CHAPTER 23: REVERENT SILENCE
You weren't sure whether it was his precipitous appearance, or the taunting timbre of his voice, but the second you heard his first few words, your eyes snapped wide open. Flabbergasted, your face fell blank and ashen. Yet - when you levelled the mirror with your gaze, you realized your reflection failed to mimic your expression.
The figure in the mirror, instead, sported a silver, lofty grin - amused and delighted by your beckoning. The image would have fooled you as your own reflection had the eyes resembled yours. But by contrast, the almond shaped features were a murky abyss with wads of gold in the place of irises. The disparity between its inky orbs and porcelain skin seemed anarchic. It did not take you long to piece things together - especially not when Harrow and Uzner's recounts of Sal Dorei played infinitely in your mind. Learning the entity's identity did not make the circumstance any less unsettling, however.
"How are you-" You stopped mid-sentence, flustered by the fact that the reflection did not move its lips when you spoke. "Forget that. How did I know you'd be in the mirror?"
Mirror-you chuckled in Aaravos's voice. The bass reverberated through the room. The corner of the reflection's lips stretched higher as she lowered her chin.
"Intuition, I suppose. Now . . . how may I serve you?"
The light-heartedness of the image's tone was heartening, but you couldn't quite enjoy the show. Wetting the seam of your lips, you lowered your gaze. "How much did you hear of what I said before?"
Mirror-you quirked a brow, diluting her smugness.
"My answer depends on what you'd like to hear."
" . . . We haven't spoken since Sal Dorei. As much as I despised what you did back there - I do want to thank you for saving our lives." The entity's spirit was restored, only for a wink, before your following comment wiped it off entirely. "What Enox said about me . . . about the Ivory Paladin and all that stuff - did you know about it?"
The figure was still for a beat, but then nodded glumly.
"How long?"
"Longer than a lifetime."
Locking your eyes with the being, you scowled. "Why must you be so cryptic?! Why can't you just tell me what I need to know?"
"Because patience is a virtue. And I am a spectator - a guide - in the larger scheme of things. Tampering with your journey means that I may distort your evolution."
"That makes no sense whatsoever! At this point, I have the feeling you're just making things up."
Mirror-you rolled her eyes, and tilted her head to the side. Her impatience was ill-concealed. The same could be said for yourself.
"What is it that you truly need? Ask me it and grant me leave."
The hostility in his voice was unforeseen, especially after the inane - and rather coy - exchange. But, while biting down on the urge to share some colorful language, you decided to not make a scene. "I want to help Uzner. I know you know about his legs. Just tell me what to do and I'll be on my way."
You hoped Aaravos would suggest something involving the earth arcanum. It was, after all, the primal source known for healing and restoration. Except, you knew there wasn't any magic that could counteract or prevent paralysis. So, going into the conversation, you prepared for the entity to propose dark magic as a solution. But, your stomach turned by his unexpected answer.
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Wayfinding | Aaravos x Reader |
Fanfiction"Forged by the stars, but heir to the night." ____ Black or white. Humans or elves. Good or evil. They see life as if it were something dichotomous. You are expected to live as one thing or the other. Yet, more often than not, you seem to find your...
