A Hand-Woven Universe 34 34. Smile

Trisha, Pride, and Elder Omias all stood outside the house. The streets around were slightly crowded as everyone went about their daily business. When people saw the three of them standing at the door, they had given them a wide berth. Especially Trisha, whose shirt was now crusting with dried blood.

"Pride, go inside and check on him first. If he is still out of it, you must restrict him."

"Mm."

Pride entered the house and slowly made his way towards the closed door that was the bathroom. He did not know what to think of this whole situation. His feelings were conflicted, having to restrain another person? What kind of messed up scenario was this? In a city where everyone could rely on the Common Heritage to unionize them, what he was being asked to do now was absurd.

The truth was… he felt scared. Whatever was happening, it was not a good thing. And the start of all of it was behind the door in front of him.

There was complete silence on the other side. Pride even reached out with his thoughts to try and link with Tommy, attempting to get any response. However as far as he could tell, there was no one there.

Although this was in line with what Trisha had said, if Tommy really was on the other side - it would be unheard of. Reluctantly, his thoughts shifted to Noone. The only person he had ever met who he couldn't sense. Of course, this was due to Noone being born without an affinity and the Common Heritage.

He took a sharp breath before swiftly throwing the door open. There was some resistance as first, before it eased up as Tommy - who had been standing against the door - was thrown across the bathroom, crashing into the opposite wall.

Pride's eyes were wide in shock. He did not want to believe that Tommy had actually been inside. He still reacted quickly though, dashing to where Tommy was before he had a chance to get on his feet.

Tahmel was just beginning to react to the presence of the new person when his body became weighed down. Pride was sitting on his back. He grabbed Tahmel's wrists and cinched them behind his body, making it impossible for him to push off the ground.

Tommy was now thrashing about on the floor under Pride's considerable weight. Pride grit his teeth and put more weight onto him. Tahmel's struggling only increased.

Pride tried to force a mental connection to Tommy in an attempt at getting him to calm down, but it was not working. He only continued to fight harder.

Finally, Pride ended up using all of his strength to fully restrain Tommy. His muscles were flexed tight, pinning Tommy against the floor.

"Elder, Trisha, it is okay to come inside now." Pride reached out to them and called them in. It was far better to do that than to bring Tommy out into the open. Inwardly, Pride was extremely shocked at how difficult it was to restrain Tahmel. He had not been fooling around like he would do when he wrestled in the taverns. He went in with enough force that Tommy should have been left immediately immobilized.

A few moments later both the elder and Trisha arrived outside the door to the bathroom. The elder had purposely placed himself in front of her.

When Tahmel saw the two of them he squirmed violently underneath Pride, nearly lifting Pride off the ground. Prides and the elders' eyes both went wide, they reacted quickly. Both used their attunements to suppress Tahmel further.

With a thud his body was flattened to the ground as a layer of dense air had appeared above him.

"Don't hurt him!" Trisha called out instinctually, but she bit her tongue. She could see clearly that they were doing their best not to seriously injure Tommy. However, her husband was also fighting back with significant force.

"Hmm?" The elders' eyes squinted as he looked at Tommy. He too had tried to reach out with the common heritage, but only received nothing in return. It was like Tahmel's consciousness had disappeared. On top of that… He looked at the power lines on Tahmel's body. They were basically non-existent except for slightly discolored skin where the lines of power should be.

Elder Omias continued to silently observer Tahmel, a frown deepened on his aging face. To his shock, he could feel his energy he was using to restrain Tahmel decreasing. It was very minute, almost unnoticeable. But it was as though his energy was being absorbed in to Tahmel's body. But where is it going? He thought silently.

"Trisha, when he bit you earlier... did you feel anything unusual occur with your attuned energy?"

Trisha thought for a moment, however it had all happened too fast, so she was unsure if anything untoward had occurred. She shook her head.

"I don't think so. However, it was very quick. I was only in contact with him for a moment." She stared at her husband.

Inside of her chest it felt like her heart was beating a thousand beats per minute. Her eyes were soft and beginning to shed tears. It felt to her as though everything she cared for was beginning to disappear in a fog of the unknown. The longer she looked at Tahmel, the less she could see of her husband. To be short, what she was feeling, to her - it was hell.

She stepped out and around from behind Elder Omias, walking towards her husband. The elder chose not to interfere and observed with careful attention. He was struggling with his own thoughts in that moment.

As she got closer, Tahmel struggled less and less. Eventually, all of his thrashing ceased as she stood within arm's reach of her husband.

She stared at him deeply, her heart beating sporadically.

"Tahmel… please. Look at me." She watched him, looking for any sign of recognition on his twisted expression.

His body shook, and gradually he looked up from the floor. His eyes looked into Trisha's. Her heart threatened to stop beating.

Her husband was gone. There was nothing there - no feelings, no emotions, no flowing power and elemental energy. These were not the eyes of a living man. Nor were they the eyes a dead man, though. She felt as though she was looking into glass marbles. Eyes that had never contained any life to begin with.
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Suddenly though, Tahmel's mouth curled up into a harsh thin-lipped grin, showing all of his teeth. His whole face scrunched up by the force of the smile. Trisha's heart suddenly missed a beat. This was not the smile of a human being. It felt vicious and deadly and cared not for anything but itself.

Trisha who had been staring into Tahmel's eyes felt a pulse of power overcome her mind, like a wave of hot needles showering through her brain. She immediately coughed up a mouthful of blood and clear liquid began to flow from her ears and eyes. She fell backwards – head narrowly avoiding the counter - and was quickly caught by the elder.

"That's not Tommy! That's not Tommy! What are you!?" Trisha screeched out, unable to look away from his dead eyes. Her body collapsed as she was overcome with tremors and she blacked out.

Elder Omias' eyes were wide. He was beginning to truly panic.

"Pride! Tie him up and leave him in the house! Whatever you do make sure he cannot get out. I am taking Trish to Elder Azelle. Tell Porose to check on the others who have been sick and spread the word for the elders to meet in the hall as soon as possible."

Pride grit his teeth, but only nodded. The sinking feeling he had been having, finally came to fruition.

Chapter end