Can we see Creator reunite Rerir with Thorlindis, he only became a Sinner because he wanted to find her, or better yet revive her and pull her and Rerir out
-[“Oh!” Barbeloth looks up, surprise flashing through her eyes at your sudden appearance
she contemplates your question carefully, "I'm sorry, but as you are..." she looks you up and down. "You dont have the control you need in order to pull off such a feat - and while Fenrir had been brought through already, Solnari... The doctor hasnt finished stabilising his body to be sustained outside of your realm, so they also would not be able to make the trip to reunite with that lost soul."
instead, she tugs you over to her desk, wrist flicking and summoning a crystal ball, hydro pulsing within, and gold sparkles shimmering as it moves “I could, however, allow you to look into my scryglass?”
you nod hesitantly, taking a seat. “let your future be shown instead, my dear. I'm sure a tiny glimpse won't hurt.”]-
-[A quick recap on the Rerir ask chain? Heres the link]-
You stare with a reluctant expression as the crowd stares expectantly
“I dont…” you hesitate before clenching your fist “...okay, I mean- It could work if everyone sticks to the plan. however we have no way to fix something if it goes wrong.”
“We at least have to try.” Paimon teeters close to the edge from where she sits, the polaroid image of Tholindis held clutched in her hands “I mean, we've already proven that we - or, well. you and the traveller can do much more than we expected!”
Aether leans backwards next to Paimon, giving you the thumbs up despite the tired look on his face “What's the worst that could happen?”
“alot.” You blurt out, shuffling to the large digital touch screen displaying everyone's additions
“this would aid in our statistics.” Albedo approaches the topic carefully, “and tests whether or not regular humans can receive guidance and become like us. It's not the most favourable outcome-”
“But our other candidates are unsuitable,” you wince, hearing the sadness come from Candace, her fingers digging into the braided ends of her long hair. “Miss Tholindis may be our only chance while the watchers remain unresponsive. her fate has ended in their eyes”
your head drops “We'd also have to wait another year before we'd get access to the moon. By then, we'd have caught up.”
“and are more likely to encounter resistance.” Albedo confirms, stepping up beside you to write up another note. "we're prepared to encounter a fully formed sinner but not a shade, and with your rate of success decreasing the longer we stand here-”
“I understand. Then, let's do this.”
you almost trip, sidestepping the sudden burst of abyssal energy erupting from the group, dirt flying and coating your clothes in filth. your breath shudders, gold surrounding you like a halo. You don't bother to look back, already knowing what creeps behind you
Throwing up your arms with a polearm in one, a shield in the other, you form a seamless hydro cover, the phantasm of Candace appearing briefly and coating you in a dark blue sheen, The Racher of Solnaris’ attack being halted, slamming against the barrier with vigor.
knocked back by the force your back slams into a discarded metal crate wincing at the spike of pain. The abyssal hands pound on the translucent veil repeatedly, the poisonous flecks creating sparks with the golden sheen and reacting with each other
“It's not enough!” you cry out, struggling to stand with the help of the polearm “just a little more!”
The Racher of Solnaris’ brow creases, a miasma flurrying around him as he goes for another strike to your form. a crack forms on the shield. sucking in a breath, you dissipate the weapon, turn tail, and leap over the box as he sends another barrage of hands. your eyes meet briefly, a steely expression passing over both of you.
an action that needed to be done
the shield shatters upon to taking a step away, arm retracting at that same moment, becoming caught in Rerirs grasp and pulling you taut
‘Only under extreme stress can this work' Albedo's voice rings out in your mind, heart racing as the hand pulls you back, tripping you up and dragging you through the mud, outfit no doubt becoming torn and wrecked ‘it's a cruel method, but the only reliable one we've found...’
you cough, spitting out dirt as he slowly picks up your weakened body, hands gripping beneath your chin, dangling your struggling body like a wild dog snaring its prey
you make a choked noise, eyes squinted at the piercing pink haze surrounding the both of you. His bottom lip is bruised, his hand trembling
‘Is this really something that you are willing to do?’
gold pulses around you again, stronger this time. blood dripping steadily from the small cuts littering your body from the fighting. trembling your hand reaches up and grasps his, squeezing it, even though by now he's turned his gaze, a sneer on his lips
with the other you weakly reach for the symbol on the man's stomach, fingers dipping into the dead mans’ scar and
pull.
the world goes white for a moment. both light energy and abyssal surges from the both of you, freezing you in place and making the world turn upside down.
the world goes silent, and the debris around you seizes like a scene from a Fontainian film being paused. the pain you experience fading, leaving behind emptiness
then, it shatters. a singular drop echoing in response. you blink.
The moon's reflection.
You feel yourself come to, breath shuddering while you continue blinking away the harsh light. Rerir is in a similar position. shaking his head, he looks at you and begins slowly lowering you back down to the ground, releasing you.
gasping you lean heavily on him, gulping down air, or what you hoped was air…
“It worked.” Rerir speaks quietly, looking around carefully
you grunt, twist your head to copy his actions, seeing the barren, grey landscape before you both
“yeah.” You sigh, wiping at the blood and sweat caking your forehead “it worked.”
he kneels, helping you brush off the debris coating your form “I can't believe it…” he repeats in disbelief “it was that easy.”
“Asshole.” you mutter “so you were going through with the plan of beating me up for the fun of it?”
