The Grand Weave

"Come in," Syrreisha chimed.

The room was enchanted, and her voice would inform the person by the door to enter.

Sitting behind the curtain that served as a visual and audible barrier I watched as Syrreisha clasped her hands and waited for the burly man to shut the door. Once he did, more enchantments came to life.

He grunted and dipped his head. The long braided beard reached his chest and poofed up but he didn't react.

"How are you doing, Loregg?"

Loregg was a short man, a few inches above my height. He sported meaty hands with a long red tattoo crawling up his sleeveless arms.

He wore a simple tunic, dark green that made his fiery hair pop.

Notably, his eyes were rust, and normal. Outside of the generic appearance, he looked hale and healthy.

But then he raised his arm and I saw the fear that crossed his eyes. It came and went as quick as his breath and he shook Syrreisha' hand before retracting his arm and keeping it to the side, just slightly behind himself.

"Enough with the pleasantries," he grunted. "You said I could finally be free of this curse?"

Syrreisha nodded. She motioned for the couch and continued to smile even as the man nearly pushed her out of the way.

She turned and stared at the curtain and gave a sympathetic smile, though I know it wasn't aimed at me.

There wasn't much information I had on the guy. Syrreisha wanted me to experience a patient without knowing their troubling history, as I wasn't technically read in.

And while the patients gave consent, it was an extra step. For now, I knew he was an ex-adventurer. One who ran with the same party for well over a dozen years before they had an accident.

Dungeon dive, and getting trapped in the lowest depths during the last day of the month. Syrreisha didn't give me the details, but it wasn't hard to guess at the outcome.

Now he worked as a smith's assistant and helped craft metal tools and other knick knacks.

Loregg sat on the chair but he looked as comfortable as a baby on a barstool. He leaned from side to side before punching the cushion to stabilize himself. His other arm remained limp, almost forgotten until his eyes changed to slate-gray. The flash came and went. He bit his lip while grumbling to himself.

Syrreisha sat on the opposite chair and poured him a cup. He took it, and drank deep. But if the healer cared, she didn't show it. As soon as he presented the cup again, she took it and set it aside.

"Alright woman. I've done your rituals. Can we get this done? I got work in the forge to do," he complained.

"I would advise against returning to work after this, but what you do outside this office is up to you," she said calmly. She pulled out a contract and set it on the table between them. "Before we begin you will be signing this as we agreed."

He narrowed his eyes but opened his mouth. His teeth became silver and he bit down on his thumb, tearing a small gash along its surface. Silently, he squeezed fat droplets of gray blood onto the contract before Syrreisha added her own.

Loregg flinched and growled as he rubbed his chest, while the healer remained calm and unmoving.

"Damn contracts..." he muttered.

With the contract in place, she stood up and conjured a small cloth made of yellow gauze. She then activated a skill and mana flared to life.

It was strong, vibrant. I imagined the roots of several flowers holding steady as the flowers grew to the skies. The mana felt comforting, and steady.

An emerald-green vine sprang from the ground and grew fat and heavy before it curved. After a few seconds it settled into the loose form of a chair with golden flowers decorating its sides..

Waves of energy dripped from the flowers and created a faint shimmer. Loregg stood up and eyed the thing but sat down and braced his arms along the rests. His feet were lifted and supported by fat leaves before one of the flowers hung lower and coated him in golden lights.

"As I said in the letter I sent. You are the first. I'll be monitoring you throughout the procedure but I cannot promise complete safety. Do you-"

Metal fingers bent the vine, as he gnashed his teeth. "If you can take away even a fraction of the curse. Then I'll gladly sacrifice whatever you need. Don't baby me!"

She sighed and looked at the curtain. "Very well."

He snatched the gauze blindfold and secured it around his eyes. The enchantments activated lining themselves in bright-white lines.

He instantly calmed.

I tapped my skull. Galarion leaked out and landed on my palm with a wave of neon tentacles.

"Ready?" I asked.

"Delicious memories!" he replied.

"Only take what was given. And go slow. I wanna see the process."

He deflated but perked right up and extended his tentacles. During the small exchange, he kept himself confined. He could have read Loregg's mind, but we promised to be on our best behavior and not commit anymore crimes.

"You may begin," Syrreisha instructed, having closed her eyes and extending her hand above Loregg's head.

