign that maybe, Keyes’ influence hadn’t totally corrupted him. Maybe it was better to let Barclay hope, because for all any of them know it might still be there. 

“Leopold and High Keeper Mayani have jurisdiction over his sentencing if he’s captured here,” Cyril informed him. “I’ll try and talk to both of them, and see if they can be lenient towards Yasha.” Wanted or not, Yasha was still just a boy. 

“You’d do that?” Barclay’s eyes brightened, even if he didn’t realize. He half considered acting spiteful and uncaring, but he was too tired to pretend like he’d stopped caring about Yasha. He was so sick of pretending like he ever stopped caring. 

“That doesn’t mean it’ll change anything.” Cyril gently patted him on the shoulder. “But, at the very least I’ll make sure Yasha gets his coat back.”

“Thanks…”

“You should sleep,” Cyril stepped back from the bed. He smiled. “You’ll have plenty of worried visitors coming in tomorrow.” 

Barclay didn’t smile back like Cyril had wanted. “I didn’t mean to stress anybody.”

“It’s not your fault, Barclay. Keyes took you away.” His voice went soft. “I’m just sorry we couldn’t get to you sooner.”

“It’s fine,” Barclay shifted in place. “There was a lot going on. Everyone’s already worried about Hasu, I shouldn’t have let myself become a concern too.”

“Don’t think like that,” Cyril frowned, not out of anger, but concern for his apprentice. “It’s-”

“Because of me, Keyes knows that she’s bonded to Raajnavar!” The ravenette snapped, his voice cracking. “I put my friend in danger!”

“You said you were drugged with a truth elixir,” Cyril stammered. “That wasn’t in your control- Everything Keyes did to you, wasn’t in your control.” 

“I’m the entire reason he did any of it to begin with…” 

“Barclay, you-” Cyril fought back from fidgeting in discomfort. “You shouldn’t let Keyes get to you like that.”

“He already got to me, and I doubt it’s the last time he’ll do it.” Barclay mumbled. 

“You’re afraid, I understand that.” The Horn of Dawn eased up. “You have every right to be. But, you shouldn’t let Keyes have control over you even when he’s not here. That’s what he wants, it’s what he does. He wants you to keep thinking about him, to obsess over him the same way he does with you.”

Barclay remained quiet. 

“Keyes isn’t worth your time, and he’s not worth a second thought. I think we both know that.”

Barclay nodded slowly. “You’re right.” He whispered. “It just seems like all we ever talk about is Keyes.”

“I know, we all want a break from him, and I don’t like his…attachment to you.” Audrian seemed more concerned with Barclay than he did with his two old friends. “If he tries anything with you next time, anything at all, you tell me, alright?”

Barclay swallowed. “Would you believe me?”

Cyril tensed, then nodded. “Me and Runa shouldn’t have brushed off your concerns as paranoia,” He admitted. “At this point, we don’t know what tricks Keyes could have up his sleeve, so I doubt anything would surprise me anymore.”

“If…” Barclay pulled the covers over his knees. “If you interrogate Yasha, and he gives you important information regarding Keyes, would that lighten his sentence?”

Cyril pondered for a moment. “If he’s compliant, then I suppose so. But, we’d have to use a truth elixir on him either way, just so we know he isn’t lying.”

“Right…”

“You’ve had a long day-”

“I couldn’t even feel the time pass.” Barclay interjected quietly. 

Cyril continued. “So, I think it’s best you stay in bed until you feel good enough to get back on your feet.”

“I don’t want to sit here and do nothing.” That’s all he’d done. He’s been forced to do nothing since his capture. 

“Then rest, Barclay.” Cyril insisted. “Try and sleep. I know it probably felt like you’d just woken up after drifting off, but your body and mind are still tired.”

Cyril was right. Even if Barclay wasn’t conscious while he was petrified, and it felt like waking up from a terrible nap, it hadn’t meant his body was restored. In fact, parts of him still felt sore, perhaps from being stiff for so long. 

“Bring Root to my room once he’s fully healed, would you?”

Satisfied, Cyril nodded again and headed for the door. “I will, Barclay. We’ll have an attendant check on you every hour to see how you’re doing.”

Barclay thanked him, and heard the door close. He was alone again, with nothing but his thoughts. It didn’t take him long to realize he wasn’t in much of a mood to think about all he’d endured, so he did as Cyril suggested.

Barclay laid down, closed his eyes, and tried to think for the better as he drifted off. 

As he succumbed to a well needed slumber, he felt limp and loose, the opposite of cold, hard stone.