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Blog Post 64: The Adventure Shop: Part 31:

12/13/24

A searing pain lit up Psyche’s chest as she held a little sprout. Sobs erupted as sorrow formed in a way she could not place. 

“Hey. Hey!” Marianna ran,  taking the sprout from her hands and set it with the others. “What’s wrong?” 

Psyche’s hand moved over her face as her wails grew louder. Marianna looked for any signs or wounds, but couldn’t find any.

“I. I. I. Felt. It.” She wept as Marianna began to feel sorrow that began to envelop her. 

The forest began to move in distress and the new little Mother Tree told her that the effects of sorrow were on all the living things around Psyche. 

Psyche held her head as visions began to pass in her mind. 

“I can’t help. I can’t. I can’t help.” 

“Help who? What is going on, hun?” Marianna asked, pulling her closer trying to comfort, but felt a dread in her heart that grew deeper.

“What is going on? You girls are making the forest go all freaky again.” Killian stomped up.

“It’s Psyche. She started sobbing and then holding her head. The Mother Tree told me she is feeling the effects of sorrow too.”

“Everything is.” Killian mutter as he stood closer. “I got her.” 

Killian grabbed Psyche’s shoulder and lifted her chin to look at him when she let him guide her.

“What is your name?” 

“Psych. Psych. Psycheeee.” She wailed. 

“Can I have your name without the sobbing?” He rolled his eyes. “Ow!” He yelped as Marianna smacked his arm.

“Be nice.” She reprimanded. 

“Be nice.” He mimicked in her voice and stopped when he caught her glare. 

Turning his back to Marianna he waited. 

“Psyche.” She stated, trying hard before she hiccuped from trying to keep back her tears.

Killian wiped her tears and smiled, “It’s gonna be okay now.” 

He focused his power and looked into her eyes, “Psyche, I have your name, I have you. I am telling you to focus on my voice alone as your thoughts and guide. In this moment you will stop sending your distress to everyone around you. You will get to release your emotions and feelings in a constructive way later, but right now I need you to calmly explain what happened. What hurt you?”

A disconnect became obvious as Psyche’s eyes wandered  and the forest began to grow darker with a sense of foreboding. 

“Hey! None of that. Psyche. I have your name, I have you. Focus on only my voice.” Killian said using his control to pull her back.

Her eyes grew dim and the forest grew light, as he used his power to put her in a hold. Allowing him to channel how much her own power left her mind. 

Psyche did a tiny hiccup and covered her mouth quickly, looking afraid.

“It’s okay to cry.” Killian said wiping her tears. “But you losing control of your abilities is hurting others. I’m gonna help you release all that emotion in a small flow, but before I do that I need you tell be what happened.”

Psyche’s mouth twisted in a frown then a straight line. “I.” She paused, testing her voice. “Something is wrong with Brawn. I felt it. Saw it. I can’t.” Psyche breathed hard as her chest constricted and her voice cried out the anguish her heart felt, “I am. I am. Sorry!” 

Killian fought for her focus, “Psyche, I have your name. I have you. Do not lose yourself to your power.”

“I can’t feel him!” She wailed as the forest grew quiet, the trees seemed to turn their focus on the trio and Marianna heard the warnings of the little Mother Tree. 

“I don’t,” Marianna began.

“Shhh. Unless you want to bring monsters back here. We need to keep the energy here neutral while the little one grows.” 

Marianna nodded as they watched Psyche fight her overwhelming power with Killian’s help. 

“I saw. He fought a monster. But I only found out after.” 

“After what?” 

“He was terrified. Enough to alert me all the way here. Something happened. He felt betrayed. Heartbroken. Before.” She breathed in and fought to maintain her focus. “Before he was killed.”

Killian wavered and her power grew as her grief overwhelmed them. 

“What are you doing to her?” Carnelian shouted, slamming into Killian. 

Killian hit the ground and felt Psyche’s ability grow as his waned. “Get off me! She needs my help!”

“What are you doing to her?” Carnelian yelled again.

“I am trying to help her process what happened. She says Brawn was killed!” 

Carnelian stopped. “What?”

“She said he was killed right before you attacked me.”

“How?” 

Marianna held Psyche, “We were about to find that out.” 

Killian and Carnelian got off the ground before they went to her again. 

“Psyche’s ability is in her mind and her ability to control her environment’s emotions and energy. And she is incredibly smart. Whenever she would have an overwhelming adverse emotion I always gave her something that would help. Here.” Carnelian said, reaching into her belt of various powders and liquids. 

Killian took the liquid and gave some to Psyche while taking back his control over her. She relaxed in Marianna’s arms, Carnelian watched her reaction and Killian probed her for more information. 

“What happened?”

“They were on a ship. She killed someone I didn’t know and then she threw Brawn over the ship’s edge. And then I lost his connection. I can’t feel anything. Even when we were miles apart I have always been able to feel him. Know he is alive. I can’t feel anything now. I can’t feel him. He’s gone!” She sobbed softly as Carnelian’s concoction and Killian’s magic kept her power in check.

“Has magic ever separated your ability?” Marianna asked, 

“Only once. I lost him when he entered a town recently. The town had a strong power that interrupted the connection. I couldn’t feel his presence for days. And then it came rushing back and he let me know it was like an old curse on the town.”

“Could that happen now?” Carnelian looked up at her friend, hoping Brawn and the others were still safe.

