17th of Cylus, Arc 719
Continued from here
Edyn studied his face for some time, then nodded. "Take off your armor." She told him. A gesture at the fire had it roaring up higher, casting more light on their makeshift camp as Praetorum began to strip off his plate armor.
Rolling his previously injured shoulder, he found it satisfactorily healed, with only a slight tightness. It took some bits for him to remove everything, but soon he was kneeling before the fire dressed only in the gambeson and chausses that served as padding for his armor. On her feet, Edyn was maybe a head taller than him, looking down with a serious expression.
"Ready?" Praetorum nodded, and she began. "This is going to feel very strange." She told him, and began to trace her fingers over his forehead. It was a strange sensation; he couldn't see what she was drawing, but he fancied he could feel something tingling there, and he could definitely see sparks and flickers of light above his eyes.
He gasped when she finished, sudden awareness washing through him. As her fingers dropped down to his arm, his hearing and eyesight sharpened, nearly dazzling him. He closed his eyes briefly, trying to orient himself. He was acutely aware that he could hear his own heartbeat in his chest, that Edyn's soft breathing was now audible to him. When he opened his eyes, he found the dark was barely any obstacle to his vision anymore, that he could see as vividly in this trial long twilight as he normally could in the bright Ashan sun
He'd be able to spot a fly at a hundred paces, with this. It'd be invaluable in the heat of battle, especially the increase to his hearing. To be able to rely that, to be able to react to danger without having to turn one's head... Praetorum's mind was swimming with possibilities.
With every rune Edyn laid upon him, Praetorum could feel his anticipation spike, a confusing mix of fear, excitement, determination and resignation. He had committed to this. He was committing to this. But that didn't mean he wasn't afraid. He could hear his heartrate increase as Edyn laid a sixth rune on his tail, and stepped back. "Normally," she said, kneeling in front on him, "a body can only take six runes at a time. So this is your last chance to back out. We don't have to do this right now if you're uncertain; neither of us are going anywhere. We could leave it for another few trials to give you time to think."
The problem was, Praetorum reflected, that time was exactly what he didn't need. He was already on the edge of his proverbial seat, his entire body strumming like a plucked string. If he stopped now, he didn't know that he'd ever have the courage to go through with this. The path forward was laid out for him now, and he wouldn't back down.
"Do it." He told her, and she nodded.
Praetorum closed his eyes as her fingers traced over his chest. They were past the point of no return; no point regretting his decision now. He tensed as her fingers stilled, then pulled away from him, but nothing happened.
Opening his eyes again, he looked nervously at her, and found her staring at the rune on his chest, clenching and unclenching her fist. She was steeling herself too, he realized, studying the look on her face. He couldn't have said why, but it was surprisingly comforting not to be the only one here who was afraid.
With almost agonizing slowness, she reached out again, and pressed her palm to his chest.
And his entire world erupted into a blaze of light.
Edyn studied his face for some time, then nodded. "Take off your armor." She told him. A gesture at the fire had it roaring up higher, casting more light on their makeshift camp as Praetorum began to strip off his plate armor.
Rolling his previously injured shoulder, he found it satisfactorily healed, with only a slight tightness. It took some bits for him to remove everything, but soon he was kneeling before the fire dressed only in the gambeson and chausses that served as padding for his armor. On her feet, Edyn was maybe a head taller than him, looking down with a serious expression.
"Ready?" Praetorum nodded, and she began. "This is going to feel very strange." She told him, and began to trace her fingers over his forehead. It was a strange sensation; he couldn't see what she was drawing, but he fancied he could feel something tingling there, and he could definitely see sparks and flickers of light above his eyes.
He gasped when she finished, sudden awareness washing through him. As her fingers dropped down to his arm, his hearing and eyesight sharpened, nearly dazzling him. He closed his eyes briefly, trying to orient himself. He was acutely aware that he could hear his own heartbeat in his chest, that Edyn's soft breathing was now audible to him. When he opened his eyes, he found the dark was barely any obstacle to his vision anymore, that he could see as vividly in this trial long twilight as he normally could in the bright Ashan sun
He'd be able to spot a fly at a hundred paces, with this. It'd be invaluable in the heat of battle, especially the increase to his hearing. To be able to rely that, to be able to react to danger without having to turn one's head... Praetorum's mind was swimming with possibilities.
With every rune Edyn laid upon him, Praetorum could feel his anticipation spike, a confusing mix of fear, excitement, determination and resignation. He had committed to this. He was committing to this. But that didn't mean he wasn't afraid. He could hear his heartrate increase as Edyn laid a sixth rune on his tail, and stepped back. "Normally," she said, kneeling in front on him, "a body can only take six runes at a time. So this is your last chance to back out. We don't have to do this right now if you're uncertain; neither of us are going anywhere. We could leave it for another few trials to give you time to think."
The problem was, Praetorum reflected, that time was exactly what he didn't need. He was already on the edge of his proverbial seat, his entire body strumming like a plucked string. If he stopped now, he didn't know that he'd ever have the courage to go through with this. The path forward was laid out for him now, and he wouldn't back down.
"Do it." He told her, and she nodded.
Praetorum closed his eyes as her fingers traced over his chest. They were past the point of no return; no point regretting his decision now. He tensed as her fingers stilled, then pulled away from him, but nothing happened.
Opening his eyes again, he looked nervously at her, and found her staring at the rune on his chest, clenching and unclenching her fist. She was steeling herself too, he realized, studying the look on her face. He couldn't have said why, but it was surprisingly comforting not to be the only one here who was afraid.
With almost agonizing slowness, she reached out again, and pressed her palm to his chest.
And his entire world erupted into a blaze of light.
