[Intro] Still suffering from the backlash of magic that scorched his mind and body in the crash of the Palace, Rayek has finally swallowed his pride and asked Leetah to use her magic to try to heal him. Secluded in Leetah's hut, the two attempt to restore Rayek to himself, but Leetah's power seems to do little besides aggravate the over-sensitive pathways of Rayek's mind. Anguished, Rayek tried to flee, but Leetah coaxed him to remain with her, and the two spend the first night together that they have in over twenty years.... ---------- Rayek, as he sleeps in the pit beside you, slumbers restlessly... and eventually, as the next day dawns, he jerks awake with a startled gasp, fragments of a dream of white light and bone-shattering impact still vivid behind his eyes. In disorientation, he looks around wildly... Leetah stretches lazily, but doesn't wake up. Rayek swallows hard, realizes where he is, and finally, as his pulse returns to a more normal pace, he looks down at your quiet form. Desert Cat slinks in through the open door, and pads across the room. It stops briefly to look at you, yawns, and curls up by Leetah. Rayek stares down at your face, drinking in its detail. He'd feared he'd forgotten what you looked like, but no. Ten years had not erased your features from his mind... Rayek blinks at the cat, then almost smiles. Leetah stretches again, woken up by the cat. It looks smug, and begins to lick a paw. Rayek says tentatively, "It... would not be your hut, without a cat." Leetah blinks hard and sits up, then remembers where she is. She smiles slightly. "I know.." Rayek watches you sit up, wordlessly, gaze reflecting his appreciation. Leetah looks back at you for a moment, then away, franticly searching for something else to watch. Rayek, not missing your hesitance, frowns to himself, thinking he should not be surprised--but still, it makes his gut twist to see it. He begins roughly, "Leetah, I... " Leetah strokes the cat a few times, then looks back at you. You say "You... look well." Rayek scowls. .oO (Curse it! Is his tongue out of his control as well as his magic?) Leetah tries not to look dejected, and bows her head slightly. She glances back at the cat. "I wish I could say the same for you.." Rayek stiffens, frowning down at himself. "I will heal." Leetah strokes the cat again. She is very calm, and cool. "In time." Rayek doesn't quite look at you. "How much time?" Leetah shrugs, glad she isn't facing you as she is very pale. "I don't know." Rayek's amber gaze shifts towards the window, and he says determinedly, "Then... I should use the time as best I can." Leetah looks at you again, then back at the cat. "What will you do?" Rayek curls a fists, uncurls it, and says gruffly, "Work to regain my strength, if not--" He cuts off, unwilling to continue with that thought. Leetah sighs softly, almost wistfully. She looks into middle space, frowning slightly. Rayek starts to rise, muttering something about refusing to look like a tumble-bush. One hand combs restlessly through his hair, through tangles. Leetah turns around some, and watches you. Ekuar locksends ** Brownskin? ** Rayek jerks suddenly, his eyes tightening shut, and raises a hand to his head. You locksend to Ekuar, Rayek is there, though the unexpected sending makes him jerk in pain. He strives to master it, but all he manages to send back is a ragged sense of acknowledgement. Ekuar locksends ** Where are you? ** Leetah frowns at that. She speaks almost to herself. "I should try again.." You locksend ** With... Lee... tah... ** to Ekuar. Rayek half-kneels, half-huddles at the edge of the sleeping pit. There's a faint sense about him as if he's struggling to send. Ekuar locksends ** oh ** Ekuar locksends ** I will leave you alone then ** You locksend ** Tried... to heal. ** to Ekuar. Leetah crawls over to you, and hesitantly raises a hand, placing it lightly on your shoulder. Rayek has tensed, and his shoulders are bunched and drawn together. "Ek... uar," he croaks. Leetah frowns, and nods. You locksend to Ekuar, Rayek's thoughts flare as he sends a hasty wave of it's-alright. Then his touch abruptly vanishes, as if he can stand to send no more. Ekuar arrives from the South Boundary Path. Ekuar has arrived. Ekuar shuffles in quickly. Rayek abruptly slumps, his face beaded in sweat. As Ekuar hastens in, the old rockshaper can see him half-crouched, half-crumpled at the edge of the sleeping pit. Ekuar says "oh dear" Ekuar says "can I help?" Leetah looks up from where she is kneeling by Rayek. "I hope so.." Rayek raises his head with an effort, trying to regain his breath. Ekuar shuffles over and lowers himself a little bit less than gracefully, sitting with a soft >thump< on the edge of the pit Rayek mutters thickly, "My... apologies... " Ekuar sends openly ** hello? ** Leetah looks from Ekuar to Rayek and back again. She sighs softly. Rayek hisses softly at Ekuar's sending, but forces himself to sit up. "I... am sorry, Ekuar," he repeats, embarrassed at his abrupt throbbing headache. Ekuar says "why, brownskin?" Leetah looks away from Ekuar, flushing with embarresment. Ekuar shakes his head slightly. Rayek smirks, but to neither of you, and tells the elder, his voice