Starter for @justbrcathe Basil w/ Rolan
The city still smelled of ash and smoldering cinder when she awoke; bodies lined the street, broken walls, shattered windows, and cracked floors, left shards of stone, glass, and wood strewn across the roads. There remained a giant, dead, brain floating in the harbor. Joy and grief mingled in the volatile air. Basil had spent the entire day at the Elfsong literally sleeping off the battle and her exhaustion from the previous night. The sun was setting, adding to the confusion of her foggy mind and blurred thoughts. She could hear the energy of the street, repairs already beginning, shouting, mixed celebration. For nearly a quarter of a clock she laid in bed, something unusual for her, and cleared her mind. So much happened the night prior; so much remained to be done. Healing, rebuilding, helping; yet, tentative hope lingered in her realizing that for the first time in months her mind was completely her own. No tadpole, no mindflayer, no one else. It was exhilarating, and lonely. She could return to her old life of wandering and prayer, vanish back into the crowds; but deep in her heart, Basil knew that was impossible. Life would never be the same again.
But that could be a good thing.
After a time of lazing about, she got up, dressed in her usual tunic and picked up her staff, before heading downstairs to have a light meal at the tavern. On the house, for saving the city from mindflayers, of course. Once on the street, Basil picked her way across town. She healed the injured she came across and prayed with the mourning. IF she was recognized, she was hailed as a hero. An idea which Basil humbly downplay. About an hour later, she finally walked into Sorcerous Sundries. The visit had a selfish character: she wanted to check on her friends. On the bottom floor, she met with Cal and Lia who happily explained to her that hiding out in a tower full of wizards was a very safe place to be during a mind flayer invasion. But there were a few injuries among the magic casters that could stand to be looked at. Basil provided her talents as needed and then asked after their brother. "Oh, Rolan is upstairs." "You should check on him, he's holed himself up again." So, Basil climbed the steps to the second floor and took the portal to the tower.
High above the city, the tower was quiet and dark except for the magic lights in the wall sconces, cutting soft shadows across the stone work. A refuge from the smog and the blood and the violence. Basil drunk in the fresh air and the silence. Until she caught sight of Rolan at his desk, hunched over, and ever at work. She couldn't help but to smile. He noticed her a moment later. When their eyes met, relief flooded into Basil. It was like a storm finally breaking, trading grey clouds for blue skies. The pressure and static tension of the air washing away to the warm relief of a summer's day. All the fear and pain was over, it was over. She crossed the distance between them, meeting him half across the tower, and wrapped her arms around him. Basil pressed her nose into his neck and then pulled back, holding Rolan at arm's length.
"Are you alright?" She asked. "I'm fine. Don't worry. Hardly left a scratch and, guess what? No more tadpole."