She had an analyzing skill, so I knew she would try to glimpse the process like I planned to.

Galarion hopped off my hand and glided through the air. He parted the curtain and elongated one of his tentacles until it touched the man's forehead.

As he activated his skill, I closed my eyes and probed with my senses.

"Loregg. I want you to remember what you consider is a curse. Embrace the memory and think of only it. We want to help, this is what you wanted. Offer only that which you want forgotten."

Loregg gnashed his teeth and his arm twitched in short bursts. Through the link, I knew Galarion was probing his mind but he held back.

"Think of Alyo, Mirreo, and Vorster. Remember the dungeon. The monsters. That day that you despise. Embrace the pain and will it gone."

"Mine!" Galarion shouted.

And before I could tell him to slow down, Galarion's mana churned and curved in a complex mixture of actions. He retracted his tentacle and bounced around before landing on my lap.

"Can I eat now?" he begged.

I frowned and booped his head. He flattened like a pancake and I rolled my eyes.

"Not yet. Make a copy first. Then we'll eat after Loregg leaves."

Galarion pouted but complied. And I turned my senses to the man in question.

His arms were shaking and he clutched the gauze around his eyes. Tears slipped down and drenched his shirt but they did not stop.

Syrreisha placed a hand atop his chest and a wave of green-light flowed around him before entering his skin. He calmed and his breathing returned but he continued to cry.

"I-I..." he tried before clearing his throat. "It's gone. They are gone, I can't remember their deaths!"

"But you know they died?" Syrreisha probed.

"Y-yes! Their funerals, I remember them clear as day. But their deaths! I know they died, but not how!"

"You remember their names?"

"Yes! Alyo, Mirreo, Vorster! I remember them all. Th-they are still with me."

Syrreisha leaned closer and gently placed her hands around his ears. With a tug, the gauze came free, revealing blood-shot eyes glistening with unshed tears.

"I would like to perform a few tests, to ensure that you are whole. Do you think you are up for that? Loregg?"

He rubbed his eyes and combed his beard with his fingers. As he did, he stared at his arm and stopped. For a time he didn't respond, unmoving and waiting.

But no twitch.

And Syrreisha waited patiently beside him.

He slowly lowered his arm and breathed in deep before exhaling. "Aye. I can handle a few tests. But I have a request."

"And what do you request?"

He pointed to the curtain. "Whoever is back there, I... I want to thank them."

Syrreisha frowned. "You remember the contract? The healer would like their anonymity."

Loregg stood up. "Whoever you are, please. You have performed a miracle. I came here today, expecting another experiment to scrape away at the curse. To scrape! But you've done so much more. Please."

He trembled. The once gruff man with flint in his eyes, shook as a single tear rolled down his cheek.

Syrreisha touched a brooch on her cloak. "It is up to you."

I watched the man, standing there with weak knees that looked ready to give out. This wasn't what I expected

I felt another headache begin. I thought about asking Galarion to help but I shook my head and summoned my mask. I changed it so it was all black with only white outlines for eyes.

My horns were harder to hide, but I had a scarf that I wrapped around my head. It looked weird, and suspicious but the horns were hard to guess if you looked at it without knowing what lay underneath.

Galarion slid behind my ears and through my skull while I parted the curtain and stopped.

Better change my voice.

I took on a gravelly pitch and nodded to the man. "There's no need to thank me. I was performing my duty."

Loregg nodded and combed his beard again. "Thank you."

"Have a good day, Loregg," I said as I grabbed the curtain.

But before I could pull it across and reactivate the enchantment, Loregg sprinted forward.

Oof!

His muscular arms wrapped around my chest and squeezed. My bones popped and he released me to dive into a deep bow.

"Thank you. Truly."

I refrained from exhaling and closed the curtain. Once the barrier was up and the enchantments came online, I exhaled and groaned.

The dude was a lot stronger than he looked. Even with my passive boosting my body, he crushed it with one squeeze.

Behind the curtain, Syrreisha had led him to the couch and chair while summoning a variety of instruments. A few I recognized as she had used them on Galarion the other day.

Over the course of the next fifteen minutes, she ran him through a gamut of tests before leading him to the door and waving goodbye.

Once shut she grinned and exhaled deeply.

"Thank you, Cyrus. For helping him."