steadying, "I appear to still have trouble with sending." Ekuar says "I see..." Ekuar reaches over and touches Rayek's hair Ekuar says "You don't have to be sorry for that... Either of you" Leetah backs away from you both a ways and sits, pulling her knees up under her chin. Rayek nods a single time, though his eyes suggest he doesn't quite believe it. "I was telling Leetah... I must work to regain my strength." Ekuar sighs Ekuar says "perhaps I can help you, if you wouldl ike to try again?" Rayek, not facing Leetah, says lowly, "I have no other option but to try." Ekuar says "Leetah? will you let me help you try again?" Leetah looks up. "I.." She pauses, biting her lip. "If.. you would." Ekuar smiles... Ekuar says "good" Ekuar says "I do not know much about healing... but then again, I don't know much about gliding either..." Ekuar winks at Rayek Rayek glances hastily from Ekuar to Leetah, and just as hastily, buries the brief flash of hope that crosses his face. He almost grins at Ekuar, though. Ekuar winks at Rayek You say "Well... if you both wish to try this..." Rayek turns to Leetah. Leetah nods slowly. Rayek slides back down into the sleeping pit, carefully. Leetah looks rather nervously at Ekuar. Ekuar nods to Leetah Rayek lies down slowly in the middle of the pit. Leetah takes a deep breath, looking at Rayek. She moves closer to him, and kneels. Ekuar moves over to sit next to leetah. Savah arrives from the South Boundary Path. Savah has arrived. Savah enters the chamber, pausing by the door. Ekuar puts his hand on Leetah's shoulder, and closes his eyes Rayek does not immediately see Savah, as he endeavors to relax beside the other two elves. Leetah touches her hands to Rayek's head, one on either temple. She bows her head, closing her eyes. Savah moves closer, quiet but for the rustling of her robes. Ekuar opens his eyes,and smiles at Savah. A muscle twitches in Rayek's cheek as he, too, closes his eyes. Leetah looks up, and pales slightly as she sees Savah. Savah smiles quietly to Ekuar, and seats herself on the other side of Rayek. (Other side from somebody or other). Rayek opens his eyes, then, glancing up at Leetah to see what has halted her. Seeing her gaze elsewhere, he blinks as he follows it to Savah. Savah smiles warmly, but does not speak. Leetah takes another deep breath, and closes her eyes. Ekuar closes his eyes as well... Rayek flicks a brief nervous glance from face to face. A warm, golden light begins to radiate from the healer's hands, bathing Rayek's face and the pillow on which he rests in its glow. Rayek's eyes twist shut. Slight strain becomes visible on his features. Savah touches a finger to her lips, smiling gently to Rayek. Savah locksends ** Be calm, dear one. I will be with you. ** You sense in a locksend, Leetah gently seeks your mind with her own. You sense in a locksend to Ekuar, Rayek, Leetah: Savah's presence is felt, warm and golden. She watches, but does not interfere. Rayek, as both Savah and Leetah touch his mind, grits his teeth. It is only sending. He can bear it.... The glow deepens in intensity, becoming a perfect sphere of light around healer and recipient. Ekuar smiles benignly. The healing flows, sinking into your mind, again trying to un-do some of the damage it finds there. You locksend, to Ekuar, Leetah, Savah: Rayek reaches towards Leetah with difficulty. Her magic touches him, and makes his mind instinctively shy away in pain. You sense in a locksend to Ekuar, Rayek, Leetah: Savah's touchs is feather light, as she "watches" the interplay of forces. Leetah's breathing slows as she sinks deeper into her work. The light pales now, becoming almost white. The healing now tries to open what was burned shut by the accident, cold where it was hot, feather soft where it was storm fierce. If a mind can be said to have scarred over, the days Rayek has been in the village seem to have led to just that. The fabric of his mind seems gnarled, twisted, but still painfully sensitive to the touch of magic. He shudders as Leetah's light soaks more deeply into him. You sense in a locksend to Ekuar, Rayek, Leetah: Savah senses the strain on Rayek's mind, and offers gentle guidance to Leetah, away from some parts of his mind. You sense in a locksend to Ekuar, Rayek, Savah: Leetah takes the guidance gladly, diverting her efforts to areas where it might have more effect. Rayek's head twists slightly to the side as he tenses against the pain, his body echoing the jerking of his mind. In the part of him which gives him the ability to send, to stun, to float, there is a sense as of sand, melted into glass, blurring individual portions of him into a lumped, fragile, and misshapen mass that might shatter if strained too greatly. Leetah slowly, cautiously tests that mass, searching to soften it, to 'shape' it into what it should be. Ekuar shows her what to do :) Rayek's head arcs back, stiffly, as that initial touch fires off a flurry of renewed aches in his skull. The light brightens as Leetah tests for weaknesses that might be clues as to the original structure of the magic. Rayek's face, now damp with sweat, tightens further. He trembles unsteadily, and in the chain of sending and healing, his mind buckles