Egfor stood before Dem in the quaint little farmhouse North of Bree. He has never shown this side of himself to anyone before. He was terrified.
What if the man's spirit didn't want to talk? What if he scared Dem away? What if he said horrible things while under the control of the spirit? He quelled his fears for a moment.
He lifted his deerskin drum, starting to drum out a beat. He focuses on the task at hand. He opens his mouth, half singing and half chanting in a strange dialect of Dunnish that only other Soothsayers know.
He walks through a darkened forest trail, travelling from the world of the living to the spirit world.
Egfor arrived at tall gates made from gnarled and twisted roots. He stood at the gates, pressing a hand over the deceased man's journal he had in a pocket on his robe, calling out for the man.
A spirit appeared before Egfor. He was a man of similar heritage to Egfor. He was short with short cropped hair and a goatee and he was missing one arm just above the elbow.
Jaesper looked bewildered someone even summoned him, "....Can I help you?"
Egfor nods, beckoning him, "A man named Demlemoth wishes to speak to you. I am Egfor." He turns his back to the spirit, waiting.
Jaesper was glad the man turned his back, his face contorting into one of pain and regret. Without another word, he runs at Egfor's back, slamming them both into the world of the living once more.
Egfor's spirit took a step back. He was still present, but he let Jae's spirit take control and talk and move through him.
Egfor's face looked horribly confused. Jaesper had no idea where he was. He looked down, startled by the height and that he had TWO hands. He marveled at the feeling of being whole once more before he heard Egfor chuckle, bringing him back to the room. He settled his eyes on Dem who was sitting by the fire, holding Dunwine for his own comfort.
As Jae and Dem talked, Egfor got a few distinct memories from the deceased man's life.
There was a loud argument, angry, shouting words, of which Egfor couldn't make out due to Jae's mind at the time being clouded with anger and pain. The man rode off, looking back just once.
Jae let Egfor see a tender memory of himself and Dem laying in bed talking tenderly for hours in each other's arms.
Jae showed Egfor one last memory.
They were on a ship, cruising down the coast to get to the mouth of the Baranduin to barge up it towards Bree. The weather was less than kind, the violent storm tossing the merchant vessel like a toy in a fountain. There were frantic shouts. Jae turned just in time to see a massive wave leer over the ship before it crashed down over the deck. Jae dashed his head on the deck, having no memory of the ship being smashed apart on the rocks. He came to briefly, being pulled down to the bottom of the ocean by riggings he got ensnared in. He fought back panic, trying to tug himself free. His lungs and body burned and ached from holding his breath as he struggled. He watches the turbulent surface slip away as he got pulled more down into the dark, cold calmness of the waters and death. His final thoughts were on the love he was abandoning.
Egfor came out of Jae's memory, in time for them to crouch down and take a distraught Dem into their arms. As Jae comforted Dem, both Jae and Eg were struck with near identical thoughts: placeholder.
Jae felt and realized he was a placeholder for Dem to find this man in the world of the living
Egfor felt Jae's pain, then felt an arrow pierce his own heart. He knew he was just a placeholder till these two got reunited beyond the grave. He wondered if Morter would even be waiting for him. Doubts ran through his mind, and pain. He wanted to be someone's. He didn't want to be a liminal man, to be a fleeting love between loves or love and death. He ended the ritual when he felt his hold on the spirit of Jae slipping away.
Dem and Egfor went to dleep. Though Egfor couldn't remain asleep.
He woke up and listened to Dem breathe slow and deep in his sleep. He emits a soft sigh and pulls out from his arms, throwing on clothes and stepping outside for a walk.
Before he knew it, he found himself at a stone cairn, Morter's grave. He staggered and fell down onto his knees, wretched sobs wracked his body till the dawn crept upon him and found him.
