Vincent stood in front of the door to Julius's room. There was a special lock on it just to keep the cat, Papyrus-Pappy, they called him- from beeling for the kitchen to sit in the fridge or freezer… again.
He could already hear the familiar scratching on the other side of the door, Pappy's excited, almost frantic claws raking the wood as he waited to be freed. The fluffy bastard had always been a bit too smart for his own good, and his obsession with cold spots in the house had given Vincent more than one heart attack over the years. He still remembered the time he'd had to pry Pappy out from between the milk jugs.
Slowly, Vincent cracked the door open, careful not to accidentally hit his furry friend. No sooner had the door moved than he heard the familiar high-pitched squeal, and an enormous, fluffy black cat- easily the size of a fat corgi- launched himself into Vincent's arms.
"Uncle Vinny!" Rayner heard clearly in the excited voice of the cat, though to Vincent, it was just an enthusiastic yowl.
Vincent chuckled as he caught Pappy, the cat rubbing face against Vincent's chin before delivering his usual playful bite. "I missed you too, you fluffy bastard," Vincent muttered affectionatly as he held the massive cat close.
Rayner, observing the reunion, couldn't help but be amused. Pappy was, without a doubt, the largest cat he had ever seen, practically a smaller medium dog in size.
"You smell like trees. I like trees! But where's the food?" Pappy's curious voice filled Rayner's ears. The cat's single-minded focus on food was almost comical, though Rayner had to admit that he had no room to comment.
As soon as Pappy noticed Rayner, his eyes widened with delight. Instead of cowering or hissing like most creatures would at the sight of Rayner's current form, the massive cat's response was immediate and enthusiastic.
"New friend!" Pappy squealed, jumping out of Vincent's arms with surprising grace for his size. His fluffy tail flicked with excitement as he trotted straight over to Rayner without a hint of fear. "Hello new Friend! Why is Auntie Marcelia on your back sleeping?"
Rayner blinked, momentarily startled by the cat's boldness. In the fae tongue, he responded, "Hello, little one. What is your name?"
"Papryus!" the cat declared proudly, puffing out his already impossibly fluffy chest. Do you want to share some sardines with me?"
Rayner couldn't help but chuckle. It was rare for any creature to be so unafraid of his montrious form. He found Papyrus's innocence oddly refreshing. "Sardines, you say? I'm afraid I don't have any at the moment, little one."
Papyrus titled his head, clearly undeterred. "That's okay! We'll find some later. You smell nice- like trees and flowers!" The cat circled around Rayner, sniffing curiously at the blossoms still sprouting from his horns.
Vincent, observing the sense with a mix of bemusement and curiosity, finally spoke up. "Well, it seems Pappy here has decided you're part of the family. Though I still don't know your actual name…" He trailed off, glancing pointedly at Rayner, though the fae didn't respond verbally.
Miruna glanced at Papyrus and smiled. "He always did have a nose for new friends and snacks." She looked over at Vincent, "But let's focus on rescuing Julius's belongings."
Rayner simply nodded, his horns shifting slightly as a few more blossoms sprouted in response to the light atmosphere. He had to admit, though he couldn't speak in their tongue at the moment, there was something strangely comforting about this human family and their oversized, food-obsessed cat.
Papyrus purred, content with the new friend he'd made, "Sardines later, okay?" he reminded, trotting back to Vincent's side.
Vincent and Miruna stepped into Julius's room, a space untouched by the devastation outside, The protective runes on the door had done their jobs, keeping the chaos at bay. It felt like entering a time capsule- everything was neat, familiar, and oddly serene.
Miruna immediately pulled out a few enchanted bags from her satchel, moving with practiced efficiency. "I'll gather his research," she said softly, her voice echoing through the quiet room. "You take both his desks. Both of his father made those for him."
Vincent let out a soft chuckle, despite the weight of the situation. "The gods know if I don't grab those, Julius will never forgive me."
As they got to work, Rayner poked his head through the door, his keen eyes immediately catching sight of Papyrus pawing insistently at a set of drawers. The black cat, large and fluffy, was undeterred by the commotion around him. "Friend," Papyrus called out excitedly, "This is where Papa keeps the snacks. Do you want to share with me?"