“No-” he frowns “The theory was sound. putting anyone in a life or death situation will cause a person to do everything it can to prevent it. The world won't let you die.”
you pull out some bandages from his pants, the proximity allowing you to fumble around to retrieve the first aid set that was put on him earlier, uncertain of the range of abilities you'd retain within the moon
“the fact you were so willing to put yourself into this position again should be what's concerning.” he counters, snatching the wad of bandages and taking over
“I'm not bleeding anymore.” You hold up your hand, flipping it back and forth to observe the frozen state of it “neither are you, it seems. besides, sticking close to low health will make it easier for us later, right?”
he falters, seeing what you're pointing out. “Then we'll proceed to the second phase.”
you nod, turning to the expanse behind you two, holding out your hand and letting a pale glow form. waving your hand back and forth until it turns bright. you re-summon the polearm and stab it into the ground, using the bandage to instead tie Candace's shield to it. You make eye contact briefly before he's lifting you onto his back and starts walking
Tending to yourself in silence, tucked against the planes of his back, as much as you'd like to say it's comfortable, the lingering smell of decay and the unnatural icy sensation that radiates from his skin turns the action towards negativity. Wrapped up and looking similar to him, you slowly work on bandaging the few nicks and cuts that litter his own, though he doesn't bleed, coagulated blood instead is smeared in unpleasant globs
“Any news?” he asks at what felt like an hour into your search, though you know much longer had passed. Raising your hand, you slightly adjust his position, steering him a touch to the left “mn, is that all?”
“The change is a lot, actually.” You frown “it means we're approaching an axis. From there, it will be a straight path.”
he falls quiet again, slightly adjusting you on his back
“Do you think she'll be okay?” Your eyes flicker to him, face smothered into his neck
“I hope so” you swallow back any doubts “she's lasted this long. and we're a lot earlier in the timeline than last time.”
“things have already changed.” he says harshly. "You're here, for one.”
“by that logic, you're also an anomaly” you bite back “Solnari.”
"At least call me by my name when we're by ourselves.” You lean over his shoulder, he looks pained, his white hair swallowing his features making him appear as a ghost “give me that much, won't you.”
“...” You don't respond immediately. grip tightening around him
“lovely chat.” he grumbles
“-you feel like ooblek, Rerir.” you concede to his request, adjusting yourself uncomfortably
“Nevermind, I think I'd prefer you to stay quiet.”
“look over there.” You pat his cheek before pointing over to a blue rock moon-ilith “I think we've found her.”
he glances over and hastens his pace, when you're close enough he lets you down, his legs freeze in place as soon as you remove your touch from him
“I'll be back.” You say quickly “See if it's her.”
he looks up and nods, crouching down to wait “be quick.”
stepping up to the rocky formations you wave your hand, a Geo isotoma forming below, lifting you up and over. It's not long before you spot her
“Hello!” You cup your mouth to shout down to her. She doesn't move a muscle, hunched over the mass of luminous rocks “Are you alright?”
you pull back and wait, but no response comes. pulling a concerned face, you climb back down and run back to Rerir, jumping onto his back and stabilising yourself as he stands again
“She's there but unconscious.”
He follows the path you took, stepping onto the isotoma himself, crawling over the formation and approaching the unconscious woman. He drops you next to her
“She's breathing.” pulling her away from the glowing blue rock you lay Tholinis down, rolling her over you press your ear to her chest, flinching at the sprinkles of static that ignites when your skin meets hers “barely, but other than that i see no obvious injuries”
you lift your head and stop, taking in his expression. his eyes are unbelievably softer, shoulders tensed, and although you can't see his mouth, the way his bandages are twisted make it look like he's frowning
“Rerir…” his eyes flicker to yours “We're almost home.” You say reassuringly, carefully you lift Tholindis up, pulling her over to the frozen man “c'mon, just a short walk back.”
you both put aside any grievances for your common goal, with tholidis held in his arms, you climb up onto his back and steer him back, palm extended and a golden trail leading from where you came
“...she’s cold.” he whispers
“It’s a cold place” you murmur back
“She feels dead.” His pace quickens
looking over his shoulder, you reach down to press your palm against her cheek, her breath fogging the metal bands on your fingers “she'll be okay.” You reassure him “we have Barbara, Baizhu, and Kokomi outside, remember? we just need to make it to extraction.”
the shield and polearm come into view, Rerir speeding over to it and letting you down one last time.
“We can't… ‘fight’ properly with Tholidis on your front.” You point out. "I don't want to get any of my blood on her."
He looks down and sighs, slinging her over his shoulder.
“good enough.” You unwedge the polearm and shield from the floor and put it back into your inventory, with a grimace you face the towering man, baring your neck when you see his fists clench.
“make it quick.”
You both stumble, tripping through the veil. Immediately, you're hit with pain, collapsing in a heap against someone. A mirage of voices are heard above you before they're carrying you away to a stretcher.
Rerir swears as he's pushed away. Both you and Tholidis, being taken from his grasp and placed onto metal slabs, rushed away just as quickly as he regained his composture
“Project Solnari.” he glares at the sight of the Doctor sauntering up behind him “It's best we see to your wounds.” A crooked grin appears on his face when he sees Rerir look away “You knew from the beginning that you would only be allowed temporary limited exposure outside of your quarters.”
Dottore looks on expectantly, arms folded behind his back and angling himself towards the labs on the other half of the abode “She won't awaken with you lurking over her bedside table, Project Solnari, come, we need to stabilise your condition-”
-[Barbeloth retracts from the glass ball, the vision fading out “Hah. It seems that's all i can show you for the time being"
She leans away, dusting off her hands. "dont worry too much about the events that will come. Time is not set in stone. You should know that much."
she reaches over to take your hand. "The magic ink takes a few days to replenish itself, a gift from a dear friend of mine. for the time being... would you like some tea?"]-
[Heres a chopped up section from a future chapter + brought to you by madame mages' interventions :] If you were looking for fluff with those two, though, send through another ask, I will do one up special for it]
