A few days after the attack on Vigil’s Keep, Anders picks his way through the forest, trying to find his way back to the road. He grimaces a few times, as Justice flares beneath his skin. It hurts, in a strange way, like his skin doesn’t fit.
Or maybe that’s how Justice feels.
"There's one thing I can teach you right now. Stamina spells, nice and easy. Want to try? If Ilska wouldn't mind being the guinea-nug."
"All right. Raise one hand towards her, focusing you will on her. Soon you'll be able to sense little things like flagging energy, or blood pumping wrong. For now, hold this rune in your mind-" Anders clears the ground with a quick fire-ice spell, leaving a patch of wet dirt. He draws the rune quickly in it. "-then push the rune towards her, like you're filling her with it."
Cia listens carefully, and follows the instructions. It's not the best stamina spell ever cast, but it does work.
Anders 'reads' her spell. "That's...actually a solid effort for a first time. How do you feel, Ilska?"
"First success! Congratulations, here's to many more."
Anders swings his pack back on. "Ready to move? We've got a while before Gwaren."
"Come on, then. I'll keep you safe if anything happens."
Anders leads the way through the forest, well-practised at following the Highway from it.
They follow, although Ilska noticeably keeps herself between Anders and Cia.
Anders doesn't mind that at all, is even happy Cia has such a staunch protector.
Cia can apparently only keep quiet for so long, and starts peppering Anders with questions about healing.
Anders is more than happy to answer, giving her detailed explanations, even pausing their journey a few times to sketch runes and act out a few things.
He has incredibly long limbs that give him the appearance of an excited octopus.
Cia mirrors his enthusiasm. And is maybe laughing at little at his impression of an excited octopus, but it's definitely not mean-spirited if ey is.
Anders welcomes the laughter. He knows he's somewhat grown out of his long and lanky stage, only his height making him seem a bit like a wet noodle, but laughs along with Cia.
If he's not careful, he could become attach- Oh, bugger off Justice!
Cia's probably going to have something to say about the fact that ey's a good foot smaller than both of eir companions, but for now, ey's just going to enjoy actually talking to someone who talks back.
Anders is definitely going to teasingly lean on eir head at some point, which is a nice thought. He's not used to enjoying his height. Templars in the Circle called him a freak for that as well as his magic, but people from the Anderfels are built tall.
After a while, Ilska stumbles. She hides it well, recovers admirably, but anyone paying attention will be able to tell she's exhausted, stamina spell or not.
Anders feels it, the spirit in him amplifying his healing powers.
"Woah, woah, Ilska, are you okay?"
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