The air around him seems to grow thicker, tauter. It ripples, and something in it pulls.

Flai stumbles back a step, and blindly grasps with his mind for the connection to his mother.

She's there, in the back of his mind, readying herself to fight with him.

But there is no fight necessary.

The air tears, green light streaming out, and then-

A girl steps out, thin and gaunt, with dead, black eyes.

"What?" Flai breathes.

Those cold, dead eyes look at him-

-and suddenly they're clear, grey, and bright.

She's smiling at Flai, wide and joyous. She looks ethereal in her happiness.

Flai supposes he would be happy to see a living being after stepping out of the Fade physically, but the way she looks at him, like she's been waiting for him...

"Are you okay?" He asks, taking a cautious step forward. She could be a demon.

Her eyes close, and she looks as if she's basking in those words.

There's a hesitant brush on Flai's mind, something cold and black, but tempting all the same.

Flai prepares to fight off a possession, but lets that sliver in.

The sliver is enough for her to project into him-

joyeuphoriahappinesslonging

Longing?

"Are you hurt? Do you need healing?"

How were you in the Fade physically?

Memories flash through Flai's mind, almost respectfully. Like the girl was honouring the barriers he put between them.

lonely in the green place, touches of the others painful and strange, the way magic twisted and rankled around her, years of strangeness and pain and danger and then-

gold and red and shining and beautiful...Flaithri

"You...saw me in the Fade? And decided to walk out?"

A question? A feeling of questioning, and below it fear that she was wrong, that he wasn't-

"No, no, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to- I just, I've never seen you there?"

Images, the 'others', demons. Pulling at her, dragging her back, her hands reaching for him-

Flai lets out a pained breath. "They were trying to keep you. I'm so sorry, that must've been terrible."

A distinct lack of regret. A memory of Flai's peaceful walk through the Fade, and the girl watching him, feeling rightness.

"So you saw me, and followed me back here? Through the Fade?"

He looks behind her, at the swirling green rift. "And how did you do that?"

She turns back to look at it, and simply drags a finger through it. The rift closes, and seals, and is like there was nothing there.

When she turns back around, her eyes are black again. There's an odd blankness over her mind.

"Are you okay?" Flai presses on that connection, putting a little of himself into her mind. 

He tries to shake off the amazement that she can go back and forth through the Fade as if it was as easy as opening a door.

The girl feels the brush of Flai's mind, and sighs, eyes fluttering shut. 

goodrightcompletebelonging

Okay, that was good, at least he can break apart that blankness when it happens. Strange that her magic, or whatever it was, made her mind feel so cold, when his lit him up.

warm, warm flame, flickering always on the edge of her mind, her soul

"How? How could you hold that connection?"

She hesitates, cold blackness holding back that small bit of Flai's mind. 

And then she opens it a little further, and shows him the gap, the empty piece of her that he fits so neatly-

He jerks back from that, shock reverberating through him.

The girl pulls back from his mind, but not before Flai grasps a frantic, terrified stream of losslosslosslossLOSSLOSSLOSS-

"Wait! Wait, I'm sorry-" He quickly reconnects them, and feels the rush of relief from her. "I'm sorry, I just...I guess I've never believed in soulmates?"

She tilts her head, frowning. 

inadequacy. 

Flai laughs a little at that. "More than a soulmate?"

MORE-

Flai laughs in earnest. She's offended for him!

"I'm sorry, I won't use that word again."

satisfaction.

Flai smiles down at his feet, but then looks back up at her. 

"I don't have a piece for you, or a hole. I'm-"

He doesn't say complete, but he can feel her react to the word anyway.

Her reaction, however, is not negative. There's no sadness, no loss, just...confirmation.

She's happy that he's complete without her.

"But- if I mean that much to you, but I've never seen you or heard you, or felt you before today-"

The girl smiles, grey eyes so bright.

better than before, better than ever, today, today

"Because...because before me was..?"

A memory, clearer than the ones before.

she escapes the others, stumbling through endless shifting landscapes, running through dreamscape and nightmare and on and on and on but there was nothing, no one to run to, and only the others knew her, could see her-

Flai shuts his eyes against that awful pain, the loneliness-

He keeps saying he's sorry, but it feels so inadequate. It is not enough to encompass the horror, the sadness, the fury...but he supposes he doesn't need words. He simply sends the feelings he has for her terrible memories through their bond.

For a moment, the girl seems breathless against the flood of emotion.

And then, from her-

warmth, such incredible warmth, enough to banish the cold that chills her veins.

Flai tips his head back. 

The feeling of that was...freeing. Was that his own feeling, or hers?

