Hollow

Chapter 16: Just Trying to Help

At least Thylle actually spars unlike Ysve who prefers to just beat him up for a good laugh. Llwell is able to keep up with them while balancing atop the array of wooden posts set up in the field. It's a new day, one that he is going to spend focusing on the task at hand and nothing more.

Etho was starting to wake up earlier but it seemed to be taking him some effort, so Dumaine and Ildilyntra stayed with him to use their magic to help coax him back to consciousness.

Leaving Llwell alone to face the wrath of Thylle.

"Keep your back straight, bitchtits," they deadpan as they strike at him with their dual set of wooden poles. Llwell growls and flips back, nimbly landing on one narrow post before he leaps to the next, serpentining towards the other elf.

He strikes down at them with his own set of poles and they balance on one foot while the other flies forward and kicks him in the stomach. Llwell fumbles back but manages to twist his body to regain his center of balance as he pivots and whips his next attack at Thylle.

The elf in black leaps over his head, kicking off of his shoulders and elegantly landing on a post behind him.

Llwell quickly turns around to face them, when Etho appears in his face.

"Wracked with pain, poisonous thoughts, thinking, there is no comfort in friendly faces, family hurting, home isn't as you remember. Neither is it for Ysve but she's been here all along," the boy says.

"What the fuck?!" Thylle gasps and staggers back at the sudden appearance of the boy and they fumble, losing their balance as they fall from the post.

Etho instantly vanishes and reappears at the base of the post, catching the elf before they can hit the ground. "I didn't mean to frighten you. I need to talk to the Hollow. Do you mind?" he innocently tilts his head at them as he lets them out of his arms.

Thylle quickly backs away from the strange boy. "What by Amnestria's ass are you?!"

Etho holds his hand to his chest. "I am Etho."

Llwell sighs and jumps down, placing his hand on Etho's shoulder. "It's good to see you're okay. You had us worried," he says and slightly positions himself between the boy and Thylle.

Etho looks down. "I know. Worried, waiting, watching without power to help hurts more than if the pain was your own, only it's not. You didn't want to watch but Entice gave you no choice, choosing desperation, death making fear of failing to accept its offer of freeing me from what it thinks impossible, but I have to try."

Thylle points at Etho while looking at Llwell. "Do you know what the fuck he's saying?"

"Yes," Llwell sighs again. "Etho, how do you feel?"

The boy presses his hand to his stomach. "Sore, stinging, tingling to the touch but the pain has lessened, lightened, left me able to breathe again, aching but okay. I am okay. Thanks to you and the kind guardian," he says with a small smile that hides under his hat.

Thylle watches the exchange and just throws down one of their training sticks. "Nope, that's it. I need a drink. You can spar with the weird teleporting pasty boy. I'm out," they start walking away.

Llwell chuckles as he watches them leave. "So, I win by default?"

They throw the other stick at him and it hits him in the center of his forehead, making him drop onto his ass.

"That didn't hurt," he groans and rubs his forehead.

Etho tilts his head down at him. "Yes it did," he says and slightly lifts his hand. "I can ease your pain if you'd like."