Refreshing the Long Memory of the Brati
Ardyn stayed in the Enlightenment Pool for four hours. When she left, she felt the magic radiating through and around her. It was so new and so intoxicating.
She stood at the edge of the pool, listened to her song, and understood so much more. Nature was a cornerstone to her magic. It dictated and shaped the direction and definition of it. The purple hue was the color of her wisdom and peaceful nature.
She smiled – the enlightenment also caused her to make a decision about her family. She would truly have to talk to Varric tonight.
She went to the Brati. The Great Mother stepped forward – her branches laden with fruit and swaying calmly as she moved. Ardyn bowed, and the Great Mother of the Brati did the same, but hers was lower – her heavy branches brushing lightly against the ground.
"I wanted to speak to you about what I have seen while in the Enlightenment Pool."
"Please, Empress, speak freely."
"Long years ago, your people went searching. You were young, and the land was in its prime. You became lost, fell in love with what you found, and forgot your original goal," Ardyn spoke as her soul sea led her. "You were seeking a spring. It is part of you, and without it, you are incomplete and are splintering from the inside out."
"I will go to the spring and see if it can come to Bratinus or if the Brati need to go to it." She stood and waited. She could feel the fear, outrage, and doubt moving toward her like a dark tide.
"It is not true. We Brati forget nothing."
"We forget much, every day, every year, we forget more and more." They looked to the soft golden leaves littering the forest floor as one.
Ardyn looked to them as well. Her amethyst eyes began to shine like opulent jewels, and she saw the fading magic slipping away from the leaves like sands through an hourglass. The magic left and seemed to not cycle through the forest like the rest of the Brati magic. She nodded in understanding but said nothing.
"The Empress is of Sidus Serpens and therefore she is with us. Why would she lie? We will support her."
The Great Mother of the Brati looked to Ardyn. "We will give you aid, Empress."
Three leaves moved toward her. "The grey Leaf is the Leaf of Life. The black is the Leaf of the Whole, and the red leaf is the Leaf of Spark. I cannot tell you what they will do for you because it is always different and depends on the wielder and the situation. But be sure – they will help you."
Ardyn nodded, and she felt her mark come to life and swallow the leaves as one. Ardyn instantly felt all three settle into her soul sea.
She looked to the Brati. "Thank you. I will use them well and I will return to you soon."
The Brati bowed as one, their canopies sweeping the area clean.
'Atina, I am coming to you. I assume Seraphis will come out when he senses me.'
'I am ready, My Lady.'
Ardyn pulled on her connection with Atina and moved through the webbing. The strands of magic slid across her own magic but didn't pull on her or try to hinder her movement at all.
She appeared next to Atina, and before they could speak, a dark portal opened. Seraphis stepped through and looked at Ardyn with absolutely no emotion in his eyes.
He moved in an instant. Atina moved to intercept him. A swell of black rose before Atina and moved to Seraphis. He responded by swinging his arm lazily toward her.
His death magic hit the wall and reflected back to him. He did not try to avoid his own strike and allowed the magic to hit him. He absorbed it as if he was a sponge.
As he did that, Atina sent a strike that hit him full on the chest. His scales cracked and broke, and golden blood seeped from the fine breaks, yet Seraphis cast a dark spell as if he had no injuries at all.
A black mist fell upon Atina and sunk into the skin of her right arm. It blackened and began to shrivel. Atina pulled out her short blade and cut her arm at the shoulder before the curse spread throughout her body.
She moved toward Seraphis as if she hadn't just lost an arm.
Ardyn was furious – and her mark answered. The runic mark shimmered and – like in her enlightenment visions – slid from her body like water sliding down the side of a slick surface.
The runes shone for a brief moment, then the mark became amorphous. Power rolled from it in frightening waves, and even Seraphis showed a slight hint of fear in his normally emotionless eyes.
The mark fanned out and simultaneously did four things: it struck out at Seraphis, raised a shield, began defending both Ardyn and Atina, and stood beside Ardyn and fought as if they had been in a cohort for decades.
Ardyn's vine staff struck out, and the runic mark fought in tandem with it. They fought together as if she had unlocked all of the mark's secrets.
She didn't think about it; her rage was at the forefront. She just fought. Her eyes were glowing vibrantly, and vines shot across the air – power vibrating around her.
Seraphis faltered as he took multiple strikes at once. He calmly looked at Ardyn – a portal opened behind him – and he left.
Ardyn slowed to a halt and she turned to Atina. "Are you okay? Come, let's try this leaf the Brati—"
"I am fine, My Lady. I have a healing tonic. It will take a few hours but my arm will grow back." Atina drank a black, pungent brew and watched the runic mark return to Ardyn's body and then disappear.
Ardyn nodded and turned to the mountain range in the distance. "Fine. If you are not one hundred percent in a few hours, I will intervene."
"And if I say we should go back to Bratinus?"
"I would say we have too much to do, and I am fine."
Ardyn nodded. Her eyes scanned the mountain ahead. "I thought you might. Can you sense Seraphis?"
"Yes. You injured him badly. Your mark inflicts soul injuries. He will not be bothering us for a while."
"Then let's find this spring so we can get back to our task."
She closed her eyes – anger mingling with determination and her inner growth.
'Varric! My love. Seraphis just injured Atina. We pushed him back – and we will get him.'
'Do you need me there now!?'
'No my love. All is well here. I need you to do something for me there – in Serpentia.'
'Tell me what you need, and I will give it.'
'Get the Stronghoods and hold them for me until I return. They will not hurt anyone else ever again.'