slightly.... Leetah withdraws mentally, shivering physically. Ekuar starts lightly rubbing leetah's back Leetah pulls her hands away from Rayek and curls up, still shivering. Rayek slumps, his breath ragged. Ekuar says "lets try this a different way" Leetah looks curiously at Ekuar. Rayek cracks open his eyes, peering blearily at the elves around him. Ekuar says "Do you remember the way you are supposed to be, rayek?" Rayek coughs, and groans out, "Of course... " Ekuar says "Then perhaps you should guide us... come inward with us and help rectify you" Rayek blinks at that. His gaze seems to turn inward, as he murmurs, "Perhaps... " Ekuar says "do you doubt yourself, brownskin?" Rayek momentarily looks frightened--Ekuar's calm question hits closer to the mark than he is willing to admit--but promptly scowls, and says, "Let us proceed." Ekuar nods Leetah sighs softly. Ekuar says "Leetah, don't you want to help Rayek?" Leetah nods slowly. "Of course I do.." Rayek eyes Leetah worriedly for a moment before nodding firmly, and settling himself again. Ekuar says "then let's do this..." Leetah nods once, and pushes her hair back over her ears. You sense in a locksend to Rayek, Leetah: Ekuar links with both of you this time... to try to establish a synergy You locksend, to Ekuar, Leetah: Rayek reaches, shakily but stubbornly, to both your minds. You sense in a locksend to Ekuar, Rayek: Leetah reaches out to the two of you, determined to finish this time. Ekuar furrows his brow in concentration, as he closes his eyes Leetah places a hand on Rayek's forehead, the other just below his left ear. She closes her eyes again, and bites her lip. You sense in a locksend to Rayek, Leetah: Ekuar guides Rayek inward (with savah's help, perhaps) and likewise guides Leetah, and helps to bolster her power You locksend, to Ekuar, Leetah: Rayek's sending is weak, and it throbs with pain, but he forcibly plunges into his immediate memory. It doesn't take him much effort to remember what he was doing when the Palace crashed--striving to use every ounce of his power to slow its descent. You sense in a locksend to Ekuar, Rayek: Leetah follows mentally, watching for some break in which to begin. You locksend, to Ekuar, Leetah: Rayek focuses on the feeling of using his own magic... and the pain of his sending jerks his attention to that. He _knows_ how it's supposed to feel to send: effortless communication... You sense in a locksend to Rayek, Leetah: Ekuar continues guiding, and strengthenging both of you.... You sense in a locksend to Ekuar, Rayek: Leetah locks on to that, attempting to isolate it, for the time being, from all else. Rayek scowls to himself, fists curling with his effort. This is _not_ supposed to hurt. You locksend, to Ekuar, Leetah: Rayek grabs falteringly at Leetah's healing touch, but locks with it, obstinately. The contact nearly shakes him off, but he holds on... You sense in a locksend to Rayek, Leetah: Ekuar touches that bond and holds it it together with his own mind... You sense in a locksend to Ekuar, Rayek: Leetah sends out tendrils of healing, gentle soothing fronds that ease the pain and soften the mental scars they find. You locksend, to Ekuar, Leetah: Rayek with a sudden rush of recollection strengthens his grasp. Yes! Ekuar showed him how to float himself, before, and with that propelling him, he throws himself further into sending to Leetah. Showing her where he hurts, when he tries to send... and staunchly holding himself still long enough for her to do her work. You sense in a locksend to Rayek, Leetah: Ekuar simply provides power, now that the major hurdle has been crossed. You sense in a locksend to Ekuar, Rayek: Leetah takes that and runs with it, as it were, her magic spreading to encompass the pain still remaining, and trying to free the trapped power. Rayek seems to relax slightly... as, slowly but inexorably, his headache lessens the longer he holds the contact. Ekuar's mouth smiles, though his forehad beads with sweat You sense in a locksend to Ekuar, Rayek: Leetah continues, brilliant light flaring through her mind and hands, through Ekuar's link, and finally into Rayek's mind and head, knowing at last what needs to be done, seeking the means with which to do it. And finally, the molten mass of sand in that section of his mind flows a little... its outer edge abruptly shifting into a far more proper shape. Rayek gives a hoarse gasp... but all at once grins hugely. You sense in a locksend to Rayek, Leetah: Ekuar encourages Leetah, lifting her power to new heights, while helping Rayek remember how to do everything he knows how to do You locksend, to Ekuar, Leetah: Rayek holds on to you both now... and sends, his mental voice still weak but changed, ready now to regain strength on its own, ** Enough... I... ** He can't quite admit to weariness, but his thoughts are threaded through with it. Rayek has relaxed all at once, though he shakes in reaction to the abrupt lessening of strain in his head. You sense in a locksend to Ekuar, Rayek: Leetah retracts. You sense in a locksend to Rayek, Leetah: Ekuar carefully withdraws as well... Ekuar flops backward Rayek looks exhausted--but triumphant, as he sends, simply, ** Yes! ** [End log.]