“Who was the sea captain?” Killain asked, “Did you recognize them?” 

“I didn’t see, but I knew they were wary of her.” Psyche answered.

“Her?” Carnelian asked with wide eyes.

“Do you know?” Marianna watched for her answer.

“Yes. She was a part of our crew. If Bart decided to trust her again. She killed one of our friends.” Carnelian paced and shouted, “How could he be so stupid?” 

“Who is it?” Killian asked.

“Her name was Reyna when we met her. I am not sure if she changed it. We brought her into the crew when we were still not the best people. We were not horrible, but we didn’t care who we were hurt. There was another one of us then. He was better. He wanted us to do better. To help people. He was smart and kind, but not naive. His name was,” 

“No,” Psyche begged, “Please don’t. I can’t. Please stop.”

“What’s wrong?” Killian asked them both.

“I can’t. It all feels overwhelming. I can’t hear his name.” 

“Psyche, I have your name and I have you. For now you will no longer be able to hear until I tell you otherwise.” Killian pulled his ability over her ears and shut out the sound as Marianna held her tightly.

“She loved him. That’s why. Reyna killed him out of jealousy, even though we all thought she liked Bart. His name was Zenar. He suspected her. Thought she was making deals and bringing in people we couldn’t trust, but we didn’t listen. We liked the money and power. And then Psyche found him and Reyna hid it until she betrayed us all. We said we would never step foot in the sea after his death. We wondered almost dead when the Mother Tree took us in and gave us a home and new purpose. We helped her. For him. We wanted to be better for him. I can’t believe he trusted her again!” 

“Carnelian, what else do you know about her?” Killian asked feeling his energy waning with all this information and the amount of power it took to control Psyche. 

“She had blood lust. She doesn’t care who dies. I kept tabs on her and she loses a crew every few months. All she wants is people who can help her get more power and more wealth. I thought I would just let her be in honor of him. That I wouldn’t take my revenge, but now that idiot Bart went back to her. And now Brawn,” Carnelian sighed and nonchalantly wiped a tear away as if she could not be bothered nor wanted to cry.

“We have to go.” Marianna spoke up. 

“What?” Killian asked, shocked she would even think of it.

“There are others here now who can help the growth and protect this land. Other Nymphs I trust will help the Mother Tree grow as strong as her predecessors. I have to go for Dahlia. I can not leave her with a woman like that.” 

“What makes you think she is alone?” Carnelian questioned.

“Because she is connected to the moonstone. And that is a power I am sure that captain would love to possess.”

“We will leave tomorrow.” Killian affirmed. 

“We are coming too.” Carnelian waived to Psyche. Psyche touched her ear and pointed to Killian.

“I am going to help her release her emotions before I release her hearing.” Killian took Psyche further away leaving Carnelian and Marianna. 

Marianna and Carnelian planned and Killian focused on Psyche. 

“Before I release your hearing I want you to stay focused on my voice. Focus on your anguish and heartache. Accept and then let it flow through you and out. I will help you maintain control.” 

Psyche nodded and seemed hesitant. Killian could tell she was holding back her emotions and her power. “You can not keep it locked up inside. Those emotions will hurt you physically if you keep it there. You need to release it. It is okay. I’ve got you. You won’t affect us.”

Psyche nodded and began to let go all her thoughts and emotions as Killian sifted through and releasing them slowly so it would not affect the others. 

He felt the love for her brother. The heartache of his death, the uncertainty of what to do next. The loss of someone she could always rely on. And the loss of love. Her love. 

Killian looked at Marianna briefly and felt his cheeks heat. They always joked about being the best partners and adventures, but he was not certain if there was more. If she felt more. He could not imagine what it would be like to lose the person you loved.

He watched Psyche with new respect as she sorted through her emotions and slowly gained control over her ability again. 

“I’m so tired and I feel so numb.” She said softly. 

“I know it can be a lot to deal with so much emotion. You did great. And I am gonna release the hold on you now.”

“Is it safe?” She mumbled, still not being able to hear anything, but Killian’s voice.

“Yes. And if you need help again I don’t mind.”

“Thank you. Brawn usually helps me. It is the best part of being Gemeni. Helping each other overcome the weak parts of our abilities.” 

“That is what friends are for. Me and Carnelian. We are both here and can help you.”

“Thank you. Let me hear so I can make a plan to find my brother.”

“Of course.” Killian looked her in the eyes and stated firmly, “Psyche, I give you back your name, I give you back yourself. You are no longer mine. I release you and all the affects of my power over you.”

Psyche felt a rush and felt like she could breathe on her own again. Like the world was less in a fog than it had been before. 

“How did you take control over me?” Psyche wondered aloud. Not sure how he could control her so easily.

“You gave me the power over you.” He smiled and walked towards the other two.

“How?”

“Names have power. Never give yours away so easily.”

“My name?”

“Yes. If someone asked if they can have your name tell them no. Or give them a false one. A beings name is apart of who they are. What they believe themselves to be. When you give your name away you give away the ability to control and see yourself.”

“I see.” Psyche mumbled thinking, “I am never going to give my name to anyone again.”

“You don’t have to worry about some beings.”

“Then who?”

“The Fae, darling. Names are our bread and butter. We more than anyone know what is in a name.” 

Psyche paused, knowing she had a lot to think through, but would save it for later. “Fine, then lets go get Reyna.”