A Search Through Runeterra (Arcane)

"I have seen two paths, and made another between."~ Karma, The Enlightened One

I have just started Ultra Sun. I don't like any of the starters but it is what it is. I think my next fic will probably be a alternate world Pokémon or Elden Ring game. We shall see.

121.93K words is crazy!

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"Briar?" Gregori asked her. "That's you name?"

The girl nodded heavily, her entire body shaking up and down as she did.

"How old are you?"

Her head shot to one hand and she started counting, "One... two... three... four... five..." Her head jumped to the other hand as she continued counting.

Gregori looked at this girl confused, but he could figure out tell tale signs of the use of blood magic. Pale skin was the first. Disfiguration of the body was the second. Her ears were slightly pointed. Her eyes were larger. Her body was disproportionate.

All of this pointed to blood magic.

And her innocent nature could be caused by the possibility that she was not allowed the childhood she deserved to have.

"Thirteen!" She exclaimed, proud have having counted that much.

"Okay then... I am sorry for disturbing you.... I will get going now." Gregori said as he slowly backed up.

"Oh okayyy..." The girl spoke, her enthusiasm dropping.

He had gotten what he had come for..... confirmation that his daughter was not here. Gregori could leave in peace now. And he did just that, he walked away from the cell.

"Mister? Can you tell me how the sea looks?" Briar asked. "I heard one of the guards talk about it."

Gregori stilled. He closed his eyes and let out a loud sigh, "Fuck." He whispered, with his fists clenched.

Turning around, he walked up to the cell and asked, "Are you under anyone's control?"

"Umm... no?" She replied confusedly, "What does that have to do with the sea?"

"If I let you out..... will you go on a killing spree?" He asked her. His eyes boring into hers to spot any signs of deceit.

"I can't control myself if the pillory isn't there." She answered, "That is what the people who come to visit me say."

His eyes went to the pillory.

"Keep the pillory on Briar." Briar started walking around her cell. "Make sure you don't break it Briar. Be careful with the pillory Briar. That is all they say." A bit for frustration was evident in her voice.

Gregori fiddled with the keys to the lock and a few tries later the door to the cell swung open.

"Come with me." He said. "Don't attack anyone and I will get you out of the country. But you have to listen to me."

She nodded rapidly, her body moving as well.

"Follow me and stay silent." 

Gregori started jogging at a healthy pace toward the exit but stopped once he couldn't hear the girl's footsteps.

He turned back and watched as the girl looked at the other cells forlornly. Backtracking, he walked next to the girl.

"We cannot free them. They are not alive the same way as us." Gregori told the girl, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Come. We don't have time."

Gently nudging her in the direction of the exit, he took off once again. This time he didn't stop as he heard the girl run after him.

He climbed up the stairs and arrived at the exit.

Stepping over the downed guards, he arrived at the drawbridge and crossed it. The girl followed him out and looked at the world in front of her.

Her large eyes widened at the sights in front of her.

Gregori watched her take everything in. The cataract in her eyes didn't seem to block her vision. That was quite good for her. It could allow her to have a simple life at least the simplest life she could possibly live with the pillory on her.

Maybe Caalyx could do something about it. He would have to check.

"Follow me Briar." He said as he begun to make his way to a secluded alleyway.

Briar followed him to the alleyway. "What is this smell?" She asked as she sniffed around.

Gregori looked at her, "Its how alley's smell. Come stick close to me and don't do anything dangerous. Just follow me." He walked through the alley and picked up a tarp. Flicking his left wrist he cut it down to size with the knife that slid out.

Lifting the tarp, he squinted at Briar and reached to cover her with it. "Bear with the smell for a bit please." He carefully covered the pillory and most of her body.

Walking around her, he admired his handiwork. The tarp would make her seem like a large man from the back and the sides. The front didn't matter since she would be running behind him.

"Don't let this fall of you okay?" He said.

Briar nodded.

"Now come." He said as he led her through every possible pathway and alley that was less travelled. No one would be able to track them this far. But there were still chances for the Black Rose to have marked the girl with a tracking rune. And if it was under her skin, it wouldn't be easy to detect.

Caalyx would be receiving an early awakening.

And nearly an hour of running later, the two of them made it to the Livery. Using the secret entrance they made it to his room.

Gregori removed his cloak and slumped into the chair. His eyes on the schematics for the fortress, he thought whether he had made the right decision bringing the girl with him. Her presence alone could instantly shatter his plans.

But he couldn't leave her there.

If it had only been a boy. Then he would have just left. But it was a girl. And he couldn't help but impose his daughter's face on this child's. That single thought completely derailed his plans.

"What is your name?" Briar asked, her eyes looking at him unflinchingly.

Gregori contemplated giving her a fake name, but he couldn't lie to the girl when he had broken her out, and he couldn't just leave her alone, she was going to coming back with him after all was said and done. "Gregori Hastur that is my name."

She smiled at receiving his name.

"What is this?" Briar said, pointing at the bed. Her hands still clutching the tarp hanging off her body.

"That is a bed Briar." Gregori said as he stood up and carefully pried the tarp off her body. He grabbed her by the shoulders and positioned her in front of the bed and gently pushed her onto it.

She landed on it with a squeak and within a second, she sat back up. Her eyes jumped from one thing to another in the little room. Until her eyes landed on a mirror.

"What.... is that?" She asked as she stared into the mirror. Gregori followed her finger and looked at the mirror.

"Briar that is a mirror."

"A mirror?" She repeated.

Gregori nodded. Not that Briar noticed, her eyes were glued to her own form in the mirror.