Rayner's laughter rumbled in his chest, a hearty sound that briefly filled the room with a lighter atmosphere. "What kind of snack, little one?" he asked, his voice rich with amusement, though he quickly quieted when he noticed Marcelia stir in her sleep on his back.
Miruna glanced over her shoulder, a knowing smile tugging at her lips. "Oh, probably cat treats, ramen noodles and sardines, Pappy's staples."
Vincent, still rummaging through some of Julius's belongings, shook his head with mock exasperation. "Miruna, what are the fae prince and our esteemed fluffy friend chatting about now? And will you ever tell me how you and all the gals in the Sisterhood of the All-Mother manage to understand cats?"
Miruna grinned, not missing a beat. "The All-Mother loves cats, Vincent. It's only natural. And by the way," she added, her tone teasing, "the Prince's name is Rayner. You might want to stop calling him Prince, pretty sure he's not fond of it."
Vincent paused, raising an eyebrow as he tossed a glance in Rayner's direction. "Is that so? You don't care for Prince, huh?"
Rayner, trying his best to appear aloof, shugged, though the rolling of his eyes betrayed his real feelings. "Yeah," he muttered, the use of the mortal tongue still feeling a bit foreign in his mouth. "Not… really."
Vincent let out a playful snort, amused by the fae's candidness. "Noted. Rayner it is then."
As the banter continued, Rayner's speech was still slow and deliberate, the mortal words forming on his tongue like something half-forgotten and now rediscovered. But with each phrase, it became clearer. Miruna noticed his effort and, with a kind smile, said, "You're getting better at it."
Rayner gave her a small, appreciative nod. "It's… coming back. Slowly."
Papyrus, never one to miss out on attention, chimed in again, "Still want to share those snacks?" His tail flicked with anticipation, clearly more interested in sardines than conversation.
Vincent laughed, shaking his head as he finally pulled open the drawer where Julius kept his snacks. "Alright, alright, Pappy, you win." He tossed a few sardines toward the eager cat. "Looks like you're a hit, Rayner. Pappy doesn't just offer to share his precious sardines with anyone."
Rayner smiled faintly, watching Papyrus devour the fish with enthusiasm. "I am… honored," He said with a wry tone, his speech becoming smoother with every sentence.
Papyrus trotted up to Rayner, Proudly pushing a can of sardines toward Rayner with his paw, his fluffy black tail twitching in excitement. "Here, friend," He said, his yellow-green eyes gleaming in the dim light. "I promised this fae that came out of the book Papa was working on that I'd be good for him. It promised to take care of him… and the bullies who hurt him."
Rayner's brows furrowed as he crouched down beside Papyrus, his gaze sharp with concern. "A fae? What kind of fae, little one? Did it say?"
Papyrus, still blissfully unaware of the tension building in Rayner, tilted his head as he pressed himself against the fae's leg. "It called itself a Ceaith-ysyr," he said lazily. "It also mentioned bringing back Grandma and Grandpa, but I didn't even know they had left."
Rayner froze. Ceaith-ysyr. The Magic Eater. Fae, once harmless within the Fae Wilds, but her, in the mortal realm, they could be dangerous- volatile without a constant source of magic to feed on. And they had been extinct for two thousands years.
The Magistrate had wiped them out, after trying, and failing, to use them as weapons. The aftermath had led to a catastrophic magical embalance in the Wild's environment that still lingered to this day.
His voice was tense as he asked, "Did this Ceaith-ysyr say anything else?"
Papyrus purred contentally, snuggling closer to Rayner. "It promised me it would take care of Papa and bring back the ones Papa lost." He kneeded into Rayner's leg, his innocent warmth contrasting sharply with the cold dred that was settling into Rayner's gut. "It said it needed to barrow Papa's boby for a bit, something about how long it was sealed having no physical form anymore. Said I shouldn't worry, that it'll make things better soon."
Rayner's mind raced, Julius was its vessel. Papyrus," Rayner said slowly, carefully, "this fae… did it say anything else?"
