✦ Ikiryo ✦
"I still don't understand what we're doing here," I whispered to Yumi.
"Shhh. Lower your voice, they might hear us," she muttered back.
I gave her a look. "You know we're not staying here forever, right?"
"Huh? I know, Ikiryo. But can't you just show a little respect? Let me remind you, it's thanks to them that your wounds were treated—and that you're—I mean, we're—still alive."
"No, it's not because of them, Yumi." My voice sharpened, more than I meant it to.
I clenched my fists, jaw tight.
"It's because I fought a monster. I jumped into the dark hole. I made sure we landed safely." I said – How could she not see that?
"I didn't mean it like that. I just—"
"You know what? Forget it. You don't get it anyway."
I instantly regretted saying it. But the words were already out, echoing in the dim space between us. I couldn't take them back. And I don't want to look at her.
As we followed the tall, smug-looking guy from earlier—the one from the tent—I kept my eyes busy. Around us were dozens of tents, some small, some larger. A torch stood in front of each one, flames flickering, casting warm but eerie glows in the surrounding darkness.
Everyone was dressed in white. Women wore long, draped dresses. Men wore white tops, white on the bottom as well. Strangely, I didn't see any teenagers.
Except for Varric. He looked about our age, but he wore black from head to toe.
Walking with them to this strange "fireplace gathering" made us stand out. Yumi was still wearing that now-dusty orange hoodie—once bright, now dulled by the dirt and shadows. I was dressed all in black, my half-sleeves revealing the tattoos still burning on my arm like freshly inked runes.
We finally reached our destination: a circular fire pit surrounded by people. The flames roared in the center. At least twenty of them were seated around it.
One man sat directly across from us, clearly their elder. He had the longest beard I'd ever seen, tiny slit-like eyes, and a face wrinkled like cracked leather left in the sun.
"Ikiryo," Yumi whispered.
"What?"
"What are you thinking about?"
"Nothing. Drop it."
She sighed. "Stop. I know when you're in your head—you do that thing with your eyebrows."
I stayed silent.
"If it's about earlier, I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't mean to dismiss what you did."
I let the apology sit for a moment. "I was just thinking about the bridge. The fight. Everything that led us here."
"Yeah… surreal," she muttered. "I still can't believe you have tattoos now. What happened out there? What do they mean? We haven't even had time to talk about it."
"Yumi, one question at a time." I exhaled, finally about to explain—
But just then, the fire dimmed. The flames shrunk and flickered, their colors draining to ash and smoke. Without hesitation, the old man tossed a gray powder into the pit. A burst of light roared upward, reigniting the fire in brilliant orange-blue hues.
The atmosphere thickened. Mist coiled around us like breath in cold air.
Everyone stood. Then, in sync, they sat, bowed to the floor, palms raised high.
Yumi and I glanced at each other, panicked, mouthing silent confusion back and forth. We were completely out of place.
Varric sat a few seats away from us. He didn't join the bowing.
Then, the air shifted again.
Something moved.
Something… passed through me.
Like a wind, but deeper. Like a thought, but heavier.
"Young one."
I looked to my left. Then my right.
No one was speaking to me.
"What are you searching for?"
My chest tightened. My eyes widened.
It was him.
Again.