“Hhhgnghh…”Peter had never experiehe ‘weight of the world’ before, physically, in his, well former, life — he was fairly certain that it would have been a cakewalk pared to how he was feeling as sciousness crept into his whole being like a sugared-up four-year-old on Christmas Day m. “Oh… Holiest of Craps…”His head swam, toeing the liween ‘woogie’ and full-oigo’; his body felt double what it normally did, pressing down and in on him, feeling like he was being pressed; his brai like it was ed in a weighted bhat was some sort of unholy blend of spider-web and a high-t cotton weave; his mind, oher hand, felt slow, like it was wading through a cold, sticky, morass of mosses. Peter’s only saving grace of a thought was this: At least everything smells normal…

  Ever so slowly Peter moved, shifting in bed under his covers that felt just too heavy on him at the moment; breathing was, blessedly, a normal affair, and with an all-too-familiar aged groa up in bed, phantom pain filling his knees, and making them feel like they were crag more than a bowl of puffed rice cereal. That is something I sure as Xtha don’t miss…He mused as he stretched out his back, sitting straighter for a moment before rexing with a long sigh.Peter then crashed bato the surprisingly plush, fortable mattress with a groan. “Oh, today is going to be a great day…” He muttered to himself with a sigh then, lifting a heavy, tired arm, with fingers curling into the bhat covered him, with great effort, and maybe a little over-dramatic fir, flung the covers up and off of him. Heaving himself up and into a sitting position on the edge of the bed with a moan worthy of an elderly maretched out his back again.Closing his eyes, c his face with his hands, he sat there, pting a list of things in the most vaguest of senses as he still dealt with a brain that had more in on with refrigerated ba grease than anything else at the moment. Even though I’ve never been drunk… I’m going to treat this like a hangover.He mused ‘why not’ si felt close enough to what he had uood a hao be. That sounds like a good pn.So, with that in mind, Peter set about his m routine — a trip to the bathroom that the master bedroom of the visitor’s suite had, where he washed his face with magically heated water. He would worry about a proper, long, shower after breakfast. Speaking of breakfast…

  Putting on just enough clothes to be sidered det — a pair of knee-length shorts and a short-sleeved ‘short tunic’ that rovided to him by Anamea on Shepherd Vaunn’s behalf, as well as a pair of simple house slippers — Peter made his way to the kit.He hated to admit he was nervous, sidering one of his passions was cooking, but he felt it was a valid since he had no idea how Aetyros hahings and a good k of his time was learning what was ‘tech’, what was ‘magid what blehe two. Stoves, ovens, and the like were ‘blended’ using an athyrikly charged sigil array to heat things up ahings reguted.Peter made the mental parison to a gss-topped electric heating element to better his mind around how to work on it. All he o do rovide a small charge of athyr to spark it and he was ready to go; grabbing a pan and raiding the et that stood-in for the fridge (said et was sealed nid tightly, with the cooling and freezing temperatures being provided by athyrikly charged sigil of their own) for some fresh butter and a couple of eggs he stood before the stove-top with a sigh. Alright, here goes. My first attempt at cooking in another world.Feeling ‘pithy’ Peter snapped his fingers a a tiny spark of purple-ringed gold energy to the cook-top array — the soft red color it fshed near-immediately told Peter it was active aing up. Peter, however, had to lean against the nearby ter as a wave of wooziness hit him. Oooo~kay… That… That was not fun.Shaking his head to clear it he put the pan on the sigil array and spped a couple pats of butter into it, sliding them around with a ‘spork’. Letting that heat up he went over to a shelf and grabbed a bowl for the eggs and two slices of bread from the bread box — more of Miss Sharra’s soured-dough ‘Hiker’s Loaf’ bread — a about setting it up: crag the eggs into the bowl aing the bread into the pan to toast up (and giving a satisfied sigh when he heard the sizzle of the buttered paing the bread).As that toasted Peter set about crag and mixing up the eggs in the bowl grabbing the siil and pippa.He had to wonder just how much people like him, otherworlders, people pulled from other worlds and universes, had an influen Aetyros over their years. Admittedly, he was curious to see what influehose from another universe, different from his own, had oyros. Right now… try not to burn your toast…Peter reminded himself as he brought over the seasoned, beaten eggs and checked ooast. Mmm~He added a little more butter and flipped the bread, p the eggs over it aing them settle as he went back to the ‘fridge’ to grab some of the very thinly sliced siil-and-seasoned cured meat. Peter took a mild pleasure in the savory aroma as he s, “Mmm, dry-aged…”Without shame he stuffed two of the thin slices into his mouth as he grabbed four more for his breakfast sandwich — they were ‘deli-style’ so he felt no guilt using ‘so much’. “Toast, egg, meat… oh! Cheese!” He face-palmed, going back to the ‘fridge’ for the block of cheese and cutting himself a thin-ish slice… and then a sed for his sandwih escaped his lips as his stomach growled. The slightly peppered fvor, with the other seasonings, of the cured meat had awoken his stomach; likely a side-effect of using so much athyr the other day.Humming to himself he grabbed a very red bottle, adding a couple of shakes to his eggs before flipping it to cook on the first side a little more now that the eggs had mostly firmed up.