I pushed through the curtain and collapsed on a chair. "I wasn't expecting the hug, but I didn't really do anything."

She shook her head and offered me a cookie that I wolfed down before inhaling some fresh tea.

"That may be the case, but you did not have to come here. So again, I thank you. And Galarion as well."

I waved her off. "I literally signed up to do this. So whatever. How much longer until the next patient?"

"About fifteen minutes."

"Then excuse me. I'm going to view the memory."

Her smile dropped and her shoulders lowered. "I don't like the idea of copying someone's memory. But I will accept it. All I ask is to please be careful. It would be a terrible fate to cure one patient only to create another."

"No worries. Galarion has me covered."

The squid extended a tentacle out of my forehead and gave Syrreisha a thumbs-up. I laughed and closed my eyes.

"Ready?" I asked.

"Here you go! Then I eat, right?" he said.

"Yes. You can eat as soon as I start the memories."

"Okay!"

Before I could protest the memory slammed into my thoughts like a hammer and I played through the pseudo-dreamscape movie.

The memory slowed. No supplies, no food or water, and no potions. The team were desperate, and hiding in a hidden corner while their enchantment was slowly failing.

We have to get out. We need to get out now. They won't like it, but if we stay, we'd die from another boss spawning in.

An elf, and two humans. They were his team. From the failing of the enchantment that's where the start of the wretched night began.

They snuck their way up the sixth floor, battled and skirmished up the fifth. But the fourth floor held the first casualty.

Loregg's memories burned, and I could taste the blood and fear like sour slime.

Alyo hurt. I have to save her. I need to. But we can't leave, the damn mobs are guarding the exit!

Mirreo and Vorster argued, but Alyo watched, her eyes glued to the hole. If only-

Blood, a fountain that coated the walls and the rest of the team. The monster had slid through the crack, a form of slime monster that could slide through earth.

Alyo was a goner, her body dropped. The crunching was visceral, as if it was next to my ear, while the slime chewed with teeth made of rocks.

They defeated the monster. But only because Mirreo sacrificed himself in a frenzy that blew up the horde.

Loregg's memory was salty, drenched with tears, blood and sweat. The two snuck their way through the third floor and fought tooth and nail to make it into the safezone separating the second and first floors.

But mobs had swelled and slime-knights using stone as armor blocked their paths.

Loregg yelled at Vorster to retreat but it was too late. Before he could fight back, Vorster activated his skills and knocked Loregg aside.

Blood. No! No! Vorster!

The memory burned and Loregg's rage stirred mine before I shoved it deep.

I wanted to finish the memory. I had to.

Vorster lost his left leg and right arm. He hopped and straddled one of the monsters and activated several skills. While it destroyed the monster, the other one attacked and cut him off his other limbs.

Loregg activated his own skills and tried to save his friend, but again he was knocked away and the monster took Vortster's head.

Nooooo!

The monster died, but not before more surged up the stairwell and forced Loregg back. He rushed for the exit, tears in his eyes.

And yet it wasn't the end even as he came upon the portal. Another horde waited before the exit, as the strongest clawed at the portal's edges, pushing against the thick film of mana.

Loregg snapped, his memory literally fractured as he rushed forward and tore them down. His arm became a weapon of death that was sandwiched between a monster's jaws and was crushed as he cut down the final foe.

As he collapsed and fell toward the exit, the memory stopped and I opened my eyes.

"Cyrus? What's wrong?" Syrreisha asked as she placed a hand on my chest.

Mana came in waves and I felt my mind ease as my breathing slowed. I grasped for the tea and downed it until the taste went away.

As I opened my eyes I leaned back and stared at the ceiling.

"Cyrus?" she asked again.

"Sorry. The memory... was intense."

She refilled my cup and stood. "If we need to stop, I can-"

I shook my head. "No."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Call the next one in. I'm ready."

Syrreisha stood still and observed me before slowly nodding. "Alright. But we'll stop the moment you call it off. Your health is just as important as theirs."

I smiled and stepped behind the curtain. The memory replayed as fragments in my mind like a fading dream. But the feeling stayed.

"You ready to continue, buddy?"

Galarion hopped out and drooped down so his eyes were against mine. "Continue?"

I rubbed his head and nodded. "Continue. Let's help some people."