Linri slowly made his way to the altar. He was incredibly nervous. Even though he tried to make sure that they can not influence him, he still could not trust Solas wholly. He kept telling himself that everything was fine and there were no problems, his plan was "perfect".He was standing in front of the altar. The stones were glowing as if they were calling to him. Asking him to hold them. Steeling his mind Linri reached out to stones. He grabbed them and stones started to melt. The liquid seeped through his skin and fused with his body. It felt so comfortable. He felt cleansed but that was about it.
"That"s it?" Linri was suspicious if the process was successful. He felt no different from before.
"Yes that"s it. You have part of our powers now, congratulations Linri Harclaw. You are no longer human." Linri was startled to here Solas" voice. It was because this time it came from somewhere inside him. This was different from last time she spoke directly to his mind. Back then he could feel that it was an outside influence but this voice was "part" of him.
"I was never a human to begin with, so let"s stop with the jokes oh your holiness. How do I stop you from watching me?"
"You just have to think about it and when you want us to watch you have to do the same."
"Why are you telling me this? I asked for this but I did not think that you would actually answer truthfully. Didn"t you say that you were gonna "watch" me every chance you get. If you did not teach me that it would have taken sometime for me to figure out. Now I am quite confused."
"It would have taken some time yes but "I" find you interesting. You can keep whatever secret you have but you have to entertain me in return. So are you ready to return now?"
"No" Linri"s lips curved slightly. He knew that he could not return like this as he would have to explain why he was missing to his parents. That would put a damp in his plans so he had come up with an idea.
"Explain! We already had a deal! Are you planning to go back on your words!" Lozna"s voice boomed inside him. Couldn"t this guy just learn to speak a little quieter?
"I never said that oh great G.o.d of Moon. Before I go I have a proposition you might like care to listen this ant"s pleas?"
"I do not like the way you speak, but I shall allow it... for now. Don"t think that I won"t hurt you just because we need you to fight."
"On the contrary milord. I "want" you to hurt me. You see I have been here for so long that my family must have been worried and it would be detrimental your plan for me to explain. With my mother"s personality if she were to know this deal she would lock me up and try to find a way to stop my death. We would not want that would we? I want to go to Hanawa so we need to make sure that does not happen. That"s why I came up with a little story. These 4 days I was stuck in a ditch and could not get out. In order to make it believable I have to be hurt. You would have to "hurt" me to make it more believable. Also you have to hide my powers from her eyes and anyone else"s eyes. Isn"t that a wonderful proposition? You get to hurt me for my previous rude words while also making sure everything goes according to "your" plan?"
"HAHAHAHA! I like the way you think Harclaw"
The moment Lozna"s words were finished Linri felt unexplainable pain all over his body. Linri fell to his knees from the pain. His nails started to crack and bruises appeared all over his body. Linri felt much pain from his training with Arkady but never this much. Once the pain subsided he suspected that the G.o.d intentionally made it this painful.
"I thank you for your benevolence milord. I would have thought that you would also break one of my arms but-" Linri was speaking through his teeth when his left arm bent in a way it was not supposed to.
""I" am not that magnanimous Harclaw. In the future be careful about the way you talk to me."
Linri had messed up but this was still within his calculations. A broken arm would make his story more believable anyway.
He also did not answer Lozna because whatever he said would be a lie and Solas would catch on to it. He did not need to suffer any more pain than this. They would also lose their ability to interact with him physically once he left this place so it was better to keep quiet for now.
While Linri was holding his arm in pain, stairs raised from the ground leading to the opening in the roof. He quietly climbed the stairs and made his was to the forest. It was noon so the air was incredibly hot.
"Which way?"
"Turn to your right and keep heading straight" Solas spoke with her gentle voice. Just from this voice alone no one would suspect how deranged she was so Linri had to keep reminding himself about what kinda existence she was.
He followed the directions Solas gave her and arrived at the time when it was afternoon. The camp was empty save for the two people running towards him.
"LINRI!"
They were Jaime and Lyra. They looked as haggard as Linri. Both of them had black circles under their eyes and Lyra"s eyes were even swollen. It was obvious that she cried over Linri. He thought he was stupid to think that way. Which mother would not cry and worry over her missing son. He should have expected her to be this way but Jaime"s appearance really shocked him.
"I"m back" Linri managed spoke with difficulty. He started to relax and a sudden drowsiness came over him. Now that he felt safe his body finally gave in.
Once they arrived Linri collapsed at their arms. He was tired. Both physically and mentally. Especially mentally. He tortured himself for four days with no food or water. He fought a mental war against a G.o.ddess. One wrong move and he was going to lose all his being, his freedom. It can even be counted as a miracle that he did not lose his sanity or give up half way. At the end of the day though he had won. That made it all worth it.