"A mirror shows the people who look at it." He answered. Gregori had this answer ready. He had explained it to Annie before. The concepts of mirrors and reflections. It would be easier the second time around.

He sat on the chair again but this time in reverse, his hands hanging off the back rest. "Wave you hand at it." He said.

She flicked her right hand up and down and let out another squeak when the image in the mirror did the same.

"It is doing what I did." Briar exclaimed.

"It IS you Briar." Gregori said. He got up and sat next to Briar. "Do you see me in the mirror too?"

Briar nodded, fascinated at the Gregori in the mirror.

"Do you see the girl next to me in the mirror Briar?" He asked.

She nodded again.

Gregori looked at her, "That girl there..." He pointed toward the reflection, "That is you. That is how you look."

"That is.... me?" She asked a little hopeful.

"Yes."

She smiled at that and the smile widened when the reflection smiled as well.

"Sit right here okay Briar?"

"Okay!" She replied all excited.

Gregori then stood up and reached for the spear. And he began to unwrap it, "Mission complete?" Came the voice of Caalyx as the spear was freed.

"No... I need your advice on something..." Gregori replied.

"Did you fuck up already?" Came the immediate reply.

Gregori snorted. "No. I came across this girl. Converted through blood magic. She can't control herself without this pillory. I want to make sure that she is not being tracked and that she doesn't lose control of herself."

"Ah HA! You can't help yourself can you! I knew you would pick up a child. Though why only daughters I don't understand." Caalyx vibrated in a smug way, "Now hold me, I'll take over for a little bit."

"Will anyone be alerted?" Gregori asked.

Caalyx stilled fora moment before vibrating, "Are you retarded?" He stilled again, "Of course. I'm like the beacon god of blood magic. Any self respecting user of blood magic will be alerted."

"Then no." Gregori answered.

"But they cannot trace it." Caalyx continued, ignoring Gregori's rejection. "The magic in the entire region will gain a temporary boost in blood magic. That is all. It cannot be traced. Cannot be followed. Just a little alert saying that there is another player in the field. And by now, I suppose you have already revealed yourself, so what's a little more." Caalyx spoke again. "Make them fear. Isn't that the Hastur motto?"

"You are playing on my pride making a decision?" Gregori asked. "I thought you knew better than that."

"I'm playing on the fact that you wouldn't let this girl suffer anymore and you could also ensure your own safety." Caalyx vibrated in response.

"Fine." Gregori relented. And reached to make contact with the spear.

"Heh!" Caalyx chuckled triumphantly, "I also played on your pride as well."

"Oh Fuc-" Gregori's voice cut out as he touched the spear.

"K off Caalyx." He finished inside his own mind.

Caalyx moved toward Briar. "Hello there little girl!" He introduced himself, "I'm Caalyx, the strongest spear in the world. Gregori asked me to help you."

"Where did he go?" She asked like a child.

"He is watching from inside." Caalyx answered as he pointed to his head. "I am the spear child." He pointed to the spear in his hand with the other hand. "Now lets take a look at you..."

Caalyx looked at the girl and the runes on the pillory.

"Good news is that this is the work of an amateur." Caalyx said a he observed Briar. He lifted her chin, then her hands and then lifted her leg. "Abnormal bottom half... hmmmm."

He turned around and struck a pose, leaning on the spear of dramatic effect, "And the diagnosis is..... SAFE!"

Briar tilted her head confused at the situation but enjoying it none the same.

"Just a couple runic engravings on some cloth and your body will automatically go to its original state. But it will take time. A lot of time. And you will retain control over your blood magic. Once you get some runic wrappings around you, you wouldn't be needing the pillory either."

He reached and gave the girl a strong head pat. "It will be alright child. I'll be leaving now... Gregori will take over. Don't worry. He will take care of you. And between you and me..." He came closer while bringing his hand closer to his mouth, "He is a real softie even if he acts all tough." Pulling back, he waved at the girl, "Bye!"

Briar waved back.

Gregori dropped the spear and started wrapping it immediately.

After completely wrapping the weapon, Gregori placed it to the side. He then reached into his bag and pulled out some cloth. He cut the sloth into long strips and started inscribing the cloth with a pen while rapidly pumping magic through it.

He knew exactly what to inscribe since, Caalyx had told it to him directly in his mind. Conversations in there were near instant, since it was all inside his head.

After completing four strips of cloth, he wrapped them around each arm and leg. The very next moment Briar gave a pained grunt.

Gregori instantly reached around the girl's head and gave her a hug as she bared the pain. "It'll be alright child. Just hold on a little. Then we can get rid of your pillory."

She shivered as the runes forced some of the changes due to blood magic back. It was a painful process. Blood magic was parasitical, it wouldn't leave a host without causing an immense amount of pain.

Caalyx was right, the girl could be returned to normal after years of wearing the wraps but there would always be after effects of the experiments she had gone through.

He watched as she stopped shivering and then look at him with hopeful eyes. But he spotted the pain in them.

She was still in pain but she was trying to hide it.

"Lets remove the pillory now shall we?" He asked but he wasn't expecting a reply.

Picking up the runic blade, he carefully removed the locking rune. With the rune in place, even if he forcefully broke the pillory, it would always reform.

SHAK CHAK

The top half of the pillory released itself and Gregori pulled it off. Gently removing the bottom half as well as the shackles on the girl, he lifted her and placed her flat on the bed.

"Close your eyes child." He softly spoke. "I will watch over you."

She nodded, only her head moved this time.

He did not know if she would be able to sleep but he would watch over her.