  “Smells good~” Traya shuffled out, yawning. “Thanks. It’s simple but tasty.” Peter smiled, “ you get the keffe going?” “Sure.” She nodded, getting the kettle and firing up another ‘burner’ oove-top, looking over at Peter as he flipped the eggs back over, adding the cheese a folding the eggs in, and then folding the bread ‘shut’, pressing the sandwich against the pan with the spatu and chug at the hiss it made. “There we go.” Peter said, flipping aing, “Man, I am hungry…” “I imagine so.” Traya sighed, “After what you did yesterday? I was sure you would have… that…” She paused, finally looking at him and seeing him, “…That you’d died…”Peter stared at her, “Why would you think that?” He asked, “I mean, sure… I feel awful but from what I was told yesterday by the Goddesses? I kind of expected this?” He picked up the sandwich, “Ah, hot hot…” He held it carefully, with his fingernails, and bit into it, “Mmgh… damn tasty though.” He smiled. “No. Peytr…” She whispered, shaking her head, gripping his shoulders, “Peytr… We talked about how while it’s somewhat on that not everyone speaks to a goddess… mostly it’s through prayer, meditation… the energy spent leaves you tired, yes, but no more than, say, a long training session.” She expined, “But what happened yesterday, with you calling on the Family like that, with their presence?” “Yeah…?” He asked, biting into his sandwich again, chewing slowly. “Doing that once, like calling down one goddess would be taxing. Even for someoh a lot of athyrik energy… two would be draining. Three would be insane for a normal person!” She met his eyes, staring hard, “You called down all dek of them…” “…Oh…” Peter had the dawning realization of just exactly how dire his desperate maneuver could have pyed out, “…I might have goofed…” “Mi…Might have goofed?!” “I mean… yeah… on the one hand… but oher…” He smiled, “It worked…” “Goofed!?” Traya whispered, tears in her eyes as she straio keep quiet for Ennalyssa’s be, “Goofed?! You could have died, Peytr and all you have is ‘it worked’?” “A saying from my world… ‘If it works, it’s not stupid’…” Peter coughed, blushing, “Traya, please uand I had no idea about that. I was desperate, sure, but not enough to put my life on the line. I made a promise to Ennalyssa, and I ’t keep it if I’m dead, after all.”Traya looked up at him, staring, searg his eyes, and trying to pierce his very soul for the veracity of his words. She thumped her fists against his chest, “Y…You…” She thumped her fists at his chest again, and again. “I’m sorry.” He whispered, ing his arms around her, “I really am, Traya. I didn’t know… and I would not have called down all of them if I did.” “Enna… she cried so much after you went to bed.” She whispered, “She tried not to let me see but…” Traya gave a little hiccup. “Oh… Oh Enna… and poor you, too, for having to deal with this.” Peter sighed, “I ot repeat enough… had I known…” “I know. Even though I’ve only known you a week… I hear the truth in your words.” Traya sighed, pulling herself away from him and giving him a pout, “Yoing to teach me how to make that sandwich, though. Call it pay-back.” “Happily.”

  ==========

  Ennalysaa sighed to herself, on the edge of sciousness enough to hear the door open.The footsteps were soft and quiet. She shifted under her covers, curling up into a little ball. Traya, the young teen figured, was ing to wake her up so she could get ready for her day; things would tinue as normal, she knew because they had to. No time to mourn for the Goddess of Light’s Divinely Chosen Heroine, after all.

  A st caught her nose, inhaling out of reflex. Whatever Traya had made smelled good. Eggs, and some of the meat they had been given by Shepherd Vaunn’s assistant. Her stomach growled — she did not necessarily want to eat but knew she should; one of the st things Peytr had told her, maybe a day or so ago? Peytr…No time to remember the summoned Champion who, in under a single week, had turned her life around so quickly, so thhly. No time to grieve the loss of the one person who treated her like the child she was (even if she hated being sidered a child and told him so several times). No… Even if I ’t show it, or say it. I won’t fet you. I’ll remember you, forever.She sniffled, shifting a hand to wipe at her eyes. Maybe… Maybe I’ll see you again in Xtha’s Hearth…

  “I’m so sorry…”

  That voice — It made her freeze up. Stories of people hearing or even seeing those who passed in their dreams… was she still asleep enough for such a thing to happen? She briefly, but deeply, hoped her mind was not making it up and, somehow, the spirit of Peytr was indeed visiting her.

