15th moon [voice]

[vibrafinal]

[As far as accidental voice messages go, this one is simple enough.

All that can be heard is the journal falling to the ground, and Cecil screaming in pain.

One cannot be expected to take the sudden and brutal loss of a somewhat telepathic father-son connection gracefully, after all.]

Comments

[Action]

[cladinthedark]

[He doesn't say anything over the journal. He doesn't need to. He heads straight for the house and barges right in, and to hell with anyone who might have a problem with it.

Heading straight towards Cecil's room, he reaches the doorway and stops, staring at him. He stands there, framed in the door, unmoving, unsure what to say.]

Cecil...

[Action]

[paladinlost]

[Between the bloody lip and palms and the tears on his face, he's doesn't make a very pretty or stable picture at the moment. He doesn't care.]

Brother, your powers are stronger than mine... Can you feel...

[But he doesn't believe in that possibility enough to even finish his sentence.]

[Action]

[cladinthedark]

[He won't allow that false hope to be raised. It would only make the fall that much more painful. He simply shakes his head.]

Your bond with Ceodore is far greater than mine ever could be, though we grew close during his time here. If you can not feel him... I doubt anyone can.

[He steps through the door and lowers his head.]

I am... sorry, brother.

[Action]

[paladinlost]

...I knew any of us could disappear at any time. I knew that, truly. But I did not expect it to hurt so much.

[He'd never expected that actual physical and mental pain would be involved. He wonders how he could not have imagined the possibility, now.]

[Action]

[cladinthedark]

It is impossible to truly prepare oneself for the loss of one so close. When you were here, and left...

[The last three times.]

Well... let us just say that I have an idea of what you are experiencing now.

[Action]

[paladinlost]

It feels as though a part of my soul was ripped away again. How you can you feel that more than once and stay sane?

[Three times would be too much for him, he believes.]

[Action]

[cladinthedark]

Because... I have to. Because I know all too well what happens if I lose my grip on myself again. And because... Even when I lost you, before, I had others here to remind me that, no matter what happens, here in Luceti I'm never alone.

[He rests a hand on Cecil's shoulder.]

We're never alone.

[Action]

[paladinlost]

[He reaches up to grip that hand.]

...You're right. Back in Baron... I needed help, all the help the world was willing to offer. And the world offered. My wife, my son, my brother, my friends, all coming to my aid... It's the same here, is it not? Even if many of our allies are absent or gone. He'll not be alone there either. I know it.

[He believes that. He has to believe that.]

[Action]

[cladinthedark]

That's right. We are all connected. Not a one of us shall be left alone again.

[He manages to dredge up an encouraging smile.]

Not you, not me, and not him. He will push on through what is coming, and he will emerge the stronger. This, I have faith in.

[Action]

[paladinlost]

...Of course. We can band together, after all. Those connections strengthen us, and will certainly see us through any crisis they may throw at us. He's merely catching up, is he not?

[Finally, finally, there's something resembling hope in his voice.]

[Action]

[cladinthedark]

Agreed on all counts.

[The hope in Cecil's voice kindles relief in Golbez's, and he nods approvingly.]

I won't tell you not to worry about him or fear for him. That would be absurd. But don't despair, Cecil. He will be alright. He's a strong young man.

[Action]

[paladinlost]

He is. More than you know, even. They all are, in their own ways. That's why we managed to fight for so long.