Another memory.

she runs from the others, stumbling through endless shifting landscapes, running through dreamscape and nightmare and on and on and on, until-

there, lost in dreams, Flai.

"I would've protected you, if I knew you were there."

she knows.

He reaches out into her mind again, to feel that warmth again, but-

A bright, red haze fills his mind, forcing the girl out-

The girl screams soundlessly, frantic hands matching her desperate mind, her attempts at connection sliding off the fierceness of the shield-

Mother, mother, it's all right, she's not a demon, she's something else-

I couldn't feel you, I could not even sense where you were! You reached out for me and then you were gone!

She...it's complicated. She-

He cuts off from trying to explain it, and instead just pushes the memories across to his mother.

Wildling is silent in his head for a long moment. 

And then, Bring her back here.

Be gentle. We don't know what they've done to her.

Merrill and I are more than capable enough of figuring it out. Bring. Her. Back. Here.

I...fine. 

He sighs, and opens the connection back to the girl, now that his mother has backed off.

He nearly drops to his knees with the weight of the pain-

The girl scrambles to latch onto Flai's mind, as if with both hands, and the feelings of loss, loneliness, pain and desperation melt on a sigh.

right. right.

He sends her regret, sorrow, and a promise for gentleness.

forgiveness, tinged with a desperate plea for it not to happen again.

He sends assurance that it won't, at least not while she was unprepared. 

"My mother wants to see you. She..." He sends her images of his wild, unpredictable, powerful mother. Sends the girl memories of Wildling's rituals, and studies, all alongside Merrill. "She'll help us see what you are." 

uncertainty. concern. 

A memory, a demon wearing a mother's face, whispering assurances while twisting the girl's mind, making her so confused, and lost-

"She won't. She won't. No one will. Not while I'm here, I promise."

He reaches out with one hand to take hers, but stops, a chill settling over him when he remembers what the demons did.

A memory, hands pulling, tugging-

-but a sense of hope, looking at Flai's hand.

Flai takes a step forward, and another, and then gently takes the girl's hand in his own.

bright, bright light, streaming through the bond, all carrying the highest, strongest sense of euphoria-

Flai gasps with it. 

She was so alone, so lost and tortured and twisted, that she feels this way from one simple touch?

your touch. your touch.

Of course. The hole in herself, empty except for him-

Dangerous. There has to be some way to make her whole. His mother will know. 

He tightens his hand on the girl's slightly, and starts to lead the way back to camp, making sure the girl followed.

The bond is filled with her amazement at finally touching him, and she goes with him easily.

He keeps sending reassurance through the bond, along with a few gentle squeezes to her hand.

Every time he does, the burst of light he gets in return nearly brings him to his knees.

Wildling is waiting just beyond the camp, arms crossed, face nearing on angry.

"It's all right, mum, it's all right," Flai tries to soothe once they're close enough.

"Only I am allowed to wonder off and bring back demon friends," Wildling says, looking very sternly at her son. 

She may have to tilt her head up to do it, but she knows the effect stays the same.

"I really don't think she's a demon."

"Considering what you showed me, I'm willing to agree with that." 

Wildling peers at the girl.

She hides herself behind Flai. 

fearworrynoescape

"No, no, you have an escape. You can go free whenever you want, we won't hold you here."

"I'm not sure we could even if we tried."

She could run, she could flee, but running from Flai?

intolerable.

He tightens his grip on her hand, trying to be soothing.

She's very attached to you. Is that a good sign?

Before Flai can even think of an answer, black, slick feelings batter themselves against Wildling's mind.

GOODRIGHTBELONGING-

Wildling forces her back. 

"Do not even think to attack my mind!"

She won't be taken from him. 

"Hey, hey, it's okay. She's just worried about me. She's my mother, it's her right," Flai tries to joke, even as he feels a deep sense of worry.

And could you please stop frightening her?

Wildling turns a glare on her son, but softens quickly. "I haven't got the big, open heart you have, my son. Please, ask her to forgive my caution."

He turns a gentle look on the girl.

She eyes Wildling warily, but she feels secure enough that Flai won't let go.

"Right, well, now that's done-"

"Ooooh, who is this? She's a bit haunted looking!"

Merrill comes up behind Wildling, wrapping one arm about her waist.

Wildling leans into Merrill. "It appears our son wandered off and collected a friend."

Haunted. Questioning? 

And then, a breathy giggle.

"Did I tell a joke? Or did I do something funny?"

Flai grins down at the girl. "She's laughing because she likes it."

"Because she was haunting you?"