  “Oh, Enna, I am so sorry I put you through this.” Peytr whispered gently and Ennalyssa could feel his hand oop of her head, a gentle, soft touch.There was a soft k at the edge of her hearing and she felt a weight on the bed. “I hate to wake you up, but you have to get ready for the day. There’s breakfast waiting for you, too.” “Mrh…” She groaned, wanting to stay, to sleep longer, if only to keep this dream for as long as possible. “e on, hun.” Peytr whispered, “You gotta get up.” “…I don’t wanna…” She whispered, “If I wake up, you’ll be gone.”Peytr chuckled gently, stroking at her hair again, “You’ll have to try harder than that to get rid of me, now, e on. Cold eggs arely tasty.” “…” Ennalyssa sniffled, f herself to wake up yet hold on to the fleeting memories of a dream so she could remember Peytr’s voice just a little longer.Shifting in bed she sat up, sniffling and giving a little hiccup. “Here, now…” Peytr’s voice was low and soft, gently reag out to dry her eyes with the er of her bed sheet, “… everything will be okay.”

  It took a long moment for Ennalyssa to realize she had heard those words through her sleep-foggy brain, tired eyes snapping open wide as she stared at the man before her. He looked tired, drained. Not ill or sick but drained in a way that she was having difficulty describing beyond that… aill he smiled. Smiled for her.It was a gehing, Peter’s smile, reag the edges of his vibrant purple eyes, the twin thin lines of gold almost shining in the m light spilling from her window. “P…Peytr…” She hiccuped, almost scared to say the word. Slowly she reached out, fiips brushing against his hand, moving up his arm. They skipped up to his face, cupping at his cheeks as she stared at him, disbelievi on the side of her bed before her. “You…” She whispered, ung herself against him, “You’re alive…” “I am.” He whispered, huggiightly, “I’m so sorry.” “You’re alive! I t-thought… I thought…” “I know.” His words were filled with sorrow and apology for the pain he caused her. “I hate you.” “You’re angry, it’s okay.” “I cried for you.” “Traya told me.” Peytr quietly informed her, “It’s okay to cry, hun.” “I hate you!” She sniffled, burying her face against his neck, “I thought you left me!” “I am so sorry I scared you, Enna.” Peter apologized, his throat tightening, “I didn’t know…” “Idiot…” She whispered, hicg again. “Yeah.” He agreed softly, resting his cheek oop of her head as her tears wet his short tunibsp; “I didn’t want to be alone, poppa…” She murmured against him, “…I didn’t want to be alone agaier hugged her tightly, “You won’t be alone again, I promise you that much. You have Traya too, remember, not just me.”“… I know… but… you’re you, poppa.” Ennalyssa mumbled against his short tunibsp; “I appreciate that.” Peter gave a quiet chuckle as he pulled away, though still hugging her, leaning over to her bedside table and taking up the pte he had set there, “Here, I made you breakfast. Least I could do, really.”Taking the pte aing it on her p, she picked up the sandwid muttered a ‘…the very least…’ under her breath — though Peter, thanks to his enhanced hearing, heard it regardless — not being that far away from him, after all — before biting into it. She chewed slowly, sav it… or perhaps, Peter thought, sav the fact he made it for her… before swallowing. “It’s really good.” She mumbled quietly. “Thank you.” He smiled down at her, stroking her hair tenderly as she went back for a rger bite. “Do you… do you promise… I won’t be alone again?” She asked, looking up at him expetly. “I promise you that I won’t knowingly endanger myself like that again.” Peter soled, wishing he could promise her more, shifting them around so she could still eat but he could an arm arouo hug her again, “I will do my damo make sure you aren’t alone again, Enna.”

  She nibbled on the sandwich, enjoying the egg and thinly sliced meat, the slightly melted cheese, and crispy toast. “This is really good, poppa.” She whispered. “It’s simple but it’s damn tasty.” Peter smiled proudly, then sat straight, “Oh! Damn. I should have put butter and jam ooast too!” He shrugged, “Ah well.” “Butter and jam?” She asked. “It’s a good bo” Peter expined, “The sweetness of the jam bances out the savory meat and the eggs.” “Ohh.” She nodded, nibbling more, “Thank you for making breakfast. I hope you didn’t get in trouble with Traya.” “Not about making breakfast, at least.” He chuckled.There was aretch of sileh Ennalyssa mung on the sandwich but Peter could see on her face that there was something on her mind. “…I…” She whispered softly, “…I don’t really hate you…”Peter nodded, “I know, Enna, I promise.” “It… It just came out…” “I’m not mad, Enna.” He assured her, hugging her just a little tighter, “I’ve said things like that when I was angry, sad, aional.” “You have?”He nodded, “I have. I’m not proud of losing trol like that… but I apologized to whoever I said those things to. Like you did just now.”She sniffled, g her fingers into the toast, “You… aren’t… mad at me?” “Not a bit. I scared you, it’s uandable you’d be upset.” He assured her, “Do you feel better getting that out, though?” “… Not really… because I said hurtful things… and all you’ve done is try to take care of me.” She whispered.Peter nodded, “I uand those feelings, sweetie.” He chuckled, “Though I’m a little surprised you called me ‘poppa’.” “… No I didn’t…” She blinked, fused. “Like three times.” Peter nodded, holding up three fingers, grinning.

  The shade of red the pale, young half-elf turned was almost hirious as the soft little whine she gave as she flopped bato her bed was cute. “Nhhhheeee~?”

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