Fjord back to his usual green orcish self, instead of the intimidating human volstrucker he'd disguised himself as for the purposes of their mission.
The necklaces now in their possession and distributed amongst their group for attunement, it felt like a job well done. However Fjord purposely took time out to check in with Caleb.
"I would ask if you're okay, but I realise that's probably a ridiculous question." Throwing the traumatized head first into the source of their trauma, no one could possibly come out of that okay.
"I think you handled all of that with tremendous bravery.. I can't begin to imagine how horrific it must have been for you. You should be proud of how far you've come.."
Fjord tucks his necklace under his armour, choosing to focus on his friend first. They were safe enough for now.
"is there anything you need from me Caleb? Anything I can do to.. make this easier?"
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SO MUCH EASIER TO LET GO IN THE SANATORIUM. without any sort of restraint, all of it coming from fjord, he knows what he would have done; he knows what he plans to do when he steps into that place. and though it’s what he wants, he asks for fjord for a reason, and fjord delivers.
he looks out over the ocean of nicodranas, knees pulled close to his chest, gripping the newly-attuned amulet tightly in one hand, the other combing idly through the sand. he swallows down a sharp lump in his throat. “ it looked exactly the same, ” he says, quiet and small, with little to no inflection in his voice. “ exactly . . . the same . . . ”
memories from that time and the times before are foggy. sometimes they flood in with sharpest clarity. sometimes, there are large gaps he cannot fill if he tried. but that hallway below vergessen . . . that place . . . he remembers it perfectly well. the people within may have changed, but nothing else.
“ i wanted to burn it to the ground, fjord. ” the fingers in the sand clench into a tight, furious fist now, as hot tears burn his eyes. “ i want it gone. ”