Another breathy giggle, and a knowing look that she shares with Flai.

"Well, it's appropriate at least. And I suppose we should call you something."

"She doesn't have a name?"

"I don't think she remembers it."

nothing. was nothing. am nothing.

"Yes, you are. You're Haunt."

The girl looks up at him-

-and then Haunt smiles.

Flai smiles back, feeling her warmth and sending his own. 

"Haunt, Merrill. Merrill, Haunt."

Merrill smiles brightly over Wildling's shoulder. "It's so lovely to meet you, Haunt! Wherever have you come from?"

"I'll fill you in while Flai gets her settled. We're going to need supplies."

She directs a look at her son, raising an eyebrow.

"Are you sure it should be right away?"

worry?

"If only to make her safe, darling."

Flai soothes that worry as best he can. 

"Okay. I'll, uh, try and explain."

Wildling nods, smiling ruefully at Flai.

She then spirits Merrill away, already talking in her ear.

Flai leads Haunt into their small camp, gesturing for her to sit.

Haunt sits, the bond still buzzing a little with worry.

He sends assurance, comfort, and all the while keeps a hold of her hand. He shows her the ritual Wildling will use, taking her blood to explore Haunt's mind, piece together what she is, who she was.

but she wasn't anyone. she is Haunt now, because Flai said she was, because it fit on her shoulders like a warm coat.

"It will protect you, if the others come looking."

protection?

Flai sends through a memory, of his mother's fierce protectiveness for him. And how, because if what Haunt felt was true, that protection extended to her, who had a piece of herself waiting for him.

Haunt let out a shaky, soundless breath. 

to have him near, to have him see her, to be out and free and with him-

Together, he sends. Promise.

Haunt holds those feelings close to her heart, letting them replace the blood in her veins.

Flai sends them over and over and over again, feeling that creeping blackness ever present in her veins be pushed back slightly every time.

After a few moments, Wildling and Merrill return. 

Wildling kneels before Haunt and Flai, rubbing her son's knee. "Ready?"

He looks to Haunt.

?

worry. but yes.

Okay. I'll walk with you?

She's not letting go of you anytime soon, so I suppose I must suffer that.

"Ready, lethallin?" She says to Merrill.

Merrill cuts a long line down her arm, blood rushing to the surface, and then flying up to glide around her hand. 

"Be careful, vhenan. And you too, Flai."

Wildling takes in a deep breath, and lets Merrill's magic envelop her.

She reaches out with her mind, to gently tap at the blackness of Haunt's.

Haunt opens the bond between her and Flai a little wider, so Wildling can slip right in. 

She tightens her grip on Flai.

Flai keeps careful pace with his mother.

Once they're in her mind-

Horror.

Wildling is no stranger to the darker tastes of people. She has seen some of the worst things Thedas has to offer.

But in no way could she ever been ready for the way the demons took something so small, so innocent, and try to destroy it.

Nothing, no one, will ever touch Haunt again. He would rather see the world stripped of magic, to be barred from the beauty of the Fade forever, than have Haunt ever have to live like that-

cold, dark, empty, blank

"Flai? Wildling? Please come back now, something is terribly wrong."

Black liquid begins trickling out of Haunt's eyes, with the thickness of blood.

"Oh, that's not good at all. All right, Haunt, I'm going to fix this."

She grabs a hold of Wildling and Flai's minds and pulls.

Wildling falls back with a gasp, one hand on her temple, trying to straighten the terrible memories from her own.

Flai can feel the blankness through the bond even before he sees Haunt's face. 

"Haunt?" He squeezes her hand, sends through comfort and safety, even as his anxiety grows.

Haunt breathes unsteadily, and her head tips back, mind still lost to the unknowable black.

Flai's hands light up with healing magic, but he doesn't know what to heal. He can't feel anything wrong with her, which is clearly not true. He doesn't know what the black liquid is, or how to break this blankness, and his panic is rising fast.

"What have we done?" He asks, turning terrified eyes on his mother.

"I don't know. Creators, I've never seen anything like this." 

Wildling grips her son's forearm, adding her power to his.

"Is she trapped in them? Her memories?"

"No, there's...there's just nothing. It's like-"

She thought she was nothing. The demons told her she was nothing.

Flai gathers all the strength he has, takes power from his mother, and then pushes across the bond.

Feel this? That's me holding your hand. That's the real, in the flesh me. And the real, in the flesh you. We are real, we are present. We are together, Haunt. You are here and you are someone.

For a moment, there's nothing.

And then the bond is alive with recognition, want, belonging-

someone. Flaithri's someone.

Haunt's someone.