Bratinus and the Pool of Enlightenment
Seraphis frowned. His magic was too far removed from that of the ancients – he could not find even a crease in Bratinus's defensive wards. He stood there, looking on in frustration. He had alerted them of his presence in his final efforts, and now he needed to back away and observe.
His cream and honey scales shimmered as he seemed to wave into nothingness – as if he had been a mirage and had never even been there in the first place.
He wouldn't give up. He would sit and wait.
Ardyn walked over the golden leaf litter that marked the paths of the Brati – the leaves did not crunch beneath her feet. They were like silken petals that whispered as she passed, and her Song of Nature registered every note they provided.
Her inner song was leading her to a place seldom used by the Brati. She had been meditating, and her inner song began to resonate with an external force.
She allowed this resonance to lead her. The Brati passively watched, and Atina tracked her to be sure all was well.
"My Empress."
Ardyn paused and looked to the Bratus speaking to her.
"Someone has tried to enter Bratinus. We cannot track this person precisely, but we can see the trail they have left."
Ardyn's eyes flicked to Atina, and the warrior subtly nodded in response and faded into shadow.
"Thank you for the warning. My companion will check the situation. Please forgive me for bringing this to your door." Ardyn bowed as she spoke, and the Bratus returned the respective bow.
"No need to apologize, Empress. You are of Bratinus – it is an extension of your home and therefore your sanctuary and your refuge."
"Thank you for your kindness."
Ardyn continued her walk, and the massive trees opened up to her to reveal a small pool of the bluest water. The Brati whispered behind her, their soft voices like a hushed wind moving through a dense canopy of spring leaves.
The pool called to her – much like the sacred forest of Ursi Viridis Circulus called to her – and she went to it without fear. She undressed and entered its warm, deep waters.
As she did, she felt her song breathe in a way that warmed her body. The waters seemed alive and flowed up her body and entered her mouth and nose – and she allowed it without resistance.
The waters of the cleansing pool nourished her and brought her an enlightenment that she had yet to fully understand. It came to her in clear, fragmented visions of a truth she felt in her heart and soul but her mind had no recollection of.
She saw snippets of the answer she sought. She stood in a pool of water the color of blood but as clear as crystal. It sloshed around her in large waves, power blooming in the torrents of its swells. And it spoke to her inner song. It moved her forward, and she felt Varric drawn to her.
A brilliant strand tied between them, and she felt the truth, darkness, and wonder of eons flow through her being at once.
The vision shattered, and she felt both enlightened and confused – as if a piece of the puzzle had been set, but the rest had been scrambled beyond recognition.
She had no time to understand this as the water continued its work.
She felt her runic mark squirm along her skin, as if it were waking up from a long sleep. The mark began to evolve in a way different than before, and she began to understand it and the powers within her that it controlled and resonated with.
As she slowly and methodically began to learn, the mark grew darker and bolder on her skin, then it faded all together. She slowly learned how to bring it back to the surface of her skin, how she could use it while it was unseen, and how much more potent it was when it was visible.
The mark had a sentience that was akin to the sentience of a soul weapon, and Ardyn began learning how to use it as a weapon and a shield.
As the waters receded from her, she was left exhausted and gasping for breath, but she did not move. She allowed the waters to restore her strength. While it did so, she began to understand the enlightenment.
She smiled as she understood she could return in 12 hours and learn more, and that the more she learned, the longer she could endure the enlightenment process.
She leaned back, sure she was even closer to the secrets that she needed.