Renevere Mars: Part Three

Episode 33: A Kind of Love

As far as Ren knew, Duren's dad was dead. But if she was honest, she couldn't remember if Duren had actually told her as much, or if this had been an early-days assumption, back when all she could do with her thoughts was fantasize theories about the mysterious and ever elusive Duren Kahl. Remembering that time made Ren smirk, particularly as he stood at her kitchen sink, meticulously scrubbing at a pan he had left on the burner too long the night before, encrusting food remnants on the rim so bad Ren refused to wash it. Her smirk faded as she thought about the unspoken questions she now had after finding out Duren's father was very much not dead, and very much did reside in Ossilith. Duren had told her neither of his parents lived in Ossilith, she remembered that much. But it had been so long ago. Would he still lie today? The idea made her stomach ache.

Then a knock on Ren's door made both her and Duren crane their necks to stare at the door, wide eyed, and then at each other. It took Ren's brain a long moment to process what was happening. Someone was at her door, not too strange, though odd for a weekday morning. Duren was in her kitchen, sweatpants and T-shirt clad. His hair was disheveled from a good night's sleep and a morning romp in the sheets. So was Ren's. This was not an appropriate look for Master and pupil.

It was clear on Duren's face he had made the same determination, but he was frozen in the spot, maybe strategizing an exit, but could he get out fast enough through the window? Or would that put him at risk for an even more suspicious scenario? The knocking sounded again, though it wasn't hasty or aggressive.

"Uh, one- one second!" Ren called, collecting herself. She pulled her bathrobe over her shoulders and waved her hand frantically at the bathroom. Duren was ahead of her, already ducking through her small apartment, attempting to avoid the front window's view, and slipping into the bathroom silent as a mouse.

As he closed the bathroom door without a sound, Ren opened the front.

"Oh, hey," she greeted, surprised to find Heath. She relaxed and let the door fall open a bit more, relieved to see a friend and not someone from Vertexia or otherwise.

"Hey, sorry for the morning call," he said. Though it was hardly morning anymore, her appearance gave away she wasn't exactly ready for guests. "You have a minute? I need to pick your brain if I can."

"Uh, sure," Ren offered because she couldn't think of an excuse not to, and she wanted to help a friend, just not like this. Heath was hedging to come in, because why wouldn't she let him in? She couldn't think of a reason, and it happened too fast; he was already stepping through the threshold, as she graciously allowed him to, shutting the door behind him.

"So, I'm heading out for this mission," he started, glancing around her space which was admittedly a mess. Ren's eyes darted to the discarded hoody at the end of the bed. Duren's. Could have been her's though, and Heath didn't seem to notice. "We have intel it might involve a skilled paraphysical user, and as you know, it's not exactly my specialty."

Ren tilted her head to the side in allowance. Compared to Duren, Heath was shit-terrible at deflecting paraphysical attacks, though he could probably hold his own well enough if he knew it was coming.

"How many can be placed under a paraphysical cha at one time by one warrior, do you think?"

Ren crossed her arms thoughtfully, leaning her back against the kitchen island. "Well, it depends," she began. "I can really only do a few, though probably more if the targets are low enough in energy or don't have strong defenses against paraphysical. It's easier to put everyone one under one cha, meaning you'll be in the dream together. That way I- or the caster- only has to create one reality for you all to share. So if they're going to cast several, that's probably how they'll do it, and probably a Wakeful Dream Cha."