Papyrus stretched, clearly unconcerned. "Just that everything will be alright soon. And that Papa doesn't need to worry. It's taking care of everything."
Rayner swallowed, his gut telling him something was terribly wrong. "Little one," he said gently, stroking Papyrus's fur, "fae promises are… tricky. Even when they sound kind, there's often more to them than meets the eye."
The cat blinked up at him, his yellow-green eyes wide and trusting. "But the fae promised. And fae can't break promises."
"Yes… we can't break promises," he murmured. But what promise had Julius been given? How much of this was by Julius's choice, and how much had been decided for him?
The implications weighed heavily on Rayner. The Ceaith-ysyr had latched onto Julius, borrowing his body for its own proposes. And while it had promised to protect Julius, fae promises were never simple. If Julius was unaware of what was happening, trapped in a delusion crafted by the fae, it was impossible to tell how far the Ceaith-ysyr was willing to go to keep its word.
For now, all Rayner had were fragments. But he knew one thing for certain- he had to figure out what the Ceaith-ysyr truely wanted, before it was too late.
Rayner's thoughts spiraled, tangled with worry as he processed what Papyrus had said. His mind clung to the word Ceaith-ysyr, and dread crept up his spine. But before he could ask more, Miruna's calm voice cut through the chaos.
Papyrus trusts this Ceaith-ysyr," she said as she finished packing the last of Julius's research into the enchanted bags. "And so should we, for now. We can discuss this more with Willow and Zearik once Marcelia wakens."
Vincent glanced at her, Frowning. "But the Magistrate said the Ceaith-ysyr died out from a plague over two thousand years ago. Why would they lie about that?"
"It wasn't a plague," Miruna murmured, almost too softly, as if the weight of the truth was something ancient. "The Magistrate tried to weaponize them. When they realized the Ceaith-ysyr couldn't be controlled, they wiped them out. And now, the Fae Wilds have been suffering the consequence ever since."
Vincent let out a sharp breath, processing her words. "They covered it up?" His expression darkened. "Yep… that lines up with their track record…"
Miruna gave him a knowing glance but didn't offer more. There was something in her eyes, a flicker of understanding that went beyond simple knowledge. The members of Sisterhood of the All-Mother often knew more than they should, gifts granted by the goddess, whispers of truths woven into the world itself. Miruna, as her avatar, carried that burden more acutely than most.
"We'll figure it out together," she added, voice gentle but firm. "Right now, we need to finish here."
Rayner, who had been overhearing the conversation, clenched his jaw. He couldn't allow himself to get lost in what Papyrus had said about the Ceaith-ysyr. They still had a job to do.
Miruna turned to him, her expression steady. "Everything's packed. Now we need to destory what's left of the room so it matches the rest of the manor."
Rayner nodded, his movements deliberate as he turned toward the untouched remnants of Julius's room. He moved carefully, smashing the bedframe, and bookshelves into debris. Everything had to look as devastated as the rest of the manor. Despite his strength, each motion was controlled, ensuring that nothing of importancewas left behind. Rayner finished the task, stepping back as the room fell into ruin.
Miruna gave a satisfied nod. "It's done. We need to head to town now- Zearik and Willow are waiting for use with the other survivors. We can talk more then and once Marcelia wakes up."
Vincent put the enchanted bags into his satchel. "Right. Let's get going."
Ranyer followed, though his thoughts lingered on what Papyrus had said earlier. The Ceaith-ysyr had promised to take care of Julius, and fae promises weren't easily broken. But there was an undercurrent of unease. What exactly had this creature planned for Julius?"
Papyrus brushed up against Papryus's leg, purring as they made their way out of the ruined manor. Despite everything, the cat seemed oddly content, and Rayner found some strange reassurance in the creatures trust.
As they walked away from the smoldering ruins, Vincent shook his head, his voice low. "The Magistrate blamed everything on a plague. After all they've done, they're still covering their tracks>"
"Yes," Miruna responded softly, glancing at him with that knowing look again, "and now we have to decide what we do with that knowledge."